Issue 84, April 2025

Amid our turbulent political climate, shifting medical, research and educational landscapes, and the normal, but still challenging, ups and downs of life, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. March and April are filled with milestones, both exciting and stressful, some annual and some intermittent: Match Day, recruitment and admissions deadlines, accreditation visits for OT and PACS, GME site visits, and more. So, it is natural that our lives, influenced by an array of external factors and events, might seem beyond our control, causing stress and anxiety. It is worth pausing to ask: How are you caring for yourself? And how might we care for each other? | Full Excerpt

Look back at the unforgettable moments of Match Day 2025. Experience the excitement as these future doctors reflect on their academic journeys and eagerly discover where they will head next for residency training, surrounded by loved ones and fellow classmates.

We want to hear what inspires you! Students, residents, fellows, faculty, and staff, please share brief stories, poems, or art that depict something from your school or work experiences that inspires you, gives you hope, shows courage, or provides you with meaning. Shared inspirations will help ground us all in the many reasons why we are here and why we continue, even in tough times, to be grateful to do what we do. Share Your Inspirations

We're also seeking ways to improve the newsletter. What are we doing well? What would you like to see more of? | Share Newsletter Ideas

Students in the Applied Health Behavior Research program and the various programs in the Institute for Informatics, Data Science & Biostatistics are seeking opportunities to collaborate with faculty members. By engaging a research assistant, you can enhance your research capabilities, foster collaboration, and advance your projects by gaining support in data collection, analysis, literature reviews, and other key research activities. Don't miss this chance to elevate your research and work with passionate and driven individuals. Complete this survey to begin the process. 

The Master of Science programs in Applied Health Behavior Research (AHBR), Biostatistics, and Clinical Investigation at WashU Medicine are your gateway to unlocking incredible career opportunities. These programs provide powerful tools to help you elevate your professional skills, enhance job fulfillment, and achieve career goals in groundbreaking research. Several stand-alone courses are open to WashU employees for enrollment as a non-degree seeking student and are eligible for the HR Tuition Benefit. | Course List

The Education Day committee invites faculty and learners throughout WashU Medicine to submit an abstract for a poster or oral presentation at Education Day on October 14, 2025. We welcome a wide variety of abstracts representing both education research and innovative approaches to education across the health professions and across learner stages from students through post-graduate (including continuing education). Works in progress and submissions from students, residents, and fellows are welcome. Submission deadline: May 1, 2025. Additional information | Submit your abstract

The Call for Nominations is now open for the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award, Exemplary Educator Award and Rising Star Award recognizing outstanding contributions by our faculty in health and basic sciences education. Awards will be presented at the annual Academy of Educators: Education Day on October 14, 2025. Submission deadline: May 11, 2025. Additional information | Questions

Population Health Sciences offers the following certificate programs. Apply here by April 15th for a fall 2025 start date. Questions? Email: MPHS@wustl.edu or visit mphs.wustl.edu. 

Certificate of Clinical Effectiveness
Enhance your research expertise and impact by developing the strong methodological skills needed for clinical outcomes research. Designed for physicians and clinical doctorates, including MD, DO, DPT, PhD, and PharmD as well as current doctoral students.

Certificate in Health Equity and Disparities
Gain an in-depth understanding of health disparities and the social determinants of health. Ideal for people with a master’s or doctoral degree or current MD, DO, DPT, PhD, and PharmD students.

Application Deadline: Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 11:59PM
Learn More | Apply Here
This certificate program, offered by the Graduate Medical Education office, is open to new, aspiring, and experienced residency and fellowship PDs from both accredited and non-ACGME accredited programs. Current and aspiring Associate Program Directors (APDs) are also encouraged to apply. This course aims to enhance GME knowledge, develop new skills, promote innovation, tackle challenges, strengthen leadership capabilities, and focus on career and professional growth. Attend 11 monthly in-person sessions on Wednesday afternoons from 1-4pm, August 2025 through June 2026 (80% attendance is required to earn the certificate).

Application Deadline: Sunday, May 5, 2025, 11:59PM
Learn More | Apply Here
Intended for health professions faculty who wish to obtain scholarly expertise in curriculum development, design, and evaluation, the program provides enhancement of knowledge and skills, with a focus on core components of educational scholarship and curriculum development. The program consists of twice-monthly seminars during the 2025-2026 academic year, a curriculum development, design, or evaluation education scholarship project completed under faculty mentorship/guidance, and a capstone presentation event.

Date/Time: Thursday, April 3, 2025, 1:00PM-5:30PM
Location: EPNEC - Great Room A/B | Register here
This year’s theme is Strategies for Success: Embracing Transitions & Unconventional Pathways. This event is open to all (faculty, staff, trainees) and will feature several speakers including Dr. Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis, Director of Health for the City of St. Louis, followed by a networking reception with light refreshments. Collaboratively hosted by the Forum for Women in Medicine (FWIM) and Advancing Women in Academic Medicine (AWAM).

AI for Educators: Generative AI Policy & Ethics at WashU
RESCHEDULED Date/Time: Monday, May 5, 2025, 1:00PM-2:30PM
Location: FLTC - 2nd Floor, Room 205 | Register here
Deepen your understanding of the ethical considerations and policy frameworks guiding the use of generative AI in educational settings. Dr. Brendan O’Connor will lead a thought-provoking discussion on best practices. Reserve your spot today and join us for a journey into the exciting world of AI for Educators!

