Meet our teachers
Our teachers are a diverse group from a variety of backgrounds with unique experiences and interests. We look forward to getting to know you as well!
Shan Abbas, MD FAES
Program Director, Spectrum Health / Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Neurology Residency Program and Epilepsy Fellowship Program
Clinical Associate Professor, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Why is teaching the Clinical Teaching Program (CTP) important to you?
We want to ensure that our faculty have the training and resources available to be excellent teachers in the clinical space and the clinical teacher program is an important tool for this. Interacting with my colleagues from various specialties has helped me understand the challenges different educators face. The clinical teacher program provides an avenue to offer them solutions that can help them. I also find that the clinical teacher program is an excellent way to network with colleagues who are also passionate about teaching.
Why is faculty development important?
Most clinicians are not formally taught how to become effective teachers, even though most of us interact with learners on a daily basis. Not only does faculty development help our teachers become better teachers, it helps foster a learning environment that is safe.
What are your dreams in relationship to the CTP or faculty development in general at Spectrum Health / Michigan State University?
Over time, I hope that most of our core faculty across the various educational programs would have participated in the clinical teacher program. I am honored to be working alongside this passionate group of educators and I hope that we will continue to grow our roster of course teachers. I also hope we will continue to develop new faculty development offerings that are innovative and support the needs of our educators.
Bhawana Arora, MD
Program Director, Spectrum Health / Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Why is teaching the Clinical Teaching Program (CTP) important to you?
In my opinion, teaching faculty development has multiple advantages:
- Personal growth for myself as a teacher and educator
- Meeting all the different faculty at Spectrum Health / Michigan State University
- Understanding faculty perspectives on education/trainees
- Understanding challenges faced by different specialties in the field of education
- Working with a dedicated group of individuals who are passionate about education
Why is faculty development important?
Medicine is one of the most dynamic fields to work in, especially when you have the added responsibility to teach and train the next generation of physicians. Faculty development is required for any faculty to keep them updated with the advances and challenges in medical education as the field of medicine continues to evolve. Also, we cannot ignore the fact that it is an ACGME requirement for all the training programs that their teaching faculty engages in periodic faculty development activities.
What are your dreams in relationship to the CTP or faculty development in general at Spectrum Health / Michigan State University?
To continue to develop new interactive sessions for CTP and faculty development in general, to be able to offer in person courses again and to have a centralized graduate medical education plan to offer resources to be able to engage all the programs in faculty development activities.
TaLawnda L. Bragg, MD, FACP
Program Director, Spectrum Health / Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Internal Medicine Residency Program
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Why is teaching the Clinical Teaching Program important to you?
This program teaches the teacher. We are able to equip our physicians with the tools to be effective and efficient clinical. It directly enhances the quality of our training for our residents and fellows, and in turn, helps us train better doctors. This has downstream effects of improving patient care and that’s why it matters most of all.
Why is Faculty Development important?
Quality educators are priceless to the training of residents and fellows. It’s important for clinicians to gain competency in techniques that help them stay on top of their game and carryout the charge of educator to the fullest. Faculty development is an incredible resource to help do just that!
What are your dreams in relationship to the CTP or Faculty Development in general at Spectrum Health/ MSU?
My hope is that every clinician that interacts with students, residents and/or fellows would take this course. I also hope to recruit more clinicians as faculty in the CTP who are as passionate as faculty development as we are!
Lisa M. Lowery, MD, MPH, CPE, FAAP, FSAHM
Associate Program Director, Spectrum Health / Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Residency
Section Chief of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Spectrum Health
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University
Assistant Dean for Diversity and Cultural Initiatives, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Why is teaching the Clinical Teaching Program (CTP) important to you?
It reminds me of one of the reasons why I went into medicine is to not only provide good patient care to my families but also to educate residents and medical students. I want to continue to develop me skills as a educator. I am often reminded of those who were instrumental to my own education and how I want to “be more like them.”
Why is faculty development important?
