Spring 2026 SOM Faculty Development Sessions
Strategies to become a Highly Productive Academic Writer
Thursday, May 7 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm | Presented by Dr. Abigail (Abby) Konopasky
Faculty at an academic health center have responsibilities in multiple areas. At times, these responsibilities are perceived as competing demands. Academic writing is a core expectation especially for faculty who plan to be promoted or obtain tenure. This session highlights several strategies to becoming a highly productive academic writer.
Lecture and Large Group Presentation Skills
Thursday, June 4 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm | Presented by Dr. Timothy Dasinger
It is difficult to avoid lecture and large group presentations in undergraduate medical education. Yet, learning theories and students suggest active learning is more effective and preferred. This session offers strategies to support learning and student engagement in large settings.
Humanities and Medicine
Thursday, June 11 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm | Presented by Dr. Scott Rodgers
The humanities have long been recognized for having numerous benefits on individuals’ mental and emotional health wellbeing. They can reduce stress, help to promote calmness, and facilitate the expression of emotions. Physicians and health care facilities use humanities and the creation of art to ease burnout, foster connections, improve mental health, reduce stress, promote healing and enhance wellbeing. This session explores the intersection of the humanities and medicine broadly and at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Thursday, June 18 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm | Presented by Dr. Kristen Alston
The imposter phenomenon is experienced by many learners including medical students and residents. Imposter syndrome can negatively impact learners’ mental and physical health. This session examines the impact of imposter syndrome and strategies to support learners who are experiencing it since it may be linked to mental health distress or burnout.
The Teaching Physician: Strategies for Clinical Teaching on the Fly
Thursday, June 25 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm | Presented by Dr. Kathryn Schneider
Busy clinics and wards still afford powerful learning. This session distills high-yield bedside/curbside teaching methods—One-Minute Preceptor, SNAPPS, “Aunt Minnie,” and micro-debriefs—to help faculty coach clinical reasoning, give actionable feedback, and maintain patient flow and safety.
Foundations of Educations Scholarship
Thursday, July 9 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm | Presented by Dr. Laura Weingartner
Medical educators are embracing opportunities to expand the field of scholarship on teaching and learning. These efforts include disseminating advances from research on teaching and learning through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and grantsmanship. Educational scholarship also includes the development of curriculum and innovative approaches to instruction. This session outlines ways to mine and expand current educational activities to build scholarship.
Quality Improvement and Teaching Patient Safety
Thursday, July 16 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm | Presented by Dr. Lisa Didion
Health professions education lays the foundation for patient safety and quality improvement by shaping how faculty teach, model, and assess safe care. This faculty development session reviews why patient safety matters in clinical learning environments, introduces core principles of high reliability in healthcare, and connects these concepts to UMMC’s quality and safety strategy. Participants will leave with a clearer framework for integrating safety expectations into day-to-day teaching, supervision, and team-based care.
Design Methods and Tools to Assess Educational Effectiveness
Thursday, July 23 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm | Presented by Dr. Loretta Jackson
Turn course and clerkship data into decisions. This session walks through blueprinting, validity evidence for assessments, program-evaluation models (Kirkpatrick/CIPP), and practical analytics (item analysis, dashboards) to “close the loop” for continuous quality improvement.
Professionalism in Medical Education Curriculum: Teaching and Assessment
Thursday, July 30 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm | Presented by Dr. Kimberly Bibb
Professionalism is a core competency in medical education that is taught and assessed in the medical education curriculum. This session outlines the University of Mississippi School of Medicine's conceptualization of professionalism, where it exists in the curriculum, and how teaching, supervising, and assessing faculty contribute to students' professional development.