Faculty Member Earns Recognition from Association of American Medical Colleges

Faculty Member Earns Recognition from Association of American Medical Colleges

When Dr. Lori DeShetler left her staff position in the Judith Herb College of Education for a faculty role in the College of Medicine and Life Sciences in 2018, she was an experienced hand in assessment and accreditation - but not necessarily medical education.

"There was a steep learning curve," DeShetler said. "I thought the best way to get acclimated was to immerse myself with likeminded individuals who were well-versed in medical education."

One way to do that, she thought, was volunteering to join the Association of American Medical Colleges' Curriculum Committee.

DeShetler, an associate professor and associate dean for assessment and accreditation in the College of Medicine and Life Sciences, has now spent the last half-decade working with representatives from other medical schools across the country to advance medical education curriculum with the goal of improving patient care.

Her efforts were recently recognized with a 2024 AAMC Curriculum Leader Award.

"Being a member of this committee has been a tremendous asset, and it is truly an honor to receive this award," she said. "I have had the opportunity to learn and share best practices while collaborating on projects that benefit medical educators involved with program evaluation, curriculum mapping, accreditation and other curriculum areas."

DeShetler, whose background is in education, holds a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from The University of Toledo and spent 13 years in the College of Education, first coordinating student teaching placements and later overseeing all the college's accreditation and assessment reporting efforts.

In her time with the College of Medicine and Life Sciences, she spearheaded efforts to develop a new curriculum map for the Doctor of Medicine Program and oversaw the 2021 reaccreditation survey.

As part of the AAMC Curriculum Committee, DeShetler helped to develop a new national questionnaire to collect medical education program data that aligned with prominent topics in medical education.

She is a member of the AAMC MedBiquitous Data Governance and Culture Working Group and the Educational Methodologies Working Group, and serves as chair of its accreditation subcommittee.

"It's my desire to continue expanding my knowledge and advancing the community of medical education," she said. "It is a privilege to be recognized for my work and to represent our institution in this capacity."