Teaching Opportunities
Please find below information regarding our Hospital Medicine teaching opportunities:
Educational Activities with FTE/stipend
- Internal Medicine Core Educator
- Internal Medicine Associate Program Director
- Internal Medicine Program Director
- Internal Medicine Acting Intern Director
- Internal Medicine Hospitalist Pathway Director
- School of Medicine Acting Intern Director
- School of Medicine Clinical Skills Assessment Specialist
- Interprofessional Education & Collaborative Care (IPEC) Course Director
- PCM Course Director
- PCM Clinical Skills Evaluator
- PCM Small Group Leader
- Ultrasound Course Teacher
- Diagnostic Reasoning Course Teacher
- EPA coach
Non-FTE Educational Opportunities
Residency activities:
- Resident morning report
- Tuesday core conferences
- Careers and Practice conferences
- Hospitalist resident journal club/grand rounds advisor
- Hospitalist pathway mentor
- Residency Program Evaluation Committee
- Residency Curriculum Committee
- Procedure Competency Committee
- Residency Wellness Committee
- Intern Resilience Skills Curriculum
- Residency interviews
- Rank committee- invited
- Clinical Competency Committee – invited
- Hospital Medicine Resident Education Director
M1-2 activities:
- PCM preceptor – 24 hours per student yearly
- PPS course facilitator
- IPEC course facilitator
M3 activities:
- Clerkship grading committee- invited
- Clerkship teaching sessions (orientation)
M4 activities:
- Capstone Course Director and Co-Director
- Capstone Course Facilitator
- Acting Intern Morning Report
- Procedure Medicine Elective Course Coordinator
- Procedure Medicine (2-week) Elective Facilitator
- SOM Acting Intern Grading Committee – invited
- PCM M4 Teaching Elective (2-4 weeks) Facilitator
- M4 student advising (for residency application process)
General SOM activities:
- SOM interviews
- SOM admissions committee
- SOM applications screening committee
- Competency Based Graduation observer
- HEART group facilitator
- Curriculum council- appointed
- Promotions committee- appointed/elected
- SOM lectures
Pre-medical student activities:
- Shadowing - 3 hours per session, no minimum or maximum number sessions
Inter-professional education:
- Various IPEC course facilitator roles
Hospital Medicine Education Team:
- Active participation: 1 hour every other month
- Peer observations: 2 hours per observation
Faculty Development:
- HMS Grand Rounds Presenter
- Internal Medicine Grand Rounds Presenter (or other Department Grand Rounds)
- Teaching In Medicine course classes (VCU graduate level class)
- Lunch Time Learning Series
Research/Service:
- Abstract Reviewer for SHM, SGIM, ACP, etc.
- Abstract Judge
- Presenting Education Poster
- Education paper
- Education research
Hospital Medicine
Medical Student/Pre-graduate Teaching Opportunities
Practice of Clinical Medicine is a 20-month course that teaches M1 and M2 students how to interview patients, perform physical exams, and formulate differential diagnoses. The curriculum involves case-based learning by organ system. As a small group leader, your role would be to facilitate class, reinforce interview and exam skills, and grade notes. Each class is assigned a M4 co-leader to aid in teaching. Facilitating a class would require one afternoon of your time (1-4PM) approximately every 2-3 weeks during the academic year.
Contact: Kim Pedram (kimberly.pedram@vcuhealth.org) or Alice Wong (alice.wong@vcuhealth.org)
Students in the M2 year are assigned to preceptors in the fall semester to gain clinical experience prior to starting their M3 clerkships. Medical students work with their preceptors for a total of 4-6 sessions from August through December, totaling 24 hours. (Minimum of 1 session per month.) The preceptor's role is to instruct the student on refining their interview, physical exam, and presentation skills. The student will write focused encounter notes on patients; one of which will be reviewed by the preceptor during the semester. The students also complete a passport during preceptorship which the preceptor signs once the student demonstrates completion of a skill. At the end of the semester, preceptors complete a short student evaluation based on a simple scale. Students can complete preceptorship on weekdays or weekends and on day, evening, and GME night shifts.
