DOM Blog: Academy of Clinicians as Teachers cohort No. 2 looks for ‘aha’ moments

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Cohort 2 of the Academy of Clinicians as Teachers (ACT) program includes six dedicated clinician-educators who share a passion for teaching and learning. They find fulfillment in creating “aha” moments, watching learners grow in confidence and skill, and keeping their own knowledge current through student interaction.

They are:

• Sangeetha Murugapandian, MBBS, associate professor, Division of Nephrology
• Alejandro Recio Boiles, MD, associate professor, Division of Hematology & Oncology
• Julia Cremer, MD, assistant professor, Division of General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine (geriatrician)
• Sara Penquite, MD, assistant professor, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism
• Danielle Avila, MD, associate professor, Division of Infectious Disease
• Ian Coe, MD, assistant professor, Division of Inpatient Medicine (hospitalist)

Their reasons for joining the ACT certificate program include improving teaching effectiveness, learning evidence-based educational strategies and developing skills in medical education scholarship. They also sought to connect with a community of like-minded educators, collaborate with peers and share effective teaching practices.

Action Research Projects

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The ACT Certificate Program is a joint initiative between Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine and the Department of Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson that’s designed to strengthen clinical teaching skills for medical education faculty. This virtual program runs from September to May and includes six interactive online sessions focused on key topics such as questioning techniques, transparent thinking and giving feedback. Participants also complete asynchronous modules to reinforce their learning.

A central component of the program is the Action Research Project, conducted from February to May. Participants identify a problem of practice and engage in a series of action research cycles involving trying an intervention, collecting information and assessing next steps. Participants then create and present a poster with the findings and results of their action research project.

Past participants of the ACT program have shared that the program reinvigorated their enthusiasm for teaching and helped them feel more confident and intentional in how they approach learner engagement. The Action Research Project, in particular, has been highlighted as a meaningful way to tackle real teaching challenges and see measurable impact.

Overall, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, faculty appreciate that the sessions are practical, relevant and thoughtfully facilitated, and many have said they now feel more connected to a broader community of educators.

For future clinician educators in the Department of Medicine interested in the ACT program, applications will be accepted again for Cohort 3 from July to August 2026. For more information please contact Breanna Sherrow-Serrano, PhD, at bsherrow@arizona.edu or 520-626-0773.

Fall FID Sessions

Join us for our next Faculty Instructional Development (FID) sessions — six 30- or 60-minute virtual sessions between Oct. 27 and Dec. 15!

Teaching, engaging learners and providing impactful feedback are learned skills — not just natural talents. Yet many clinician-educators enter fast-paced, complex clinical environments without formal training in education. That’s where faculty instructional development comes in.

Our FID sessions provide essential support to help faculty:

• Strengthen teaching practices
• Foster respectful and inclusive clinical learning environments
• Write meaningful evaluations and assess trainees effectively
• Coach and deliver constructive feedback using evidence-based models
• Collaborate effectively as clinician-educators

Just as clinical excellence requires ongoing learning, so does effective teaching. Supporting faculty growth improves individual teaching effectiveness and fosters a culture of educational excellence across the department and institution. Each year, we tailor our offerings based on anonymous faculty needs assessments and the latest best practices.

What faculty say about FID sessions:

• “These sessions keep my teaching skills sharp and aligned with current expectations. The practical coaching tips and concrete suggestions are invaluable.”
• “I love the engagement and hearing perspectives from fellow educators.”
• “Sharing experiences has helped me fit effective feedback and evaluation into our busy days.”
• “I gained new strategies to individualize teaching for residents and students.”

This year’s Faculty Instructional Development sessions will focus on key topics to enhance your teaching impact:

• Establishing and maintaining professional boundaries as an educator
• Addressing and preventing mistreatment in the clinical environment
• Writing meaningful evaluations
• Coaching and delivering feedback using the evidence-based R2C2 (Relationship, Reaction, Content, Coaching) Feedback model

Additionally, we will incorporate recommended content from external organizations — such as the AMA, ACGME and AAMC — to further explore coaching, professionalism and the role of AI in medical education.

Join us to build your skills in these essential areas and continue growing as an effective, compassionate educator.

EXTRA: Latest FID session schedule available now

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■ Monday, Oct. 27, 2025 | Noon-12:30 p.m. – “Establishing Boundaries Between Educators and Adult Learners” 
■ Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025 | 1-1:30 p.m. – “Establishing Boundaries Between Educators and Adult Learners” 
■ Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 | 1-2 p.m. – “Responding to Mistreatment in the Clinical Learning Environment”
■ Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 | 1:30-2:30 p.m. – “Beyond ‘Hardworking and Pleasant’ – Writing Meaningful Evaluations” 
■ Monday, Dec. 1, 2025 | 1-1:30 p.m. – “The Basics of the R2C2 (Relationship, Reaction, Content, Coaching) Feedback Model”
■ Monday, Dec. 15, 2025 | 2-3 p.m. – “Beyond ‘Hardworking and Pleasant’ – Writing Meaningful Evaluations”

Click the above links to learn more about each FID session and register.

For the latest FID Session schedule flyer, see this link.

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About the Author: Breanna Sherrow-Serrano, PhD, is the director of the Faculty Development and Teaching Excellence Program in the Department of Medicine’s Vice Chair of Education Office at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, as well as co-director of the Clinical Education Pathway Track in the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson’s Internal Medicine Residency Program – Tucson, also in the DOM. A Wildcat for life, she earned her bachelor’s degree in educational psychology in 2009, her master’s degree in educational psychology in 2012, and her doctorate in special education in 2015 — all from the U of A. Before joining the DOM in 2023, she served as senior learning specialist for the College of Medicine – Tucson’s Graduate Medical Education Office and was a lecturer in the college’s Department of Pediatrics and an adjunct faculty member in special education at Pima Community College. She also has worked in undergraduate medical education as a learning specialist where she advised medical students for their pre-clinical years, clerkship exams and board exams. Prior to that, she served as an assistant professor at New Mexico State University teaching reading and pre-service/in-service teachers in special education.

ALSO SEE:
“DOM Blog: Eight COM-T faculty — including seven from DOM — earn medical education ACT Certificates” | Posted July 2, 2025