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In terms of teaching, I believe CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE put aside our own issues and get deep that both faculty and students are inside the thoughts and feelings of learners, and that we are constantly others. It’s the difference between learning from each other. We learn sympathy and empathy. Art and both through our teaching and medicine are similar in that they through our interactions with our both increase our sense of doubt and students. help us appreciate the strangeness In terms of administration, I like and brilliance of the human experito think that I’m inclusive and a good ence. team player. I want to challenge and I’ve been an avid reader since I empower faculty to be better and was little. I used to read in bed under more effective educators. I realize I the covers with a flashlight when my need to model what I expect others mother made me go to bed early. to do, whether it’s helping with basic And I would consume a book in two tasks like Xeroxing or making coffee days. So for me it or following was a way to through on comlearn about the mitments. It’s world outside of important to be a my own experitrue team player. ence. That’s also why I love to From an administravel. trator point of I think that’s view, what do you really what art see as the major, allows us to do. It — ERICA FRIEDMAN, current trends in helps us gain a education that FORMER ASSOCIATE DEAN faculty should be different perspecAT ICAHN SCHOOL OF aware of? tive on our lives and the lives of The curricuMEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI others. I think lum needs to that’s really imevolve so that it is portant for physicians in particular, student-driven, and is also more effiin order to better understand our cient in engaging student learning patients. and in meeting major outcomes. What’s important is to understand You’ve worked with medical students that you can’t have a curriculum that on many successful projects. Do you expects every student to come out have any tips regarding mentorship? the other end the same way. Students I believe the key to good mentormust be allowed the flexibility to ing is to first listen — really listen — focus on their areas of interest and to to the student’s idea, and then to learn at their own pace. challenge the student to define what We can’t presume that everyone they hope to achieve, what the excan learn the same material in the pected outcomes are and what resame time frame. At the same time, sources they’ll need to achieve them. we should constantly be challenging It’s also important to have a strict our students to explore and learn as timeline and, during the process, to much as possible, above and beyond continually question and refine the any expectations we may set. project, keep pushing to make it the best it can be. What advice do you have for students interested in medical teaching or What are some of your philosophies administration? on teaching and teaching administraIt’s a lot easier now than it was tion? several decades ago to choose a ca-
Be confident in yourself, and believe that you are capable of making change — big change.
reer as a medical educator or administrator. The LCME helped facilitate this change by mandating a significantly increased infrastructure of educators at medical schools. Further, most academic medical centers now recognize the importance of educators and administrators and have developed clinician/educator tracks that recognize and promote these individuals. In addition, education research has become a valued endeavor, and while there isn’t a lot of funding for it, certainly there are outstanding venues for publication. Also, many educators are incredible role models for students. I can remember my best teacher from medical school, even though that was thirty-five years ago! I think educators have an incredible impact on students. Student-to-student teaching has also become a big component of medical school and residency curriculums. There are students-as-teachers and residents-asteachers programs throughout the country. If a student was interested in becoming a career educator, it would be important early in medical school to identify a mentor who also has chosen to focus on education. The other important aspect is to appreciate that there is a science to being an educator. Explore best practices, like how to give a good lecture or create a useful survey or assessment tool. What is the single best piece of advice you can give to medical students? Be confident in yourself, and believe that you are capable of making change — big change. I would like you never to lose the belief that, with enough passion, drive, and effort, you can make the changes that you wish to see in your own lives and in the lives of people around you. Thank you very much for the interview, Dr. Friedman.