Contact: Denny Henson (dennis.henson@vcuhealth.org) or Geovany Chavarria (geovany.chavarria@vcuhealth.org)
Diagnostic Reasoning (DR) is an 18-month on-line longitudinal course that’s purpose is to help medical students prepare for clerkships and beyond by developing their critical thinking and diagnostic skills by building their differential diagnosis capabilities, ordering, and interpreting diagnostic tests, and developing clinical questions.
Contacts: Please send your CV and a short paragraph describing your interest in the position to Michelle Troendle (michelle.troendle@vcuhealth.org).
CSAs provide formative feedback to students through direct observation of clinical activities (including EPAs and other workplace-based assessment) during the clerkship phase of the curriculum to enhance the development of clinical skills and professional attributes. These observations provide feedback on longitudinal growth during the M3 year and ensure readiness for the summative OSCE at the conclusion of the M3 year. CSAs are chosen by the Assistant Dean for Clinical Medical Education. Each CSA is responsible for approximately 40-50 students. Each evaluation takes about 1 hour.
Contact: Sarah Hobgood (sarah.hobgood@vcuhealth.org)
Afternoon reports (morning report style case discussion) or small teaching sessions (30-45 minutes) on high-yield practical material.
Contact: Adam Garber (adam.garber@vcuhealth.org) or David Jessee (david.jessee@vcuhealth.org)
Graduating M4 review/prep week in late March to early April. School-wide sessions run in the morning and afternoons are for specialty sessions (including Internal Medicine). While this is in flux, the recurrent sessions are the following:
- Case simulation (students work in pairs for simulations in which patients are decompensating, try to figure out the cause, attempt stabilization, and escalate/call consult as needed.
- Didactic and small-group case scenarios (high-yield scenarios interns will face such as AMS, chest pain, acute dyspnea, and high blood pressure, etc.)
Contact: Adam Garber (adam.garber@vcuhealth.org) or David Jessee (david.jessee@vcuhealth.org)
Internal Medicine Clerkship Orientation: Facilitation of ultrasound training curriculum on orientation days. The 45-minute sessions begins with an overview/demonstration by the Faculty/Instructor and then students practice the same techniques and probe placement for the specific US cases. Only minimal background experience with ultrasound is needed to participate.
Contacts: Nate Warner (nathaniel.warner@vcuhealth.org) and Patrick Fadden (patrick.fadden@vcuhealth.org)
Internal Medicine Clerkship Medical Student Reports: Facilitate M3 IM clerkship student reports on Friday afternoons 3-4p in West 6 OEA conference room. These reports are structured similarly to resident morning report: the goal is diagnostic and clinical reasoning.
Contacts: Nate Warner (nathaniel.warner@vcuhealth.org) and Patrick Fadden (patrick.fadden@vcuhealth.org)
VCU School of Medicine has a longitudinal ultrasound course for medical students. During their first two years, students have monthly small group encounters with expert point of care ultrasound faculty to practice their ultrasound skills in a hands-on fashion. Positions for teaching may become available for providers with point of care ultrasound training if current instructors are unable to continue their role or if the course is expanded. The commitment required is the ability to teach a small group session with the medical students one to two times per month to help them practice hands on scanning in the area they are currently learning about. Experience with ultrasound needed.
Contacts: Sammy Pedram (sammy.pedram@vcuhealth.org), Michael Joyce (michael.joyce@vcuhealth.org).
Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Care courses. Listed summaries are the ones most applicable to hospitalists to be facilitators:
IPEC 502: Interprofessional Quality and Safety – This is a 1-credit course for medical, pharmacy and nursing students centered around quality improvement and patient safety. The course is appx 12 weeks, each week involves didactic, case-presentations and teamwork. Lecture content weekly is delivered to facilitators via power point presentations. Weekly time commitment averages 2-3 hours, consisting of reviewing lecture material and grading assignments. Experience in quality improvement helps but is not required.
