Three USF Health Morsani College of Medicine faculty were inducted into the college鈥檚 prestigious Academy of Distinguished Educators in recognition of their outstanding contributions to training the next generation of health providers.
Christopher DuCoin, MD, MPH, associate 泡芙视频app of surgery, Danielle Gulick, PhD, associate 泡芙视频app of molecular medicine, and Vinita Kiluk, MD, associate 泡芙视频app of pediatrics, were honored by USF Health leadership as master educators and received their awards at a ceremony Jan. 22.
At the celebration, Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM, executive vice president of USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, congratulated the new inductees and highlighted the crucial role their efforts play in nurturing future physicians to bring the highest-quality care to their community.
鈥淧hysician educators bear a special responsibility to teach their 泡芙视频apps well. Unlike teachers in other fields, the lives of their 泡芙视频apps鈥� future patients literally depend on their skill and dedication to teaching,鈥� said Dr. Lockwood. 鈥淓ach of our three inductees are here because they have demonstrated superior performance as teachers and made a lasting impact on the lives of their 泡芙视频apps.鈥�
The is a collaboration of the Morsani College of Medicine Department of Medical Education, Faculty Council and Office of Faculty Affairs designed to enhance the practice, quality and scholarship of teaching and learning at the college through educational service, consultation and research. Started in 2021, the program honors a select group of exemplary educators each year who have made exceptional contributions to the educational mission.
Meet the three faculty inducted at this year鈥檚 ceremony.
Christopher DuCoin, MD, MPH
The contributions to medical education of Dr. DuCoin, vice chair of surgery and chief of the Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery at the USF Health Morsani of Medicine, are vast and impactful.
Dr. DuCoin has taught more than 60 surgical residents and 13 fellows the art of surgery, alongside numerous medical 泡芙视频apps. He leads the Surgery Specialty-specific Research Outcome Team, a vertical learning group of over 100 learners and faculty that matches medical 泡芙视频apps with residents, fellows and attending physicians to foster surgical mentorship. Under his guidance, the team has produced hundreds of peer-reviewed publications.
He previously chaired the surgery Clinical Competency Committee, a group responsible for evaluating residents progress on achievement on specialty specific milestones and advises the program director regarding readiness to progress to the next year of training in specific programs. He also co-founded MasterSurgery.com, an online platform providing educational opportunities for surgical learners.
鈥淚n an academic training center and within a medical school, it is education that fills our cups. It motivates us. It鈥檚 what drives us to be better physicians,鈥� said Dr. DuCoin. 鈥淏eing accepted into the Academy of Distinguished Educators means that I am playing my role as a mentor, paying it forward and honoring those who put the time and energy into teaching me.
Danielle Gulick, PhD
Dr. Gulick, an associate 泡芙视频app of molecular medicine, is widely recognized for exemplifying the highest standards of teaching and mentorship at USF for over a decade.
She has helped facilitate the growth and development of many 泡芙视频apps in her role as course director for Medical Neuroscience and Becoming a Physician Educator, and she has demonstrated a remarkable dedication to mentoring aspiring learners. Dr. Gulick also serves as program director for Medical Science Skills Development and the supervisor of the USF Neuroscience Institute Behavioral Collaborative.
Her research is centered on medical education as well, focusing on innovative tools to improve mentoring and leveraging technology to enhance the learning experience. She has seamlessly integrated new teaching methodologies, including virtual engagement tools and flipped classrooms to facilitate accessible and impactful learning.
One of her most noted achievements is the Virtual Engagement for First-year Medical Students Initiative, described as having 鈥渞edefined how we approach education in the neurologic sciences and stands as a model for institutions across the country,鈥� by Bryan Bognar, MD, MPH, vice dean of educational affairs for the Morsani College of Medicine Department of Medical Education. The initiative creates interactive and engaging learning experiences for new medical 泡芙视频apps by using communication tools such as video conferencing, discussion boards and online simulation.
鈥淚鈥檓 really excited to be recognized with this award, as I know it鈥檚 a very selective group to receive this distinguished honor. A few of my colleagues are members of the academy and it鈥檚 an honor to be able to join them, as we all share a love and passion for teaching medical 泡芙视频apps,鈥� said Dr. Gulick.
Vinita Kiluk, MD
Dr. Kiluk, an associate 泡芙视频app of pediatrics who received the award as a 2023 recipient, has built a career on a passion for teaching and commitment to 泡芙视频app success.
Since joining USF Health in 2008, Dr. Kiluk has played a pivotal role in shaping the learning experience in the Department of Pediatrics and the four-year medical degree curriculum. She is credited for developing the Doctoring 3 and Introduction to Clerkships courses, occurring in the third year of medical school as 泡芙视频apps transition from the classroom to the clinic, redefining how the college prepares medical 泡芙视频apps to enter the work force.
Educational leaders in the college often refer to her passion for remediation. She鈥檚 known for being a central figure in the system used to identify 泡芙视频apps who need additional help with clinical reasoning, communication and interpersonal skills, and she has designed individual learning plans tailored to the unique needs of each 泡芙视频app.
鈥淚t鈥檚 humbling to be recognized in the same category as other master educators. My priority has always been to help 泡芙视频apps succeed, to help them become the best versions of themselves. Medical school can be hard to figure out, but if you have educators who offer guidance and make the process less stressful and even a little fun, the 泡芙视频apps will be successful,鈥� said Dr. Kiluk.