Our Mission is to improve the health of our patients and the diverse communities we serve through excellence and leadership in education, patient care, research, and community engagement.

EDUCATION

Goal

Assure achievement of LCME accreditation 

Progress

• LCME Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process and time line for the self-study and site visit have been developed. Responsibility for specific LCME standards and elements have been assigned to members of the SOM CQI leadership team.

•  LCME Secretariat has been invited to Louisville for preparation for self-study and site visit.  The Secretariat visit is planned for September 2019. 

•  Changes to policies relevant for LCME accreditation, including the student handbook "The Bulletin", have been proposed and are under review by the Educational Program Committee (EPC).

•  A new website to report student mistreatment and unsatisfactory supervision is under development. 

•  A retention system has been created within Student Affairs to track documentation used to populate the LCME Data Collection Instrument (DCI). 

•  The Vice Dean for Undergraduate medical Education received training to serve as an accreditation site visitor and completed her first LCME site visit as a reviewer in February 2019.

•  A Student Affairs graduate student has been assigned responsibility for tracking LCME elements that impact Student Affairs. 

•  LCME elements pertaining to medical school applicant evaluation and selection have been reviewed, documentation has been assembled, and revisions to admissions related policies are in process.

• The Dean of the School serves as a voting member of the LCME and will serve as Chair in 2021. Involvement at the national level has provided opportunities to observe and adopt best practices in preparation for our site visit. 

• LCME standards pertaining to GME have been reviewed and an instructional program for residents entitled ""Residents as Teachers"" has been launched with several sessions conducted in 2019.

• Overall assessment of the School’s accreditation preparation is that we are on track for the April 25-28, 2021 site visit. This work is ongoing.

Goal

Continue to advance the national reputation of the SOM through scholarly publications and presentations on medical education.

Progress

• The UofL School of Medicine continues to be nationally recognized for its LGBTQ curriculum. The school received a national award for developing an LGBTQ "Tool Kit" and instructional content. The Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education was a guest lecturer for a Harvard Medical School Grand Rounds where she presented on the LGBTQ curriculum developed at UofL. This presentation has brought prestige and recognition to our school.

•  In 2019, more than 40 peer-reviewed presentations and publications were presented or published through the School’s Office of Medical Education Research.

Goal

Continue to advance the undergraduate medical education program and curriculum to optimize student learning and success.

Progress

• In 2019, new educational programs and objectives have been designed and are on track for full assignment and implementation in Academic Year 2019-2020.

• The conceptualization and creation of a new practice question bank, to support student preparation for the USMLE exam, was actualized in 2019. A proposal for $52,000 grant was submitted to the Provost and was funded. The grant support was used to develop cases and 6,000 practice questions with explanations. The program is being piloted in June 2019 with current M3 students. 

•  New clinical evaluations and assessments have been created and matched to each required M3 clerkship for academic year 2019-2020.

• To assure the ongoing success of programs in transition, structured mentoring was provided to the new M2 Course Director and the new Problem Based Learning (PBL) Director. Transition planning included coaching on how to anticipate problems in the program, strategic planning to affect long term goals and implement changes, and skill development to meet student needs. Goals that were set for student success and student satisfaction rating have been exceeded. Students report satisfaction with both director hires and with the increase in student support.  Student satisfaction with new faculty hires is also high. 

• Student Affairs and members of the faculty collaborated to optimize student support by clarifying goals, roles and responsibilities. Better outcomes, due to clarification of roles involving student support, have been achieved in 2019.

• The Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education has worked in cooperation with Student Affairs to provide support to students in distress or crisis resulting in successful outcomes for at-risk students

• The Associate Dean for Clinical Skills initiated new Advanced Skills content in the ICM 2 Course. Content has been reviewed by the Educational Policy Committed (EPC) and a new process for the review and selection of medical education, equipment and technology has been implemented.

• Six Standardized Patient Experiences (OSCEs) were reviewed for continuous quality improvement. Updated content will be integrated into the 2019-2020 curriculum. A portion of the clerkship grade will now be derived from the associated OSCE. Feedback to students has been improved and seven new faculty have been recruited to observe physical examination. A formal OSCE grade appeal process is under review.

• Based on student feedback all Advanced Clinical Medicine (ACM) modules have been revised and converted into a web-based format (Softchalk).

• Existing Program Objectives (PO) have been revised and new program objectives have been implemented. Clerkship director involvement in the new program objectives is supported. Assistance in PO incorporation into clerkships and 4th year courses has been ongoing. Implementation is expected in AY 2019-2020.

