Program Overview

The OME Fellowship in Medical Education is designed to assist junior faculty for careers in academic medicine by providing training in curriculum design, educational theory, teaching principles, presentation skills, clinical teaching, small group facilitation, problem-based learning, educational scholarship, and academic leadership.  In this 10-month program, fellows will participate in a weekly seminar series that covers important topics in medical education.

Program Objectives

Graduates of this fellowship will be able to:

• Deliver innovative, effective instruction to students and residents
• Design, conduct, and evaluate educational experiences in the classroom or clinical setting
• Develop, implement and evaluate projects in curriculum development
• Utilize basic computer skills in teaching
• Present scholarly work in oral presentation or poster format
• Write for publication
• Facilitate small group problem-based learning (PBL) activities
• Successfully navigate the academic environment in areas of collegial networking and promotion
• Apply personal effectiveness and leadership skills to the academic setting
• Develop a career plan in academic medicine

Eligibility Requirements

The program is open to JABSOM faculty members or trainees in a postgraduate fellowship program or residency program seeking to learn more about medical education and teaching.  Faculty from other University of Hawaii-affiliated programs and/or other institutions will also be considered on a space-available basis.  All fellows must receive approval from their respective departments or training programs to attend the Tuesday afternoon fellowship seminars and complete all assigned tasks.  The cost of on-campus parking must be coordinated through the fellows’ home department or program, as OME cannot assume parking costs.  There are no tuition fees or stipends in this program (i.e., there is no expected payment to OME from Fellows or their home departments, and no financial support can be provided to Fellows by OME).

The application period is typically April-July of each calendar year, with the program running from September thru June.  The number of positions available in a given Fellowship cohort are limited.  A rolling selection process is utilized, so interested individuals are encouraged to apply early in the application period to ensure that their applications can be considered.

Sample Topics and Schedule

Sample schedule

For further information or to request an application form

Please contact:

• Dr. Richard Kasuya
  Professor of Medicine, Office of Medical Education (kasuya@hawaii.edu or 808- 692-0940) or
  
  
• Dr. Jill Omori
  Associate Professor of Family Medicine & Community Health (jill.omori@hawaii.edu or 808-692-1001)

Feedback from Past OME Fellows

To date, over 100 individuals have completed the OME Fellowship in Medical Education.  Here are some comments by our fellowship alumni about their experience:

• The fellowship was a great experience.  The subjects covered are extremely useful and the faculty is first rate!  I would highly recommend it to anyone who is involved in academic medicine and/or involved in teaching medical students or residents.

• Being a medical teacher is a great privilege and a huge responsibility. The OME fellowship is one of the most important steps I’ve taken in living up to the challenge.

• As with most faculty, I learned the various instructional methods informally through colleagues.  The Fellowship provided a comprehensive service-learning opportunity to assess, develop, and implement curriculum under the guidance of experienced faculty.  My Fellowship project is still in use by the Department, and has resulted in presentation and publication opportunities.

• I am thoroughly enjoying my experience with the fellowship program.  The weekly seminars are very informative and relevant to the junior faculty training. Most valuable of all, the fellowship program prepares us to be good teachers and teach us how to teach.  I strongly recommend this program should be a requirement for new faculty.

• I feel this fellowship has given me new tools, and refined existing ones, to be a professional medical educator, not just a physician who teaches.  There have been so many valuable lessons…I wish I had enrolled as a fellow years ago!

• Participating in the OME fellowship is truly one of the best things I have done for myself and for my career. The fellowship broadened my perception of academic medicine; it strengthened and developed skills I needed in order to become a better educator; it gave me “hands-on” practice (e.g., developing curricula, creating lectures); and, what I think is the most important, the fellowship allowed you to explore who you are … your values, your expectations, your strengths, and your weaknesses. I met really outstanding people in the fellowship, and I am grateful for the opportunity to get to know and work with these people.  I don’t think you are going to find a more enjoyable and more supportive learning environment. The whole experience meant a lot to me in every way, and it hasn’t ended, because I use what I learned and I interact with the people I met everyday.

• The Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Do an OME Fellowship
  10. Your curriculum will never again be dull
  9.  You will never teach in the same ineffective way
  8.  You will never see evaluation as a chore
  7.  Your concept of leadership will never be the same
  6.  You will have a burning desire to publish
  5.  You will yearn to wire a grant
  4.  You will bring added value to your department
  3.  You will begin with the end in mind
  2.  You will have a personal mission statement
  1.  You will be rejuvenated and reinvigorated.  It’s like going to a spa! 

• I have grown in a profound way in terms of my practice, teaching, and leadership style since taking the OME Fellowship in Medical Education.  It is a perfect class for the professional MD who wants to be better at what he/she does on a daily basis!

• The OME Fellowship has a phenomenal curriculum that allows and encourages the personal and professional development of all its participants.

• OME is No Ka Oi.  What I learned in the 10 months of this fellowship will forever mold the way I look at being a teaching physician.  The fellowship faculty have a truly open and nurturing manner that allows fellows to feel comfortable in uncharted territory.