Bruce Henschen, ’12 MD, ’12 MPH, ’15 GME, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, has received the Thomas Hale Ham Award for New Investigators from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
The award, presented at the AAMC Annual Meeting in November, recognizes Henschen’s research on the educational and clinical impact of the Education-Centered Medical Home (ECMH), a longitudinal clerkship at Feinberg. During the ECMH experience, teams of medical students are embedded into primary care clinics throughout their four years to provide continuity of care to patients and practice clinical skills in an authentic context.
“While I was pleasantly surprised to hear about the award, I’m proud of the efforts of our entire team,” Henschen said. “As a young faculty member, it’s so important to have great mentors, and I feel lucky to have found a great group of educators with whom I can collaborate.”
In the study, Henschen and a team of other Northwestern Medicine investigators surveyed students and reviewed patient charts to assess outcomes of the ECMH on both student education and patient care.
“We found that students who spent time in the ECMH curriculum were more satisfied with their primary care education overall, and they recommended the ECMH to incoming medical students,” Henschen said. “They also reported more encouragement from their preceptors to make meaningful connections with patients — a critical skill for all future practicing physicians.”
The study further found that patients enrolled in an ECMH clinic had higher rates of flu shot adherence and cancer screenings, suggesting a benefit to patients as well.
Henschen is the third Feinberg faculty member to receive the New Investigators award from the AAMC in the last 10 years. Diane B. Wayne, ’91 MD, vice dean for Education and Dr. John Sherman Appleman Professor of Medicine and Medical Education, received the award in 2007 and Jeffrey Barsuk, ’99 MD, ’02 GME, professor of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine and of Medical Education, in 2010.
“Our ‘track record’ of success is proof that we have a clear system of development that supports younger investigators,” Henschen said. “The amount of support I’ve received from past awardees and other excellent faculty members has been phenomenal, and I look forward to our future work together.”
The paper, published in the journal Academic Medicine, was co-authored by Jennifer Bierman, MD, associate professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics and of Medical Education; Diane B. Wayne, ’91 MD; Elizabeth Ryan, EdD, associate professor of Family and Community Medicine; John X. Thomas, PhD, professor of Medical Education and of Physiology; Raymond Curry, MD, GME ’85, former vice dean for Education; and Daniel Evans, ’00 MD, ’03 GME, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics.
“It was a wonderful opportunity to be able to collaborate with Bruce on the paper that won this prestigious award,” Wayne said. “Under the mentorship of Daniel Evans, Bruce has been a passionate advocate for enhanced continuity of care experiences for Feinberg students. It’s rewarding to see our renewed curriculum receiving national recognition, such as this AAMC award.”
