AACOM Home Page > Medical Education > Scholar-In-Residence

Medical Education Scholar-In-Residence Program

An AACOM Leadership Program

Purpose Of AACOM's Medical Education Scholar-In-Residence Program

The purpose of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) Medical Education Scholar-in-Residence Program is to provide opportunities for faculty and administrators from the Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) to focus study and development of competencies in medical education while working at the AACOM headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Eligible Participants

This opportunity is designed for faculty and administrators with major responsibility for components of the COM's curriculum: undergraduate, graduate or CME. Applicants must be nominated by their dean and together with the dean and department chair develop a proposal for study that will enhance both the local COM's medical education program and provide leadership to the greater osteopathic medical education community.

Financial Arrangements

It is required that the local COM provides a paid academic leave (full salary and benefits) for the scholar for the duration of the residency. AACOM will provide an additional monthly travel and housing stipend for the Scholar while working at the Association and travel expenses for attendance at designated meetings during the year of Scholarship.

Responsibilities

  1. The Scholar will provide evidence of interest in and experience with innovation in medical education.
  2. The Scholar, COM dean and department chair will develop and fulfill a proposal to meet a local medical education need, to which the Scholar can devote significant time and study.
  3. The Scholar will complete the online Education Scholar Modules.
  4. The Scholar will obtain a mentor from among the medical education community to assist in development of their professional expertise. This may require a visit to another COM to shadow a mentor or explore curriculum.
  5. Related to their area of study, the scholar will develop a pre-conference seminar on medical education, attend the AACOM annual meeting and conduct follow-up evaluation of that seminar and/or have a publication commitment from a peer-reviewed publication within a year of completion of the residency.
  6. The Scholar will attend numerous meetings to enhance the visibility and understanding of osteopathic medical education. These might include visiting the House and Senate committees on ageing, homeland security, disease control, and offices of the various funding agencies such as NIH, HRSA, and others as appropriate to the needs and interests of the Scholar.
  7. Along with the personal professional development through study and production of the above, it is assumed that the Scholar will become part of the daily work of AACOM during the period of the Scholarship.
  8. The Scholar will be appointed as a consultant to the Steering Committee of SOME allowing for expanded national networking and influence.

Scholar-In-Residence Goals

The Medical Education Scholar-in-Residence Program is designed to:

  1. Elevate medical education as a noteworthy endeavor within AACOM and its member COMs through scholarly inquiry and development.
  2. Incorporate the eight goals of the Education Scholar Modules by providing dedicated time for Scholars to complete the program in its entirety.
  3. Create annual opportunities of significance for learning and enhancing medical education for the entire osteopathic medical education community by sponsoring seminars and workshops developed by the Scholars at the AACOM annual meeting. Topics which may be considered but not limited to include:
    1. Pedagogy for medical education
    2. Facilitation of distance medical education
    3. Assessment in medical education
    4. Development of medical education curriculum
    5. Medical education research
    6. Faculty Development
    7. Other topics in medical education
  4. Create a community of medical education scholars who will continue their leadership in medical education through AACOM and in the COMs and as mentors to other medical educators.

Outcomes/Evaluation

AACOM and the Scholars have an obligation to rigorously and consistently assess and evaluate the effectiveness of this program. The following plan is based upon the objectives described above.

  1. Elevate medical education: This goal will be evaluated by tracking the financial support provided by AACOM annually. The COMs will track the effects on the COMs through annual reports of faculty development activities and expenditures to AACOM. Publication of medical education research by scholars will be tracked.
  2. Eight goals of the Education Scholar Program: Each Scholar will complete the Education Scholars Program. It is anticipated that each Scholar will become an advocate for the program and encourage colleagues to also enroll in and complete the program. Annual reports to AACOM by each COM will provide evidence of the use of this faculty development program.
  3. Sponsoring seminars and workshops at the AACOM annual meeting: Scholars will prepare evaluation formats for their seminar that will capture data for analysis. AACOM will annually track the enrollment in the workshops and the topic of the workshops.
  4. Create a community of medical education scholars: Scholars will assist AACOM in the development of a cohort of Scholars. This group will devise activities and means for evaluation of their continuing contribution to medical education.

Application Process

After consultation with appropriate colleagues and supervisors, the applicant will complete and submit this form. AACOM will then request a written nomination from the applicant's department chair or appropriate supervisor with confirmation of financial support and signature of the applicant's dean.

The applicant, medical dean and department chair will together develop a proposal/work plan for what is to be accomplished through the scholar-in residence program to assist the local COM and contribute to the greater osteopathic medical education community.

The candidate will submit a description of their current teaching/administrative responsibilities and the various teaching strategies and experiences provided. In the same document the candidate will describe the particular focus of study they wish to pursue with a rationale for developing competencies in that area. It is anticipated that once selected as a scholar-in-residence and progress is made with the Education Scholar Module that goals may be amended.

Both the dean and candidate must determine the appropriate length of time necessary to achieve the applicant's and AACOM's goals for the program. Most Scholars are expected to be in residence at AACOM's headquarters for three months. Some may require six months to achieve the depth of work necessary to meet their goals.

Application Timeline

Candidates may apply at any time with the first Scholarships beginning on or after July 1, 2007. Submissions of applications are encouraged to allow for a three-month processing time. Therefore, if an applicant wishes to apply to become a Scholar during October-December, 2007 their application should be received by July 1, 2007. During the initial development of this program, greater flexibility may be allowed to meet local needs. Scholars may serve individually, or there may be overlap where two or more Scholars are in residence. AACOM is committed to funding up to twelve months annually of Scholarship activity after the first year. This may be four Scholars for three months each or two for six months each. These may run concurrently or be staggered.

Scholar Selection

Scholars will be selected upon the strength of their nominations, commitment, experiences, proposed activities and ability to meet the needs of AACOM. AACOM senior staff and two COM faculty members selected from a pool created by the Society of Osteopathic Medical Educators Steering Committee will select the Scholars. The Scholars will report directly to the Vice President for Medical Education while serving in residence.

Questions? Contact:

Linda Heun <meded@aacom.org>
AACOM
5550 Friendship Boulevard, Suite 310
Chevy Chase, MD 20815

(301) 968-4143
(301) 968-4101 (fax)

back to top