• The substance policy has been updated for better transparency and to rectify loopholes.  Student fees were increased to cover the cost of mandating drug testing in AHEC rotations.

Goal

Review and continuously improve the admission application and applicant selection process.

Progress

• The New AMCAS system was put into operation during the AY 2018-2019 and has been integrated into SOM protocols and procedures. Admission Committee evaluation tools have been completely revised. The process is more efficient and supports more in-depth assessment of applicants.

• An assessment of Admission’s social media activity has been concluded. It was determined that School's social media efforts had a very limited influence on applicant knowledge of the admission process.  As a result, Facebook posts activity has been increased and Twitter chats have been redirected to more promising efforts. The department continues to monitor social media activity to guide future outreach.

• After considering overall admission scores (MCAT, GPA, Interviews and LORS), the Admissions Office is now wait-listing all interviewed applicants deemed competitive for admissions. The new AMCAS tool has been integrated into the admissions decision-making process and corresponding policies have been written, approved and implemented.

• The Admissions Office successfully hosted over 100 Premed Advisors at the 22nd biennial meeting in November 2018.

Goal

Continue to advance the Graduate Medical Education Program to optimize trainee learning and success.

Progress

• Worked with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion to increase diversity within residency programs.

• The Pediatric Residency Program has achieved the greatest diversity in the program in recent years. Working with the HSC Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Department Faculty Diversity Committee a simulation have been created to better train residents and faculty.

• The Owensboro Family Medicine Residency Program was successfully accredited by the ACGME.

• The GME office conducted three training programs to manage disruptive behavior among teaching faculty.

Goal

Continue to Advance Continuing Medical Education (CME).

Progress

• CME and PD have been reaccredited "With Commendation" by the ACCME.

• Over 36,000 physicians and allied health personnel enrolled in 88 live and "enduring material" (recorded) CME courses.

• System operation was restructured to support improvements in the ability of physicians to claim CME credit.

• The Office of Continuing Medical Education concluded FY with a positive budget balance of $20,000.

RESEARCH

Goal

Expand the Research Office to provide support across the Health Science Center.

Progress

• The HSC Research Office was expanded to provide increased support to the schools of medicine, dentistry and public health.  A new grant navigator was hired. The overall number of grants supported by the office increased by 25% this year.

Goal

Review and right-size centers and institutes.

Progress

• The Vice Dean for Research, working in partnership with the Dean of SOM and the EVPHA Research, reviewed the Centers and Institutes. Plans to right-size these entities have been made.

Goal

Increase research philanthropy.

Progress

• Research Philanthropy has more than doubled in the past year. The Jewish Heritage Foundation Endowment increased from $600,000 to $1.2 Million and for the first time included funds to support new faculty recruitment.  The Associate Dean for Research organized review of 26 pilot proposals for the Jewish Heritage Foundation Endowment pilot project - five were awarded.

Goal

Increase NIH Funding.

Progress

• NIH funding increased by 5.8% in past year. Our overall NIH funding ranking did not increase due in part to similar increases by our peer institutions. We were able to maintain our national ranking at 63rd. 

Goal

Review programmatic details in-order-to continuously improve Research Louisville.

Progress

• Revamping the submission website for Research Louisville to clarify guidelines has improved the quality of abstracts. Dr. Cheryl Walker, a pioneer in epigenetics, has been secured as the 2019 Research Louisville Keynote speaker. The Speed School has been included in Research Louisville and has been provided its own section.

Goal

Maintain overall enrollment in SOM graduate programs and embrace strength in selected ones.

Progress 

• The Graduate Council strategized to maintain overall graduate program enrollment. Success was achieved due in large part to increased enrollment in the Physiology Pre-health care MS program and robust enrollment in the CMDS MS program. These enrollment increases offset declines in the numbers of stipend supported IPIBS doctorial students.

Goal

Initiate curriculum management conversion process for SOM graduate programs.

Progress

• Efforts were initiated to move course and program documents from an old paper-based system to the new web-based course catalog in conjunction with OAPA. This transition has been successful, and the second catalog will launch in May 2019.

Goal

Identify ways to make the biomedical program attractive to top applicants and align best practices in graduate education.

Progress

• The Associate Dean for Graduate and Post Doctorial Studies continue to vet the prospect of revising admissions guidelines that require the submission of GRE Scores. The GRE Scores are no longer required by top US graduate programs. The discontinuation of use of GRE Scores for graduate admissions remains under consideration by the Graduate Council. 

