Payoff Day - Get Vaccinated, or Look Out!

I had a terrific day in terms of watching the infection spread. Let me explain. I have a very keen interest in attracting current students to academia. There is quite the shortage in health science educators, and it is more than a small problem that must be solved. I hope that I inspire as I work, and more explicitly, I even go so far as suggesting particular students consider academia.

Today I had two rewarding experiences that fuel that particular fire. First, I met with a very talented student who is taking my teaching elective course, and as part of that course has been doing some software training relative to the year-one course I teach, along with four other third year students. The elective course students designed and led nine individual sessions with small groups of first-year students to augment their training on a rather complex, discipline-specific software program. The need for this additional training came from reviewing the self-assessment reports I require in the course. There were numerous expressions of frustrations and confusion regarding the software in posts every week. I simply could not let this year be about how much they hated the program. When approached, there was a willing group of teaching elective students who were interested in trying their hand at leading a seminar, and off we went. The nine sessions concluded last night, so now I am leading the TAs through designing an appropriate seminar evaluation tool, so they can go full circle with the teaching experience. But first, I decided to show this particular student a few of the self-assessment blogs that have been posted since the trainings have been taking place. The difference is amazing. Instead of complaining about the program, there are numerous posts claiming a new command of the software, and some explicitly recognizing how helpful the student-led training was. I'll admit it, I was reveling in the obvious delight the student felt at seeing proof-positive that her work with the year-one students was making an enormous difference. I could absolutely tell her pleasure in this knowledge was genuine, and I felt so good to think that perhaps by working together she may someday decide to turn her considerable talent toward academia. As they say, the first one's free...

The second wonderful event occurred with another student whom I feel has enormous potential beyond his declared professional school goals. We had lunch to discuss a highly organized student-led training on a very complicated diagnostic tool that he has been developing with other faculty. In our conversation he asked me if I would consider co-authoring a paper with him as the "educational guru". Whoa. Who? Where do I begin? The student is clearly performing above expected levels to maintain his coursework and clinical activities while simultaneously creating and running this innovative training course. He is adding value to our curriculum while still being a student, and already understands how important it is to disseminate knowledge. One of his questions was how he could publish, but also share the information widely for the largest possible benefit to the profession. What can I say? I can't wait to count him as a colleague. I hope I get that opportunity.

Days like this one carry me far...