Transformational Times
Words of Hope, Character & Resilience from our Virtual Community
Friday, February 4, 2022
In This Issue Focused on Student Leadership Development:
Guest Director's Corner

Perspective/Opinion

Poetry Corner
Your Turn

Upcoming Events/Announcements
Guest Director's Corner

Leadership Development: An Ever-Growing Process


By Kelli Cole and Jeff Fritz, PhD


Kelli Cole and Dr. Fritz compare the process of developing and maintaining the diverse aspects of leadership skills to physical training. Anyone interested in learning more or joining in on these conversations can fill out the Qualtrics survey via QR code in the article to receive an invitation to the next Kern Student Leadership Committee meeting on February 17, 2022, from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. ...


Imagine you are a medical student with an idea on how to improve the student experience and you have a passion for better understanding leadership and its application with the practice of medicine. What would be your next steps in attempting to turn this idea into a reality? In the case of Kelli Cole and Gopika Senthilkumar, it involved applying to and receiving funding from the Kern Institute’s TI² initiative. During that process their idea was enhanced by the principles of human-centered design, and fortunately for me (Jeff Fritz), I was given the opportunity to assist in their efforts. During our time together we have been joined by a team of like-minded students to explore which aspects of leadership studies would authentically meet the needs of medical students. In the articles that follow you will explore aspects of leadership and professional development that members of this team are passionate about as they share their suggestions on how this material be incorporated into leadership learning modules. Our hope is that these efforts could serve as discussion points to explore avenues to incorporate these concepts into doctoring threads within the current curriculum redesign process. Additionally, as these pieces represent works “in progress” we value your feedback and encourage those interested to connect with us as we further develop how to incorporate the practice of leadership within medicine.
Perspective/Opinion

On Emotional Intelligence: The Importance of Perceived Control in Decision-Making


By Stacy Moroz and Kelli Cole


Stacy Moroz and Kelli Cole describe the benefits of the Leadership Curriculum module students created to help learn the concepts of “Emotional Intelligence” …


Earlier in the academic year, students from the Kern Institute Student Leadership Committee formed a workgroup to create a comprehensive Leadership Curriculum consisting of modules catered to aspects of leadership we deemed fundamental for aspiring medical leaders to know and regularly acknowledge. The purpose of the modules was to provide deeper insight into broader topics covered by our preclinical curriculum focusing on interpersonal and clinical skill development like REACH, 4C, Foundations of Clinical Medicine, and others. Specifically, we wanted to create a module on Emotional Intelligence—as defined by the Emotional Quotient or “EQ”—that would provide a framework for students to actively work on their EQ even after completion of the elective. Instead of introducing the topic of EQ and explaining its relevance to personalized medical care through improved bedside manner, conflict resolution, and communication skills, our goal was, and continues to be, to deliver a module that encourages students to challenge the role emotions play in their lives, to learn to use emotions as a tool rather than a liability in goal achievement, and, on a broader scale, to add lasting benefit to students' personal and professional lives. We did this by offering deliverable methods for students to further develop EQ on their own.  
Perspective/Opinion


Physicians as Influential Leaders–Negotiation Skills


By Jonathan Ives

 
Jonathan Ives describes the value of negotiation skills for students, both now and far into the future ...


Approaching the office door, you begin to drown in the familiar cacophony of emotions: pallid palms slick with sweat, cast-iron lungs stifling your breath, the furious cadence of your heartbeat pounding against your sternum. Entering, you manage a smile and a hello but, beneath the veneer, your panic has wrung the carefully curated arguments from your mind like a dishrag.
 
Inside, sitting across from your boss, your supervisor, or your team leader, you lament over your preparation. Articles, videos, and seminars, brimming with information that seemed so poignant only days before, have devolved into a mental slurry of aphorisms and buzzwords. You articulate your terms as best you can, but it’s not nearly convincing enough. Ultimately, your proposal is rejected, and you meekly return to work.
Perspective/Opinion


Using Conflict to Improve Understanding


By Maximilian Casey and Kelli Cole

Maximilian Casey and Kelli Cole share insights about the Leadership Course where they have found that it is important to avoid “echo chambers” and have conversations with others despite our disagreements …


Conflict. Conflict is a word that often evokes strong emotions and experiences. To many, conflict is an anxiety-provoking, nightmarish scenario that must be avoided at all costs. To others, conflict is something they seek as a mechanism to release bottled-up emotions or get a “win.” No matter where you land on this gambit of emotions, we all experience conflict, and a crucial part of leadership is calmly navigating the conflicts and crises that arise. The first step in discussing and improving our ability to handle conflict is to understand which style of conflict management we tend to employ, and how that affects the decisions we make and the relationships we have.
Perspective/Opinion


Leadership and Health Disparity

 
By Enrique Avila and Lauren Sikora

Enrique Avila and Lauren Sikora describe their work helping to develop a Leadership Curriculum module that addresses implicit bias and how their work will be incorporated into the MCW curriculum…

