MedEd Teaching Certificate Program

Goal
The UTRGV School of Medicine MedEd Teaching Certificate Program will enhance the professional development of clinical full-time and clinical volunteer faculty members as medical educators.
Objectives
Upon completion of this program, faculty will be able to:
- Demonstrate skills in teaching methods pertinent in medical education.
- Incorporate evidence-based medical education strategies that enhance learning.
- Implement active learning techniques and technology to promote student learning and engagement.
- Develop organizational plans for an educational innovation.
- Reflect on the teaching journey and experiences to establish an educational philosophy.
Covered Topics
- Future of Medical Education
- Learning Science & Active Learning
- Curriculum Design
- Peer-Observations
- Feedback Fundamentals
- Delivering Instruction
- Assessing for Learning
- Small-Group Teaching
- Clinical Bedside Teaching
- Clinical Reasoning
- Education Technology
- Learning Environment
Benefits
- Enhance teaching & learning
- Develop best practices as medical educators
- Advance in medical education career
- Increase career satisfaction
- Create a skilled educator community
- Ensure adherence to UME teaching standards
Certificate
A certificate of completion will be awarded by the Office of Faculty Affairs, UTRGV SOM, to faculty who satisfactorily complete the certificate requirements.
CME Credit
- “Earn two CME credit hours each month upon successful completion of the scheduled hybrid sessions and the submission of completed evaluations.
- A total of 12 CME credit hours can be earned at the conclusion of the six-month program.”
Duration
Sessions are scheduled once a month for two hours during a nine-month timeframe.
Location
Hybrid
MedEd Scholars

2023-2024 MedEd Teaching Certificate Cohort
Top: Thomas Turk, MD, MPH; Mohammed Sikander, PhD; Alex L. Zuo, PhD, FACSM; Ana Cristina Leandro, PhD; Candace Robledo, PhD, MPH; Juan Carlos Lopez-Alvarenga, MD, PhD; Miguel Alvarez Silva, MD; Aramide Tijani, MD
Bottom: Veronica Salazar, MD; Dean Michael Hocker; Emilie Prot, DO, MPH, FACPM; Shizu Mito, PhD; Seratna Guadarrama-Beltran, PhD; Associate Dean Beatriz Tapia; Neeraj Chauhan, PhD; Seval Ozkan Cobal, PhD
Not pictured: Kelsey Baker, PhD; Daniel Bolton, MD
Primary & Community Care (PCC) ISU Interim Chair: Chelsea Chang, MD, FACP |
Candance A. Robledo, PhD, MPH Division: Population Health Capstone: Enhancing Ethical Reasoning in First Year Medical Students Using Simulation |
Miguel Alvarez Silva, MD Division: Women’s & Children’s Health Capstone: Integration of a Longitudinal Ultrasound Curriculum for Family Medicine Residents |
Ana Cristina Leandro, PhD Division: Human Genetics Capstone: Integrating Molecular Research Tools Into Medical Education for Advanced Clinical Practice |
Juan Carlos Lopez-Alvarenga, MD, PhD Division: Population Health Capstone: Statistical Literary for Border Health |
Emilie Prot, DO, MPH, FACPM (Joint Project with Mohammed Sikander, PhD) Specialty: Public Health Capstone: Bridging Disciplines: Enhancing Local Disease Awareness Among Medical Students Through Interprofessional Collaboration |
Veronica Salazar, MD Division: Primary & Preventative Care Capstone: Obesity Medicine Curriculum: Simulation or Clinic Setting |
Thomas Turk, MD, MPH Specialty: Family Medicine Capstone: Teaching Medical Students to Engage With Their Community Through Gardening and Health Education |
Department of Medical Education (DOME) ISU Chair: Sambandam Elango |
Seratna Guadarrama Beltran, PhD Specialty: Medical Education Capstone: AI Assisted Virtual Reality Based Educational Approach for Medical Students |
Shizue Mito, PhD Specialty: Medical Education Capstone: Etymological Strategies for Medical Vocabulary Mastery |
Seval Ozkan Coban, PhD Specialty: Medical Education Capstone: AI Assisted Virtual Reality Based Educational Approach for Medical Students |
Alex L. Zuo, PhD, FACSM Division: Neuroscience Capstone: Teaching Critical Thinking Skills in Undergraduate Medical Education On Physiology / Pharmacology and Anatomy |
Medicine & Oncology ISU Chair: Everardo Cobos |
Neeraj Chauhan, PhD Division: Cancer Research Capstone: AI Assisted Virtual Reality Based Educational Approach for Medical Students |
Aramide Tijiani, MD Division: Internal Medicine Capstone: Advancing Cardiac Auscultation Skills In Medical Students Through Digital Stethoscopes |
Mohammed Sikander, PhD (Joint Project with Emilie Prot, DO, MPH, FACPM) Division: Cancer Research Capstone: Bridging Disciplines: Enhancing Local Disease Awareness Among Medical Students Through Interprofessional Collaboration |
Neuro & Behavioral Health ISU Chair: Diana Chapa |
Kelsey Baker, PhD Division: Neuroscience Capstone: Investigating the Impact of Online Lecture Engagemetn on Academic Performance in UTRGV SOM Pre-Clerkship Curriculum |
Surgery ISU Chair: |
Daniel Bolton, MD Division: Trauma, Burn, and Acute Care Surgery Capstone: Longitudinal Training Program for Surgical Residents in Preparation for the General Surgery Certifying Exam |

