2025 DOM Education Day is a strong showcase of interdisciplinary education innovation

DOM faculty and learners chatting before the Education Day Grand Rounds.

February 28, 2025, was the tenth annual University of Wisconsin Department of Medicine (UW DOM) Education Day. 

The full day event—which drew roughly 150 faculty, staff and learners this year—is a showcase of DOM-led initiatives and innovations centered around undergraduate and graduate medical education.

"It was so exciting to see the range of education-related work our department is involved in," says Katherine Vaughan, MA, continuing education specialist, who played a key role in coordinating the event. “I hope attendees left the day feeling inspired and empowered with practical new skills to enhance their teaching practice!”

Watch the highlights [YouTube video]:

Grand Rounds

The event opened with a Grand Rounds presentation [video recording] by UW School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) alumna Sonja Raaum, MD, FACP, associate professor, University of Utah Department of Internal Medicine, who spoke about cultivating compassion in clinical education.

Dr. Sonja Raaum discusses compassion-building strategies for clinical educators.
Dr. Raaum discusses compassion-building strategies for clinical educators.

Education Awards

The Excellence in Education Mentoring Awards recognize faculty and advanced practice providers (APPs) who are actively engaged in education mentorship of junior or peer educators. The 2025 recipients:

The Inspirational Educator Awards recognize faculty and APPs who display unparalleled energy, passion and skill for educating students, residents and/or fellows. The 2025 recipients:

The Staff Excellence in Education Awards honor University or Academic staff who demonstrate extraordinary dedication to the growth and professional development of others. The 2025 recipients: 

Left to right: DOM Vice Chair for Education Laura Zakowski, MD, with award recipients Meekers Lee, MD; Andy Coyle, MD; Katie Wang, MD; Allison Ishizaki, MPH; Peter Kleinschmidt; Alexandra Wick, MD; Elizabeth Chapman, MD; James Alstott; and DOM Chair Lynn Schnapp, MD.
Left to right: DOM Vice Chair for Education Laura Zakowski, MD, with award recipients Meekers Lee, MD; Andy Coyle, MD; Katie Wang, MD; Allison Ishizaki, MPH; Peter Kleinschmidt, MD; Alexandra Wick, MD; Elizabeth Chapman, MD; James Alstott, MD; and Lynn Schnapp, MD, George R. and Elaine Love Professor and chair of the department.

Poster session

Later in the morning, attendees were able to peruse poster presentations of work by faculty, staff and trainees. Topics ranged from point of care ultrasound (POCUS) training to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in curriculum creation, with two posters winning excellence awards:

  • "Enhancing Culturally Competent Alzheimer's Care for Latino Communities: Development of a Medical Education Curriculum" by Maria Mora Pinzon, MD, MS, assistant professor, Geriatrics and Gerontology
  • "Microlearning on Sickle Cell Disease for Clinicians: A Practical Tool for Everyday Practice" by Thorunn Thorardottir, MD, Hematology/Oncology fellow, and Moniba Nazeef, MBBS, assistant professor and Kathy Moser Faculty Fellow in Sickle Cell Disease, Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care

View the full list of poster titles and their presenters [PDF].

Internal medicine resident Akinwale Iyeku, MD, MS, PG-2, walks an onlooker through his poster presentation.
Internal medicine resident Akinwale Iyeku, MD, MS, PG-2, walks an onlooker through his poster presentation.

Breakout sessions

Interactive breakout sessions followed the poster session and continued into the afternoon.

  • "Building Advocacy in Education: Creating Supportive Learning Environments" presented by Leila Famouri, MD, MPH, assistant professor, General Internal Medicine, and director of the UW internal medicine residency’s Health Equity Pathway
  • "AI in Education: Harnessing Technology to Transform Teaching and Learning" presented by Peter Kleinschmidt, MD, and Heidi Twedt, MD, professor, General Internal Medicine
  • "Leveling Up Learning: Engaging Students with Video Shorts and Gamification" presented by Rheumatology faculty Tiffany Lin, MD, associate professor; Christine Sharkey, MD, clinical associate professor; and Sarah Donohue, MD, assistant professor
  • "Communication Pearls to Increase Engagement, Impact and Success" presented by DOM communications associate director Andrea Schmick, and comms team members Clint Thayer, creative manager; Matt Mallum, MFA, communications manager; and Jordan Hoeft, digital communications production specialist
  • "Coaching for Impact: Cultivating Better Learning Environments" presented by Justin Endo, MD, MHPE, associate professor, Department of Dermatology; Kelly Herold, MD, clinical associate professor, General Internal Medicine; Jami Simpson, graduate medical education program manager, Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine; and Julia Marie Yates, LCSW, wellness program manager, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
  • "Peer Observation and Feedback: Tools for Collaborative Growth in Teaching" presented by Jeremy Smith, MD, professor, and Laura Zakowski, MD, professor, both General Internal Medicine
From left: Peter Kleinschmidt, MD, associate professor, and Heidi Twedt, MD, professor, both core faculty for the Section of Applied Clinical Informatics in the Division of General Internal Medicine, lead an interactive breakout session on using artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning.
From left: Dr. Kleinschmidt and Dr. Twedt, both core faculty for the Section of Applied Clinical Informatics in the Division of General Internal Medicine, lead an interactive breakout session on using artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning.

Banner, left to right: Rosemary Bailey, MD, MS, clinical instructor, Infectious Disease, and Michael Scolarici, MD, Transplant Infectious Disease fellow, chat with Meekers Lee, MD, professor, Infectious Disease, and associate program director for the University of Wisconsin Infectious Disease Fellowship, before Grand Rounds. Credit: Clint Thayer/Department of Medicine.

Matt Mallum, MFA