 
As healthcare providers and future physicians, our role is to treat all patients with respect, fairness, and equity. However, a dive into the literature reveals disparities in healthcare for underrepresented groups and populations in our country. This is quite the contrary to the equality in treatment we strive for as a community. Examples from the literature show that physicians are two- to three-times less likely to order bone mineral density tests or osteoporosis prescription treatment for Black women as compared to White women. Another example is that Black and Hispanic men are more likely to receive advanced cancer stage diagnoses and are less likely to receive definitive therapy compared to white men (Hoffman 2016). Statistics and findings such as these lead one to wonder why these inequities exist and pertain to why our group is a part of the leadership curriculum. 
Perspective/Opinion


Why Leadership is Inherently Influence




By Kelli Cole and Gopika SenthilKumar

 
Kelli Cole and Gopika SenthilKumar describe the Leadership Curriculum module that builds an “influencer” mindset, focuses on values and drives intentional involvement ...


When creating content for a leadership curriculum, we found ourselves breaking down what leadership truly meant to each of us. We eventually settled on one word: “influence.” The goal of leadership is to inspire others to make the differences they envision. The ability to influence change is synonymous to leadership, since it involves invoking motivation in others, and also describes one’s ability to enact goal-oriented improvements. This broader interpretation allows one to approach leadership from a variety of perspectives.
Perspective/Opinion


Preparing for the Match, for Advocacy, and for Life


By Emelyn Zaworski

MCW medical student Emelyn Zaworski describes her experience with the leadership track …

Leadership begins with yourself. To lead, you must have both insight and foresight. A leader plots her path and knows her destination. In medical school, this translates to understanding what you need to accomplish, knowing which specialty to pursue, and how to present yourself to successfully Match.

The leadership track has a module to help get you started. This module is self-lead, self-paced, and begins with self-reflection. Each of us may identify a different specialty as our version of success. Therefore, this module allows everyone to choose their own adventure and explore their unique path to residency. Nai-Fen Su, PhD, Associate Director of Career Services at MCW, acts as a guide. She has provided resources with information spanning every specialty. She’ll also review CVs and assist in identifying areas for self-development. With thoughtful advanced planning and Dr. Su on your side, you’ll crush Match Day without a doubt.
Perspective/Opinion


Caring and Character Are the Foundation of Transformative Medical Leaders: A Reflection from January's KICS Medical Education Journal Club


By Michael T. Braun, PhD; Amy Farkas, MD and Kristina Kaljo, PhD


In this recap of the January 2022 Kern Institute Collaboration for Scholarship (KICS) medical education journal club, Drs. Braun, Farkas, and Kaljo discuss caring and character as the foundation of transformational leadership development...


The January meeting of the Kern Institute Collaboration for Scholarship (KICS) Medical Education Journal Club was held on Wednesday, January 12. Dr. Sarah Merriam, clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, discussed her article "Establishing Competencies for Leadership Development for Postgraduate Internal Medicine Residents."
 
Reflecting on the article and journal club discussion, we consider the core leadership skills identified as most important for residents and the trajectory of leadership development in healthcare through the lens of caring and character education.
By Colm

A true leader is a selfless soul,
One who thinks not for himself,
But for the others, for the many
For the halves and for the whole, of humanity

Regardless of age or importance to man,
It’s not in the memory of their great names,
In with which we stand.
But in the willingness to mold
One’s self into a servant,

To humbly hold the troubled hand,
And to become the kind of person who doesn’t abuse,
The right to demand

But instead, looks to enable others,
So that they might just begin, and begin again

Because all of the power in the world,
Can be abused, and removed if misused

For this, my dear leaders, I ask of you,
To not lose yourself in the arrogance
Of discovering that you are indeed you

Because true leadership is not about you
And leadership, will never be about you
So before you lead, would you let go of you
That way you might win in spite of you

new_york_skyline.jpg
South Caribbean and New York City!

 – Lynn Cummings, Staff
To the Lake house

 – Name withheld
For this week's reflection prompt, please answer the following question:


What is your favorite podcast?


Application Deadline Extended
Transformational Ideas Initiative Program


Ideas should be focused on innovating medical education, including ideas for MCW’s School of Medicine Curriculum Redesign Project or ideas that would improve the learning environment at MCW.

All faculty, students, staff, residents and fellows are encouraged to apply.

The application deadline has been extended to Friday, February 18, 2022 at noon.
Save the Date
MedMoth Rescheduled: Save the Date!



Please join us on March 2, 2022, at 6:30 pm in person and virtually for MedMoth: Storytelling Reflections on Medicine.

We will be holding a workshop on Thursday, February 17, 2022, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm led by Dr. Bruce Campbell. 
Join us for the February Kern Grand Rounds
Compassionate Caring: One Physician's Journey From Water Therapy to Green Hair



In medicine, caring and compassion can be expressed in many ways. As a resident, Dr. Margolis was exposed to the concept of "letting kids be kids" by one of his mentors who carried a squirt gun with him on rounds. This simple act of caring showed him that there are so many ways for a physician to incorporate compassionate care as a fabric of practicing medicine. 