IPEC 561: Virtual Interprofessional Geriatrics Case – a two-credit course for M4s, P4s, and BSN4s that is offered in both the fall and spring of each year. All work is done online.
Interprofessional Critical Care Simulations – a four-session, six-hour course for M4s and BSN4s during which they learn critical care and teamwork skills in a simulation-based format.
IPEC 591: Care of Complex Patients – A community-based program during which student teams work with 2-3 complex patients to improve health and decrease barriers to care.
Contact: Alan Dow (alan.dow@vcuhealth.org)
Website link: http://ipe.vcu.edu
These are programs through the school of medicine that provide guidance and mentorship for medical students as they progress through all four years of medical school.
Project HEART (Healing with Empathy, Acceptance, Respect and inTegrity) is a longitudinal advising program designed to provide medical students with guidance, assistance, and support as they navigate the medical education curriculum. Incoming medical students are assigned to small groups (8-10 students) that meet periodically during the first three years of medical school as a safe place to explore their educational experience. Faculty members supervise the discussion, which includes topics such as professional identity development, stress management, and development of resiliency to help students maintain a sense of wellness in their lives. Time commitment over 4 years of 32 hours, with an average of 5-6 meetings per year.
EPA (Entrustable Professional Activity) Coaching provides one on one academic and competency advising for medical students by academic faculty. Coaching is offered for medical students for all four years of their medical education and is based on the VCU School of Medicine being one of 10 pilot sites for the Association of American Medical Colleges Core Entrustable Professional Activities project. Coaches meet once a semester with 20 medical students in total, providing feedback on students’ strengths, areas for improvement, and individual learning needs.
Contacts: Nicole Deiorio (nicole.deiorio@vcuhealth.org), Chris Woleben (christopher.woleben@vcuhealth.org).
VCU pre-medical undergraduate students are required to shadow physicians 120 hours each year with a variety of preceptors. Additionally, college students interested in medical school, NP school, or PA school seek time shadowing to explore careers in medicine. Physicians/APPs are assigned various learners as their clinical schedule allows throughout the year. Leraners are scheduled for observation during rounder/housestaff/consult shifts from 8-11 AM, all days of the week according to learner/ attending availability.
Contacts: Anna Lupejkis (anna.lupejkis@vcuhealth.org) or Kim Pedram (kimberly.pedram@vcuhealth.org)
The VCU School of Medicine Admissions Team recruits volunteers from the faculty, staff, alumni, retired faculty and staff and community friends to serve as interviewers for medical school applicants. Interviews take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 8:30 – 10:30 AM from August through March. Interviewers serve at least two sessions per month. A 1-hour training session is required, usually occurring in June. Interviews are in the Multi Mini Interview format where each applicant has seven interviews with 7 different questions. Evaluations are due the same day the interview session is completed.
Contact: Donna Jackson (donna.jackson@vcuhealth.org)
Hospital Medicine
Resident Teaching Opportunities
This rotation is designed to prepare third-year residents for hospitalist practice before graduation. Residents work with advanced practice providers, interact with outside hospital physicians through the transfer center, and negotiate patient throughput. Additionally, residents learn about inpatient/observation criteria, billing, and coding. Residents are paired with senior hospitalist faculty for this rotation.
Contacts: Mike Bradley (michael.bradley@vcuhealth.org)
Mentors are paired with residents in the Hospitalist Pathway to provide career advice as needed. Pairings are made according to common interests whenever possible. Time commitment is variable depending on the number of meetings each year.
Contact: Laura Paletta-Hobbs (laura.paletta-hobbs@vcuhealth.org)
Third-year Hospitalist Pathway residents are given the opportunity to present in Hospital Medicine Grand Rounds. This presentation can be a journal club, a case presentation, or an update on a Hospital Medicine Topic. Lecture Advisors meet with the resident to review presentation and provide feedback, ensuring presentation is of the caliber expected of HM Grand Rounds. Advisors would also provide feedback on the presentation to the residents after the conference. Time commitment is variable, but usually about 2-3 hours per resident (meeting before, attending grand rounds, and meeting afterward).
