Illinois Medicine

cover story by Kevin McKeough photos by Lloyd DeGrane Medical Education for the 21st Century With experiential innovations like team-based learning, peer-to-peer instruction and clinical skill simulation, the College of Medicine takes curricular excellence to the next level Pictured in front of the double helix staircase in the Molecular Biology Research Building, recent College of Medicine alumna Janai Carr, MD '13, PhD '13 credits mentor Pradip Raychaudhuri, professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics, with giving her wide latitude in pursuing her research interests. A s a student in the Medical Scientist Training Program—the College of Medicine's combined MD/PhD track—Janai Carr, MD '13, PhD '13, received a world-class medical education and conducted National Cancer Institute-funded doctoral research that resulted in papers published in the journals Cell Reports and Cancer Research. Carr's studies examined how the protein FoxM1 promotes the growth and development of high-grade breast cancer tumors and promotes resistance to treatments. Although her own ability and effort undoubtedly led the way, Carr says the top-notch researchers and environment at the College of Medicine contributed immensely to her success. "The continuing theme for me throughout the last eight years is that the faculty is truly committed to the success of the students here," she says. James Frencher (pictured on the cover of this issue), would say much the same. A current M3 student who is scheduled to complete his MD/PhD program in 2015, he too has experienced the close relationships between students and faculty. "The mentors here are excellent guides. They give students the freedom to pursue their passions while opening their eyes to the many different options available to them after the training process is over," says Frencher. "They go out of their way to make sure we have the support we need." Students like Carr and Frencher are just two examples of how the College of Medicine is nurturing the next generation of medicine. Courses of study like the Medical Scientist Training Program (see sidebar, page 13) prepare students for careers as physician-scientists. Students additionally flourish through their involvement in both campus and national medical organizations. Upon graduation, they pursue residencies in Illinois or anywhere else across the nation. Regardless of their next steps, COM students embark on careers that transform modern medicine. "All of our students represent the promise of continued progress in medicine," says Larry Tobacman, MD, senior associate dean for research. "Our MD/PhD graduates are particularly well-positioned to approach the important biomedical problems of today and to make basic scientific discoveries that will advance patient care tomorrow." The commitment of the college's dedicated faculty to better prepare students to succeed as physicians has been underscored in the college's recent curricular changes to increase student achievement and leadership. These enhancements include the implementation of interactive, team-based learning sessions throughout a growing number of first- and secondyear courses and a shift to peer-based instruction—students teaching students—in the gross anatomy lab. These changes follow the addition of the Essentials of Clinical Practice and Professionalism course, which uses skills simulators to teach clinical skills before and during the third-year rotations. "We felt we were relying too much on passive learning, Photo: Lloyd de gr a n e illinois medicine | 11

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