• Also under review, is the prospect to change the current IPIBS integrated structure.  Evaluation of, and generation of support for implementing an interdisciplinary structure is being examined however, currently support for this change is only at around 50% among the departments.

PATIENT CARE

Goal

Participate in the planning and execution of the new LUL Health System.

Progress

• The Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs worked to develop a working understanding of ULP and UMC budgets and strategic planning actions.  She has actively participated in all levels of operations which increased the need for the allocation to the Dean’s office from .5 FTE to .75 FTE.

Goal

Expand the Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs’ working knowledge of health system quality and safety, structure and leadership needs.

Progress

• The Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs consistently improved her understanding of, and engagement in, Health System Quality and Safety Structure through shadowing and active participation.

Goal

Achieve a successful CLER site visit.

Progress

• A successful CLER site visit was completed in the past year.

Goal

Assure the successful professional development of clinical administrative leaders.

Progress

• The Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs provided successful mentorship of Hugh Shoff who has been appointed Asst. Dean for Clinical Quality and Safety.

Goal

Achieve KOH Anatomic Path contract and Clinic Lab Support Funding.

Progress

• The Kentucky One Health Anatomic Path contract has been successfully completed and clinic lab support funding has been   identified. 

Goal

Achieve Funding Support.

Progress

• Achieved new $400K UMC Support (KOH Telemed transition Neurology - KOH)

Goal

Identify and support cost savings.

Progress

• Transitioned Internal Medicine position to ULP $180K/yr. net

Goal

Evaluate incentive-based compensation models.

Progress

• The review of incentive-based compensation models continues. The 2019 Compensation Committee (a collaborative effort including Faculty Affairs, Dept. Chairs, Hospital leadership and Dean) continues to examine assignment definition and compensation strategies.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT/DIVERSITY

Goal

Assure appropriate staffing, leadership and development of personnel on Office of Community Engagement and Diversity team.

Progress

• The roles of the Associate Dean for Rural Health Innovation and the Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Chief Diversity Officer have been enhanced in the past year. The Associate Dean for Community Engagement was promoted to Chief Diversity Officer and over the past year he has expanded SOM's community partnerships and diversity activities.

• The Vice Dean for CE&D has mentored the Associate Dean for Rural Health Innovation to take a more active role in AHEC administration. A new Director for the LGBT HSC Satellite Center has been hired.

•  Recruited replacement of administration assistant when the previous position occupant was promoted to AHEC Assistant Program Director.

•  The SOM Diversity Committee has been restructured to expand department representation.

Goal

Enhance Urban Health and Health Equity Activities.

Progress

• Working with the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education, the OCE&D has begun to integrate Cultural Competency and Diversity in the longitudinal curriculum.

•  Overall operational expenses have been decreased by 83% (travel expenses decreased by 27%)

Goal

Strengthen ties of the IPIBS Program to University-wide diversity recruitment effort.

Progress 

• We sought to maintain diversity recruitment at the improved levels experienced in 2018 when our IPIBS class was comprised of 25% minority students. We achieved 18% minority student enrollment in the incoming class which is a high representation of minority students.

Goal

Continue to develop partnerships.

Progress

• We have identified new partnerships and the Vice Dean for CE&D continues to serve on the Board for Volunteers of America (Midstates) and on the Medical Advisory Board of Surgery on Sundays.

• Established partnerships with Central High School (SPI) Health management Programs.

• Continued Summer Medical Camp with the Cabbage Patch Settlement House.

Goal

Advance diversity and inclusion efforts within the School of Medicine.

Progress

• In collaboration with Faculty Affairs, the Faculty Learning Community on Diversity and Inclusion has been launched.   

• Enrolled 19 SOM students in  the Regional SNMA conference in Nashville, TN (largest SOM representation to date)

• Ongoing updates achieved on LCME elements 3.3 and 3.4.

• Diversity Reports to HSCODI and VP for Diversity CPE were completed.

• The SOM Diversity Committee has been restructured to have broader representation across the school.

• Participated in UofL Climate Survey Focus Groups.

• Co-Advised URM Student organization (SNMA, KMA, MSOL, Nutrition Club).

• Fostered diversity and inclusion among faculty and staff by conducting or facilitating more than 10 education sessions for faculty and staff development.

• Partnered in several student social enrichment initiatives hosted by SOM faculty and staff.

• OCE&D continue to work with the HSC Office of Diversity & Inclusion, the UofL Vice President for Community Engagement, and Vice President for Diversity to streamline reporting.

