Faculty, staff, trainees and students came together to share educational research and best teaching practices during Feinberg’s 14th annual Medical Education Day on October 15.
“Medical Education Day provides an opportunity to recognize our educators, their scholarship and expertise while also celebrating the medical education environment that is unique to Feinberg,” said Mary McBride, MD, MEd, professor of Pediatrics and of Medical Education and director of the Feinberg Academy of Medical Educators (FAME).
This year’s Medical Education Day centered on generational differences and how they play a role in the educational environment.
As Gen Z matures into the workforce, special attention should be paid to their learning styles, according to Jean Twenge, PhD, professor of Psychology at San Diego State University and this year’s keynote speaker.
“Generations happen because cultures change,” Twenge said. “Growing up now is completely different from what it was like to grow up in the 1950s or the 1980s or even the 2000s. It’s like growing up in another culture or another country.”
Twenge’s research focuses on the social, behavioral and cultural differences between generations. One major difference between Gen Z and Alpha and older generations is how much technology and social media has impacted their childhood, Twenge said.
Younger generations now have tended to grow up more slowly and with more safety concerns, Twenge said, and data shows Gen Z is less likely to drink alcohol, date or hold a job during high school compared to previous generations. These factors, coupled with increased rates of social anxiety, mean Gen Z students and employees might need more help with social skills and coping with their mental health, Twenge said.
“What does this end up meaning for education? A lot of times it means more structure, clear directions,” Twenge said. “But they have to work up to more. Another challenge is they have less experience with face-to-face, social interaction across the board.”
In the panel discussion following the keynote, which was moderated by Kenzie Cameron, PhD, ’08 MPH, professor of Medicine, of Medical Education, of Medical Social Sciences and of Preventive Medicine, panelists discussed how Gen X and Baby Boomers can best mentor Gen Z.
“Mentorship is about reciprocal benefit,” said Cameron, who is also senior director of NUCATS Mentoring and Leadership Development. “That should be part of the discussion. What are each person’s passions? What are each getting out of it?”
Older generations have a lot of wisdom to share, but might need to tailor how they communicate with Gen Z, a generation that prefers texting and email to in-person conversations, panelists said.
“With Gen Z, so many of us are at a very formative time in our life where we’re growing into our own styles of communicating and working with others,” said Sam Blizzard, a fourth-year medical student and member of Gen Z. “It’s exciting, but it also requires an understanding from older generations of where we’re starting from.”
Elsewhere during the day, workshops explored utilizing new technology and incorporating work-life balance into medical education.
A workshop led by Rachel Goc, PhD, learning engineer for Northwestern University Information Technology, introduced best practices for utilizing AI in medical education and using the tool to personalize student learning.
“AI is trained on the data available on the internet. Is the internet an accurate reflection of the complexities and daily realities of our world? No, of course not,” Goc said. “This is not new, but you need to enter into your exchanges with generative AI asking: ‘What voices are missing? What perspectives are missing?’ Because they are missing, and we have to know that going in.”
During another workshop, led by Maria Theodorou, MD, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine, faculty brainstormed policy ideas to support trainees who become parents during their medical education.
The day concluded with an awards ceremony, as several faculty members were recognized with the John X. Thomas, Jr. Best Teachers of Feinberg Award. The ceremony also celebrated recently promoted faculty, new members of FAME, as well as outstanding faculty, residents and fellows.
The Student Innovation Projects Award was presented to a group of Feinberg medical students who helped to integrate climate-conscious approaches into medical education. Awardees included first-year medical student Irene Quan; second-year students Clara Miller and Zac Hendrick; and third-years Madeline Cetlin, Lav Patel and Jefrey Poomkudy.
John X. Thomas, Jr. Best Teachers of Feinberg Award Winners
- Leslie Rydberg, MD, associate professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and of Medical Education
- Kavita Hodgkins, MD, assistant professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Nephrology
- Lindsay Koressel, MD, assistant professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Hospital-based Medicine
- Jennifer Bierman, MD, professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and of Medical Education
- Elizabeth Randolph, instructor of Medical Education in the Physican Assistant Program
- Matthew Major, PhD, associate professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Carolina Carmona, PT, DPT, assistant professor of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences
- Lois Hedman, PT, professor of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences
