Can you tell us about your background? How did your experiences lead you to become a graduate student at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville?
I started my career as a general surgeon, focusing on providing medical care in underserved areas. This experience helped me understand the challenges of healthcare in resource-limited settings and the importance of medical professionals in such environments. In addition to patient care, I also dedicated time to educating the next generation of medical professionals despite the challenges posed by limited resources.
As my career progressed, I became increasingly interested in medical education, particularly in effectively training future healthcare providers. This interest led me to explore surgical simulation and research simulation-based learning. I am pursuing a medical education and simulation fellowship at the University of Tennessee Center for Advanced Medical Simulation. I train medical professionals such as Residents, medical students, nurses, and other health professionals.
Recognizing the importance of understanding educational theories and practices, especially those relevant to adult learners, I am pursuing a Master’s in Adult Education at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. This program provides valuable insights into adult learning principles, complementing my practical experiences in teaching and training.
Please describe your experience participating in events and workshops through TLI and CIRTL programs. (How has this experience supported your goals as a graduate student and a future educator? If you have yet to participate in our TLI/CIRTL workshops and programs, please describe your experience with courses or other professional development opportunities that shaped how you teach. Which would you say had the most significant impact on you?)
Recently, I participated in the Facilitating Undergraduate Evidence-Based Learning (FUEL) professional development seminar. This program was invaluable, introducing me to the latest teaching and learning research and deepening my understanding of evidence-based teaching strategies. The seminar emphasized core concepts such as learning through diversity, teaching as research, and building learning communities, all resonating deeply with my experiences and aspirations as an educator.
Integrating evidence-based strategies into diverse learning environments was one of the most impactful aspects. These principles align seamlessly with my commitment to inclusive education, particularly in healthcare settings. Leveraging students’ diverse backgrounds as a strength in the learning process was significant, reflecting my experience navigating diverse health professional contexts and finding innovative ways to engage learners.
Additionally, the FUEL seminar introduced the idea of teaching as research, promoting teaching as a scholarly activity that can be studied, assessed, and continuously improved. This aligns perfectly with my work in simulation-based medical education, where I implement research-backed methods to enhance learning outcomes.
Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of the seminar was the opportunity to build a learning community with fellow graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from various disciplines. These discussions offered fresh perspectives on teaching and learning, prompting me to consider how best practices from other fields can inform my teaching methods.
Consider your teaching experiences: Do you have one or more experiences that show you positively impacted their learning?
Throughout my teaching journey, some of my most impactful experiences occurred as a surgeon when I had the unique opportunity to establish surgical services in two distinct regions. The first was in a rural area of Senegal, West Africa, where I aimed to develop surgical services to bridge the gap caused by distance from major cities and provide urgent care for surgical emergencies. This initiative was crucial in reducing maternal and infant mortality and delivering advanced care to a rural population with limited access to such services.
The second opportunity arose when I moved to Djibouti, East Africa, where I was tasked with establishing surgical activities in a newly built hospital. In both scenarios, while providing care, I also took on the role of educator, training local staff who had never been exposed to surgical care. I taught them how to navigate the operating room and care for surgical patients, a completely new concept for them.
These experiences underscored the importance of capacity building and knowledge transfer. It was not just about performing surgeries; it was essential to ensure that local staff could sustain these services long after my departure. Witnessing their growth in confidence and seeing the surgical activities flourish was immensely rewarding. It demonstrated the powerful impact teaching can have when grounded in practical, hands-on learning. Through these experiences, I truly grasped how transformative teaching and training can be for individuals and communities, shaping my approach to education in every setting.