Education Innovations at the University of Wisconsin Department of Medicine

Medical Education For the Future

At the University of Wisconsin Department of Medicine, we know the old adage, “See one, do one, teach one,” doesn't work anymore.

As medicine evolves, so must medical education. That's why we encourage innovation in every facet of our education programs.

University of Wisconsin internal medicine resident smiles at a fellow trainee during a training session

What Education Innovation Means to Us

It means teaching our faculty how to engage in medical education scholarship and research, so they can create evidence-based educational interventions.

It means listening deeply to create programs that meet the specific needs of faculty and learners.

It means supporting education innovation grants to spur creative curriculum projects. Some of those projects are now a permanent part of our residency curriculum.

Empathy Course

Amy Zelenski, PhD, director of education innovation and scholarship, and Mariah Quinn, MD, MPH, UW Health Chief Wellness Officer, used an education innovation grant to develop an Empathy Course for our residents.

We offer the course several times per year as part of our wellness curriculum. It uses humanities- and neuroscience-informed methods to teach essential skills for caring for oneself and caring for others.

A study in the December 2020 issue of Wisconsin Medical Journal showed that participants scored higher on measures of empathy and lower burnout scores.

A University of Wisconsin internal medicine resident wearing a Green Bay Packers sweatshirt walks in Allen Centennial Gardens during the Empathy Course

From Inspiration to Practice

We provide leadership for medical educators who want to engage in research and program evaluation: scholarship that benefits the University.

We're inspired by our department's brilliant, thoughtful, and creative educators and learners, and we build curriculum and connections to foster their professional growth.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Workshop and Clinical Rotation

Our POCUS curriculum began as a TEACH Pathway capstone project. Two former residents, Katie Fell, MD, and Tim Rowe, MD, received an education innovation grant to further develop and evaluate it.

They grew the curriculum from a half-day workshop into a longitudinal experience that's a foundational part of our residency curriculum.

Now, residents get dedicated hands-on time with pocket and portable ultrasounds and standardized patients, and incorporate these skills when evaluating patients on the wards.