Dr. Dave will share examples of how he has utilized his interests and network to "let kids be kids" and provide insight from the point of view of patients and families on why caring and compassion matter. 



February 24, 2022
Zoom Presentation
9:00 - 10:00 am CT  

Submit Abstracts for Ottowa 2022




Ottawa 2022 is to be held at the Lyon Congress Centre, Lyon, France, from 26-28 August, immediately preceding AMEE 2022 as a hybrid, in person and virtual Conference. Plenaries and symposia will be live-streamed for online participants, who will have the opportunity to present in some formats remotely from their own time zone.
 
This international event provides the opportunity for all involved in the assessment of competence in medicine and the healthcare professions across the continuum of education, to come together to discuss the current status and future direction of assessment and evaluation. Never has there been a more challenging time, or a greater need for such discussions.

Submit by March 1, 2022 for Oral presentations, Conference workshops and ePosters.

Center for the AWSM- Women's History Month Symposium


Join us on March 1, 2022 for the following sessions:

  • 12:00 pm: AWSM’s opening plenary: Reimagining Gender Equity: Accelerating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Women in Medicine with Julie Silver, MD  
  • 1:30 pm: Being an Active Participant in Change: A Conversation on Intersectionality with Nikotris Perkins 
  • 3:00 pm – Panel: Mentoring Women Toward Careers in Research with Virtual Poster Presentation and Awards to Follow  


March 1, 2022
Zoom Presentation
12:00 pm CT  
Join us on March 31, 2022 for the following sessions:

  • 12:00 pm: Administrative Professionals – Past, Present, & Future 
  • 2:00 pm: Strategies to Increase Your Publishing Success & Accelerate Promotion in Academic Medicine with Julie Silver, MD  
  • 4:00 pm: How to Make Science More Exciting and Accessible: Creating Compelling Scientific Figures and Graphs with Laura Flores, MD-PhD candidate 
March 31, 2022
Zoom Presentation
12:00 pm CT  
Save the Date
March Kern Grand Rounds with Reggie Jackson, BS



Reggie Jackson is a nationally heralded independent scholar and much sought-after speaker, researcher, writer, and consultant to the media on race relations.

 As a Milwaukee native, he will bring a unique perspective on not only the national, but more importantly, the local impact of how race relations shape the health of our city, and in turn how it impacts the patients we care for and the communities we serve.

Please save the date and watch for more information to come.


March 17, 20221
Zoom Presentation
9:00 - 10:00 am CT  
Register Now
March Kern Connection Cafe: A Letter to my Future Self...
Moderated by Cassie Ferguson, MD



Come hear our graduating students read and reflect on letters they wrote to themselves nearly three years ago at the end of their REACH curriculum. What character strengths did they hope would guide their actions moving forward? What were they grateful for? What brought them joy? What kind of doctor did they want to become?
 
So much has changed for these student doctors since writing those letters. How have the values they wrote about then helped them to navigate the unprecedented changes that have marked the last three years? And what can we learn from their reflections that will help us to support the character and professional development of all of our students? 


 
March 24, 2022
Virtual via Zoom
4:00 - 5:00 pm CT  
Register Now
2022 Well-Being Summit: Inhale, Exhale, and Engage: Harnessing Happiness, Joy, & Resilience in the Health Sciences 
Proudly Sponsored by the Kern Institute




Please join us for the 2022 Well-Being Summit!
 
David Weill, MD, author of the book Exhale: Hope, Healing, and a Life in Transplant will be providing the keynote address on the topic of burnout.
 
This event is open to all and anyone interested is welcome and encouraged to attend. Be on the lookout for details to come!
 
April 5, 2022
Virtual via Zoom
9:00 am - 12:00 pm CT  
Please email Joan Weiss with any questions.
Save the Date
2022 Understanding Medical Professional Identity and Character Development Symposium




Save the date for the second annual Understanding Medical Professional Identity and Character Development symposium. This year's half-day event will be held virtually on April 22, 2022. We will welcome keynote speaker Dr. Tasha Wyatt of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and also host workshops and discussion groups on major topics on PIF and character development. 
 
April 22, 2022
9:00 am - 2:00 pm CT  

Please email Michael Braun or Penelope Lusk with any questions.
Save the Date
2022 Summit on Advancing Equity in the Learning Environment



Please join us to explore, discuss and align our efforts in equity-focused initiatives in the learning environment! The summit will highlight how MCW incorporates equity into the learning environment while examining four areas: (1) Curriculum (2) Equitable Assessment and Mitigating Bias (3) Learning Environment Culture and (4) Equity in Research Education.
 
April 28, 2022
Virtual via Zoom
9:00 am - 12:00 pm CT  
Please email Devarati Syam or Malika Siker with any questions.
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