Clinician Educator Track
Clinician Educator Track
Have a heart for teaching? This track may be for you, if... you find yourself teaching students when you could be writing notes on wards, if you find yourself daydreaming in clinic about delivering your own amazing "chalk talk," and if you want medical education to be a major focus of your career.
Specifically, the goal of the track is to equip residents with the tools necessary for clinician-educator roles and connect them with a community of faculty clinician-educators.
For any questions about this track, please e-mail john.ragsdale@uky.edu or kristen.fletcher@uky.edu.
Track Description
Through the clinician educator track, residents will learn a variety of skills, including how to plan teaching sessions, how to manage the learning climate, how to set expectations and give feedback, and how to assess progress. Track residents work at their own pace one-on-one with experienced clinician-educator mentors to complete four projects:
- Plan and facilitate a large group teaching session
- Plan and facilitate a small group teaching session
- Teach in a clinical setting
- Design a curriculum intervention
In addition to the skills obtained through these four projects, residents on this track will assemble a teaching portfolio prior to graduation. Upon completion of the track, graduates receive a certificate in medical education.
Enrollment in the track is by application at the beginning of internal medicine PGY-2 or med-peds PGY-3. Calls for application are typically in July-August each year.
CE Track Director John Ragsdale, MD
Dr. Ragsdale is the director of the clinician educator track. He also oversees the third- and fourth-year curriculum for the medical school (so, he’s all about medical education). He created the track to help residents aspiring to future medical education roles develop their teaching skills and loves sharing the excitement (and challenges) that come with teaching.
He did his residency at UK and came back after a stint in Pennsylvania for a medical education fellowship. He loves Lexington and Kentucky, as do his kids, ages 4 and 6. They love going geocaching and hiking (as long as there are snacks.) His free time is often spent barbecuing or trying a new bourbon.
CE Track Co-Director Kristen Fletcher, MD
Dr. Fletcher is an academic hospitalist at the Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center who infuses her passion for medical education into her 20 or more weeks of clinical teaching annually. She loves micro-education, developing resident physicians into the best versions of themselves, and she loves strengthening the community aspect of the clinician educator track!
She completed her residency at UK and solidified her love of academics during her internal medicine chief residency. In addition to finding joy in medicine, she finds joy in "dance parties" with her two children, watching her husband rap to Hamilton music, and going on a gorgeous 5K run in the Bluegrass.
Senior CE Track Residents
Brooke's Bio
My experiences with wonderful educators while on my medical school rotations greatly impacted my learning and overall career plans, and I hope to be able to help others find their field that they love. I was interested in the Clinician Educator Track since I had enjoyed teaching medical students as an intern and wanted to feel more prepared for larger group presentations. It gives you another avenue for mentorship from wonderful attendings who are amazing educators and prepares you to feel confident working with learners in a wide variety of settings.
Benjamin's Bio
The clinician educator track was a major selling point for electing to complete my medical residency at the University of Kentucky. Thus far, it has not disappointed! The track is designed enhance teaching and mentoring skills within the workspace of daily clinical practice. Additionally, this track helps to sharpen skills to become a better educator in the small group and lecture settings. While only halfway through the track, I can confidently state that I have become a more efficient and effective teacher and have been guided by fantastic mentors to continually improve these skills.
Taylor's Bio
I wanted to join the clinician educator track, because it provided opportunities to teach learners at different levels and in various settings: small groups, didactic learning, during clinical rotations. The clinician educator track also provides the knowledge and mentorship to successfully teach in these settings. Regardless of where I end up practicing, these skills and experience have set me up for success as a future educator.