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KU Medical Alumni Societies

In 1999, the School of Medicine, in partnership with the KU Medical Alumni Society, established Academic Societies to foster a collegial learning environment through student-student, student-faculty, and faculty-faculty interactions.

About

Like other learning communities, the societies evolved from an intimate focus on learning, leadership development and community service to a substantial role in fostering a safe learning environment in core educational programs that promote scholarship, professional development and collegial relationships. Emphasis is on the promotion of professional behaviors, compassionate and patient-centered care, health practitioner well-being and lifelong learning.

Structure

There are eight societies between the Kansas City, Salina and Wichita Campuses. Each society was named for a distinguished school leader. Every matriculating class is divided into learning communities of 7-8 students. Four sets of learning communities make a society. The Salina campus is an exception in that there is just one learning community per class. Every society has a faculty director and four to eight faculty assistant directors. The campus has only two assistant directors due to class size. An individual learning community has two assistant directors assigned to it. One assistant director serves as a PBL facilitator, and the other serves as an academic coach. All assistant directors serve as both PBL facilitators and coaches. To avoid conflict of interest, a PBL facilitator for one society learning community serves as an academic coach for a separate learning community within the same society.

Kansas City: Cates, Delp, Major, Murphy, Orr and Wescoe 
Wichita: Jager
Salina: Lukert

Learning Activities

PBL Facilitation
Society assistant directors facilitate problem-based learning (PBL) for their assigned learning community students. The activity provides an interactive, team-based educational environment for an enhanced learning experience that goes beyond the traditional large classroom model. Each session has focused content and learning objectives. The role of the facilitator is to guide the discussion, not provide significant information. 

Coaching
Each learning community has an assigned assistant director serving in the academic coach role. Coaching is conducted one to two times per course block for 15-30 minute sessions. The academic coach meets with each of their assigned students individually. The objectives of the meeting are to monitor and review academic performance, examination performance and narrative feedback. Progress toward mastery of competencies is provided using positive and constructive feedback. Coaches have access to the student's academic dashboard and evaluative assessment data and comments. Based on individual student needs, coaches will make appropriate referrals and assist the student in accessing resources for educational and personal support and development, such as tutoring, mental health, career advising, etc. Society directors serve as academic coaches in the clinical years of the curriculum on the Salina and Kansas City campuses. School administrators and faculty alums conduct coaching in the clinical years on the Wichita campus.

Student Wellness

The societies promote student wellness and fostering a safe learning environment. The program aims to achieve these goals with extra-curricular society activities, required wellness workshops and coaching. Student leaders from each society plan monthly lunch meetings with a variety of programming. Topics include yoga classes and wellness presentations, humanities topics, cultural awareness discussions and faculty and student panels. Additionally, the student leaders plan off-campus programming. The required workshops typically occur once per academic year. Assistant directors and directors facilitate some of these workshops to encourage reflective discussion in a safe learning environment. Through academic coaching, assistant directors serve as extensions of student affairs. Students are referred to counseling and educational support services and other on-campus resources if needed. The societies meet once per academic block for coaching and PBL case discussions. Through information gathered at these meetings, the offices of Medical Education and Student Affairs keep a pulse on student concerns and issues within the learning environment.

Faculty Allocation Model

Faculty Positions (Assistant Directors and Directors)
Appointments are initially for one academic year (July 1-June 30), with the expectation for annual review.

Qualifications for Assistant Director and Director

  • M.D., D.O. or equivalent medical degree.
  • Current KU School of Medicine faculty appointment or recent faculty appointment in the case of the Wichita campus.
  • Sustained record of success in medical education at medical student or residency level
  • Demonstrated ability to provide effective feedback.
  • Evidence of success in undertaking new roles and in working collegially to implement and improve innovations.
  • Regarded as role model by learners and peers.
  • Active faculty must participate in training activities, faculty development and case discussions.

0.1 FTE Faculty (Assistant Directors)

  • Work with just one academic class (first or second-year students). 
  • Time Commitment: 4 hours per week for the academic year.
  • 0.1 FTE allocated to the faculty's primary department.
  • Report to their society director and the senior associate deans for medical education and student affairs.
  • Evaluation: students formally evaluate their facilitator, coach and the society's program at regular intervals through surveys and/or focus groups. Feedback is provided to assistant directors at regular intervals and only when a minimum threshold of students has responded. 

0.2 FTE Faculty (Assistant Directors)

  • Work with two academic classes (first and second-year students). 
  • Time Commitment: 8 hours per week for the academic year.
  • 0.2 FTE allocated to the faculty's primary department.
  • Report to their society director and the senior associate deans for medical education and student affairs.
  • Evaluation: students formally evaluate their facilitator, coach and the society's program at regular intervals through surveys and/or focus groups. Feedback is provided to assistant directors at regular intervals and only when a minimum threshold of students has responded.

0.25 FTE Faculty (Directors)

  • Time Commitment: 10 hours per week for the academic year.
  • 0.25 FTE allocated to the faculty's primary department. 
  • Report to the senior associate deans for medical education and student affairs. 
  • Evaluation: assistant directors formally evaluate their director.

Interested Faculty

Interested in applying for an assistant director position? Please email Lauren Parker if you would like to learn more. 

KU School of Medicine

University of Kansas Medical Center
KU School of Medicine Office of Student Affairs

3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Kansas City, KS 66160-7303
Phone: 913-588-1483