Written Narrative Assessment Workshop
Date/Time: Thursday, May 8, 2025, 12:00PM-1:00PM OR Wednesday, June 11, 2025, 5:00PM-6PM
Location: FLTC - 2nd Floor, Room 205 | Register here
By the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to describe the purpose of written narrative assessments, list the components of high-quality written narrative assessments, and write high-quality narrative comments on assessment forms. The Office of Medical Student Education expects any clinician who works with a learner to attend the workshop. Questions? Contact the Academy. An OMSE collaboration.

Steve Taff, PhD, OTR/L, FNAP, FAOTA, and Märit Watson, OTD, OTR/L, PMH-C will each receive a 2025 Outstanding Faculty Award from the Graduate and Professional Student Council and Kayla Young, Office of Medical Student Affairs program coordinator, will receive an Outstanding Staff Award. The awards honor staff and faculty members who have made a significant positive impact in the lives and careers of graduate and professional students at WashU. Taff, Watson, Young, and other recipients will be honored at a ceremony on the Danforth Campus April 21st. Congratulations, Steve, Märit, and Kayla!

Allyson Zazulia, MD, Associate Dean for Continuing Medical Education, has been elected to the Accreditation Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). The committee reviews accreditation applications and advises the ACCME Board of Directors. Allyson brings valuable experience to this role through her work as a Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education surveyor and her leadership in securing Joint Accreditation with Commendation for WashU. 

The Roy and Diana Vagelos Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences is proud to announce Nicquet Blake, PhD, as our Hooding and Recognition Ceremony Speaker on Friday, May 9th. Dr. Blake, Vice Provost of Student Academic Affairs and Dean of the Graduate Division at UCSF, earned her doctorate in Neuroscience and completed postdoctoral training at WashU.

Aidan Schneider, DBBS student in Computational and Systems Biology, was recently featured by the Center for Teaching and Learning for his work with AI-Generated Quizzes to Support Student Learning. As part of completion of the Scholar level of the Professional Development in Teaching Program, Schneider designed and implemented a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research project. 

The Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) hosted their inaugural MSTP Retreat and Alumni Celebration hybrid event in March. The event included presentations from current students as well as alumni. Founding WashU MSTP Director Dr. Roy Vagelos, MD spoke about the history and impact of the MSTP; Dr. Roger Perlmutter, MD, PhD, Class of ’79, discussed the future of the biopharmaceutical industry; and Christine Lovly, MD, PhD, Class of ’06, shared her experience as a physician-scientist in academia. The day closed with student research presentations, an alumni panel on the future for physician scientists, and social events. | More about MSTP

The Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education and the Office of Graduate Medical Education hosted nearly 40 educators and clinicians for training in practical skills to promote a human-centered culture among health care teams. Facilitated by Relational Leadership Partners across WashU Medicine and BJH/SLCH during four days in March, the program empowered participants to apply the content to best suit their specific curricular and clinical practice settings. | Explore CIPE Events

The Spring 2025 issue of O.T. Link, Occupational Therapy's alumni magazine, spotlights Märit Watson, OTR/L, PMH-C, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Medicine, who aims to reinfuse the origins of occupational therapy into the rapidly growing field of maternal health research and clinical practice. Watson is a key member of one of our newest mentored scholarship labs, the Maternal Health Collective. Faculty and clinicians in this lab explore ways to improve perinatal outcomes through occupational engagement and activities that promote mental, physical and emotional well-being. 

A team of Program in Physical Therapy students and faculty (top left) presented at the Pro Bono Network Conference at Widener University in Chester, PA in March. Their session, "Enhancing Recruitment and Acclimation of Interprofessional Student Leaders at the Washington University School of Medicine Pro Bono Clinic," highlighted strategies for engaging future healthcare professionals in community-based care. Students Morgan Flecke SPT, Sonali Pendharkar SPT, Ashley Stork SPT, Steven Zhu SPT (PT learners), Carrie Reaver MS (MD learner), Hannah Launius OTD/S, Ariella Levy OTD/S (OT learners) worked with faculty mentors Jessica Dashner, Kiaana Howard, Barbara Lutey, Alyssa Skala, and Stacy Tylka.

Next, Kerri Rawson (center), PhD, Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy & Neurology, was awarded a grant from the McDonnell Center for Systems Neuroscience. The grant provides funding to support the purchase of a system for remote monitoring of gait.

Finally, the Program in Physical Therapy (top right) hosted a symposium on Competency-Based Education in PT. Thought leaders, educators, and innovators in physical therapy, across five organizations and 15 universities, shared their work in CBE, explored new ideas, and built meaningful collaborations in the name of looking toward the future of education in physical therapy.

Kaleigh Curran and her family welcomed a new addition in December. Baby Meredith and family are doing well, including her big sister who enjoys helping. Kaci Flett, and her husband Andy, welcomed Savannah in January. Everyone is healthy and happy. Both work for the ID Studio within the Educational Technology and Innovation Unit; Kaleigh is an Education Specialist and Instructional Designer and Kaci is a Videographer. Congratulations Curran and Flett families!!

Confidence doesn’t come before action - it comes from taking action, says business leader Kat Cole, who worked her way up from waitress to CEO of a global health company. She presents a simple yet powerful practice called the "hot shot rule" to help you step into a leadership mindset, break free from inertia and take decisive action when it matters most. Watch here.

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