Just as I continue to enhance my “medical knowledge”, I should continue to improve my skills an educator. Graduate medical education has changed from the “see one, do one, teach one” and we need to change with it and continue to enhance our teaching skills.
What are your dreams in relationship to the CTP or faculty development in general at Spectrum Health/Michigan State University?
I would love for faculty development to be part of the culture of the institution and something we are known for in the medical education community.
Laurie H. Seaver, MD, FACMG
Core Faculty, Corewell Health / Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Pediatrics Residency
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Senior Academic Advisor, Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital (part of Corewell Health Grand Rapids Hospitals)
Why is teaching the Clinical Teaching Program (CTP) important to you?
I am energized by teaching and getting others excited about teaching. Teaching makes every day different. I am always trying to grow as a teacher/preceptor, and so helping with the CTP is a natural extension of that.
Why is faculty development important?
Engaging with learners makes an otherwise routine day way more fun and satisfying.
What are your dreams in relationship to the CTP or faculty development in general at Spectrum Health/Michigan State University?
I would like to be surrounded by a culture where all the providers welcome learners and the opportunity to teach and make a difference for the next generation.
Candace Smith-King, MD
Vice President Academic Affairs, Spectrum Health
Designated Institutional Official, Spectrum Health
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Why is teaching at the Clinical Teacher Program (CTP) so important to you?
When I was the pediatric residency program director, I would get phone calls and emails from faculty with resident feedback. They were uncomfortable giving it directly to the resident, but felt very comfortable telling me and expecting me to deliver it on their behalf. I found this extremely frustrating. I even had a resident find out on a holiday that they failed a rotation based on their online evaluation. That was when I realized we must educate faculty on how to give feedback. This is also why I LOVE teaching the Giving Feedback section of the course, it is so pertinent to teaching and developing residents. I think it is also a skill that can be used for our colleague and peers.
Why is find faculty development important?
Faculty development is important to my role as Designated Institutional Official (DIO) for many reasons. As physicians, we “fall” into the role as educators. We are not trained or developed. It is a skill you need to acquire if you are going to have learners in your clinical space. As DIO, I recognize that our institution is only going to graduate well-trained, competent physicians if we take the time to train our faculty to be educators. As an educational institution, we have the responsibility to provide the best teaching experience or we need to get out of the business of academic medicine.
What are your dreams in relationship to the CTP or faculty development in general at Spectrum Health/ Michigan State University?
I would love for us to be able to have EVERY program director and core faculty member successfully complete the Clinical Teacher Program and the booster course. That would be an amazing accomplishment!
J.M.Monica van de Ridder, PhD, MSc
Specialist Learning & Development, Spectrum Health
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Director, Spectrum Health Clinical Teacher Program
Co-chair, Spectrum Health Academy of Professional Educators
Why is teaching the Clinical Teaching Program (CTP) important to you?
The interactions with my clinical colleagues help me understand their working environment better, it gives me insight how and where we can improve our learning environment. I learn a lot myself, even if I have taught some sessions more than 50 times.
Why is faculty development important?
When clinical faculty master good teaching techniques, it makes teaching easier, more efficient, and more fun. This helps to create a safe learning environment. Our local program gives the Spectrum Health / Michigan State University faculty the opportunity to improve their skills regarding clinical teaching with their colleagues from the same institution. In this way, as faculty you don’t have to travel far, and you meet and get to know colleagues from other departments, and it is a good networking and collaboration opportunity. Because of the small groups (max. 12) you really get to know each other.
What are your dreams in relationship to the CTP or faculty development in general at Spectrum Health/ Michigan State University?
Faculty development serves as an eye-opener of what can be improved. So a next step is undertaking scholarly activities to work on the improvement, according to a Plan Do Study Act cycle. My dream is that this effort would be more stimulated, acknowledged and supported. We need to help our colleagues to understand that education equally as patient safety can be a huge driver to implementation of better practices. My second dream is becoming a center of expertise on feedback research and teaching.