Goal

Continue to advance recognition and inclusion of the LGBT Center on the HSC campus.

Progress

• The LGBT Health Certificate broke record participation in its 5th year with 335 participants and 93 certificate recipients.

• The Center participated in development of the eQuality Tool Kit, a collaborative effort with UME, Medical Education Research unit. 

• The LGBT Center conducted more than 13 unique training sessions in LGBTQ affirming Health Care Education - yielding 27 newly developed content hours and reaching 925 unique in-person participants.

Goal

Continue to advance rural health initiatives and enhance rural health innovation

Progress

• HRSA Grant Submission with the Trager Institute completed in support of the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program.

• Recruitment and acceptance by the Associate Dean for Rural Health Innovation to the Louisville Innovation Grant External Oversight Committee.

• Continuing work to increase the number of rural health rotations for medical students and allied health professionals.

• Leveraged technology (Google glass and Telemedicine) to improve rural healthcare.

• Advanced development of Home Devices for Clinical and Nutritional Analytics and Families Addressing Dementia.

• Serve as an Entrepreneurial Advisor: Pill Box - NSFI - Corp Grant.

• Ongoing preparation of grant applications and scholarly reports.

Goal

Improve Funding of KY AHEC.

Progress

• Tracking and reporting statewide AHEC activity has been improved. The OCE&D assisted in drafting State, House and Senate legislation for a preceptor tax initiative.

• Successful HRSA proposal submission funding for opioid use disorder education.

• Successful placement of all 3rd year medical students in the required AHEC clinical rotation.

• Participated in the review and strategy development for successful AHEC grant.

Goal

Continue service at the national and state level:

Progress

• The Vice Dean for OCE&D continues to serve on several national committees, editorial boards and executive councils.

• The Associate Dean for Rural Health Innovation is President Elect of the Kentucky Medical Association, Treasurer of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, and Past President of the Kentucky Rural Health Association.  He serves on the Biomedical Advisory Board.

EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP

Goal

Provide ongoing consultation and support to department chairs and faculty as needed to promote administration and academic excellence.

Progress

• More than 80% of new faculty hires (49) have received individualized on-boarding through meetings with the Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs. Additional consultations have been provided for faculty professionalism, promotion and tenure, annual work assignments, chair orientation, early five-year chair reviews, and other faculty actions and reviews.

Goal

Conduct Review of SOM Annual Performance Review Policy.

Progress

• A plan has been developed to implement in 2020. Recruitment of committee members includes chairs, decanal leadership and legal counsel. The first meetings are slated for summer 2019.

Goal

Implement Interfolio system for promotion and tenure actions and electronic CV's with the goal of using the system for 2019-2020 PAT actions.

Progress

• The new electronic promotion/tenure workflow has been coordinated and implemented. Work has begun to use the Interfolio for the 2019-2020 PAT review cycle.

Goal

Continue Work to Promote Faculty Wellness.

Progress

• Several members of the SOM Administration (Ron Paul, Jerry Rabalais, Toni Ganzel) have participated in the delivery of faculty instruction in Mind-Body Medicine.  Reviews have been very favorable. Though scheduled for 2019, the second Faculty Wellness Survey was postponed due to uncertainty regarding KY One Health partnership and the potential for unknown outcomes pertaining to several department and programs housed in KY One Health facilities.

•  Five faculty wellness presentations were made to SOM department is 2019. This work continues in 2019. 

Goal

Develop a plan to implement teaching competencies for faculty.

Progress

• Launched and completed second cohort of LIAM. The second cohort of Leadership in Academic Medicine was successful with participation of 23 faculty from across the HSC.

• Successful launch of "Reading Circles" in partnership with the Delphi Center (30 HSC faculty participants).
• The proposal to expand focus of the faculty development program to include all schools within the HSC was accepted and led to the creation of the role of Associate Vice President for Faculty Development for the HSC.

• Use of faculty development participation tracking software "Zoho" was coordinated with the Delphi Center. Active learning strategies have been integrated in clinical teaching.

Goal

Develop Plans for Gratis Faculty focused faculty development.

Progress 

• A Gratis Faculty Development Plan workgroup was formed to determine faculty development needs for gratis faculty.

Goal

Create a mentoring program for junior faculty.

Progress

• Junior faculty mentoring program has been implemented through creation of an online toolkit for use by Chairs and Division Chiefs to facilitate mentoring of junior faculty. 

Goal

Develop onboarding process for new Faculty.

Progress

• Work continues on this initiative. The Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs currently supports one-on-one onboarding for new faculty.