Contacts: Mike Bradley (michael.bradley@vcuhealth.org) and Laura Paletta-Hobbs (laura.paletta-hobbs@vcuhealth.org
Careers and Practice Conference
Recurring every 4th Tuesday, from 5-6pm
Usually, 5-15 residents from primarily the Hospitalist and Primary Care pathways
The Careers & Practice series is one of the options that residents have for the final hour of conference once a month. It is organized by the Ambulatory and Hospitalist Pathway Directors and focuses on a topic that would help people going into general internal medicine or hospitalist careers. Previous talks have included contract negotiations, CV writing, a hospitalist/ambulist panel highlighting differing types of careers, Telehealth/Telehospitalist work, and tips and tricks for performing the MSK exam. Presentations can be in the form of a lecture or preferably something interactive like a mini-workshop. Time commitment: 3-4 hours of content preparation, 1 hour to present
Contact: Laura Paletta-Hobbs (laura.paletta-hobbs@vcuhealth.org)
Recurring meetings every 6-8 weeks, 1-1.5-hour meeting times, usually Monday from 5-6pm. Some background in quality improvement is needed to be effective.
20-30 residents
Mentoring in QI Projects: these are resident-led projects that require little supervision, usually just direction and connection to resources within the hospitals.
Time commitment depends on where the project is in development. May be more intensive at the beginning followed by the residents being more self-directed.
Contacts: Carol Marcelo (carolyn.marcello@vcuhealth.org)
Faculty members help support residents in planning activities for the program in wellness. This group is a resident led committee – with faculty assisting in activity planning and maybe offering to take the lead in one or two sessions themselves throughout the year.
Contact: Becky Forrest (rebecca.miller@vcuhealth.org)
A 45-minute session on the first Tuesday of each block. Interns are led through discussions and exercises to foster resilience. Faculty members could lead/co-lead a session if there is a particular area of interest or expertise or serve as a small-group facilitator to help foster engagement and discussion among interns.
Contact: Becky Forrest (rebecca.miller@vcuhealth.org)
During Block 12 each year, there are 8 general medicine lectures for interns (Tuesday afternoons, noon-2pm) and 8 general medicine lectures for senior residents (Tuesday afternoons, 3-5pm). Some of these topics are inpatient oriented, making a hospitalist the best person to run the conferences. These are encouraged to be interactive and case-based, and the program offers support in developing these talks (especially if someone wants to put together a TBL, POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning), Jeopardy, use audience response, etc.
Contact: Becky Forrest (rebecca.miller@vcuhealth.org)
Reviews program outcomes and data, identifies priority areas for improvement.
Contact: Becky Forrest (rebecca.miller@vcuhealth.org)
Reviews and gives feedback to rotations, longitudinal curricula, etc.
Contact: Becky Forrest (rebecca.miller@vcuhealth.org)
Hospital Medicine
Peer Teaching Opportunities
Weekly, year-round lunchtime lecture series. Many presentations are given by HMS hospitalists regarding topics relevant to hospital medicine or active VCU inpatient quality improvement projects. Other presentations are given by invited guest lecturers from other specialties or disciplines, such as pharmacy. Subjects for presentations are selected by the presenting physicians, and all faculty are encouraged and expected to participate.
Contact: Manish Pradhan (manish.pradhan@vcuhealth.org)
Residents can get assistance in initiating or joining projects with the help of the Office of Educational Affairs. There are opportunities for faculty to get the involvement of medical students or residents with projects, or to start projects with help from other faculty.
Contacts: Becky Forrest (rebecca.miller@vcuhealth.org), Georgia McIntosh (Georgia.mcintosh@vcuhealth.org)