2022-2023 MedEd Teaching Certificate Cohort
FAMILY MEDICINE Chair: Dr. Jimmy Gonzales |
Dr. James Fahey Establishing a Quality Improvement Curriculum in a Family Residency Program |
Dr. Baldemar Gonzalez Alanis Establishing a Competency Based Curriculum in a Family Medicine Residency Program |
Dr. Sujan Gogu Meeting the Demand for Physician MBA’S through Expanded Educational Programs |
INTERNAL MEDICINE Chair: Dr. Chelsea Chang |
Dr. Roque Mifuji Resident-Led Empathy Training. Reducing Burnout While Improving Patient-Centered Care |
Dr. Andres Suarez Parraga Outpatient Internal Medicine Curriculum Delivery |
Dr. Henry Herrera Using Digital Communication to Improve Bowel Preparation in Patients Undergoing Colonoscopy |
NEUROLOGY Chair: Dr. Michael Dobbs |
Dr. Francisco Gomez Use of Short Educational Videos for Teaching (Collaboration between Dr. Cynthia Garza and Dr. James Sander) |
OTOLARYNGOLOGY Chair: Dr. Nausheen Jamal |
Dr. Carlos Ayala Physician Burnout vs Wellness |
PSYCHIATRY Chair: Dr. Diana Chapa |
Dr. Alma Castaneda & Dr. Yvonne Quintanilla The Uncomfortable Disorder F32.7 |
Dr. Dernay T. Coley Implementing a Group Therapy Curriculum for Psychiatry Residents |
Dr. Cynthia Garza Use of Short Educational Videos for Teaching (Collaboration between Dr. Francisco Gomez and Dr. James Sander) |
Dr. Johanna Torres Santiago Why do Suicide Syndromes Remain Such a Challenging and Urgent Problem in Mental Health? |
SURGERY Chair: Dr. Daniel Albo |
Dr. Christine Dahlhausen Improving the Teacher-Learner Interface in the OR |
Dr. James Sander Use of Short Educational Videos for Teaching (Collaboration between Dr. Francisco Gomez and Dr. Cynthia Garza) |
Dr. Jennifer Walt Fragility Fractures: What are they and Why are they Important? |

2021-2022 MedEd Teaching Certificate Inaugural Cohort
FAMILY MEDICINE Chair: Dr. Jimmy Gonzales |
Dr. Sonya Saenz Feedback on Feedback |
Dr. Maria Aguinaga Financial Literacy MD to MD |
OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY Chair: Dr. Tony Ogburn |
Dr. Pamela D. Parker Prescribing Oral Contraception: One Size Does Not Fit All |
Dr. Jorge Casquero Leon Surgical Coaching |
Dr. Wayne B. Wilson Recruiting and Retaining Community Preceptors for Third Year Clerkships |
OTOLARYNGOLOGY Chair: Dr. Nausheen Jamal |
Dr. Brian Perry Use of Spanish Language Video Education to Improve Patient Compliance and Clinical Outcomes in Otologic/Neurotologic Disorders |
Dr. Sarah Rodriguez Otolaryngology Clerkship |
PEDIATRICS Chair: Dr. Robert Nelson |
Dr. Lori Berry Innovative Ways to Utilize Digital Devices & Platforms to Augment Clinical Teaching |
Dr. Muhammad Amar Khan Health Literacy |
Dr. Ana H. Almeda Simulation Training in Transitional Year Residency Program |
PSYCHIATRY Chair: Dr. Diana Chapa |
Dr. Alcides Amador The Physical Exam: from the Bedside to Virtual Bedside |
Dr. Rebecca M. Resendiz Rodriguez Prescription for Change, Enhancing GME |
Dr. Lorena E. Reyna Community Psychiatry, Curriculum for Psychiatry Residents |
Dr. Diana Chapa Psychodynamic Pharmacotherapy |
SURGERY (EMER.) Chair: Dr. Daniel Albo |
Dr. Vir Singh Incorporating Practice of Healthcare Education into an Emergency Medicine Clerkship Curriculum |