Gundersen’s medical education earn top award

From left to right, Dr. Michael Dolan, Gudersen Medical Foundation; Dr. Greg Thompson, Gundersen Medical Foundation; Dr. William McDade, Chair, ACGME Awards Committee; Dr. Richard Levin, President and CEO of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation; and seated is Dr. DeWitt C. Baldwin, Jr. ACGME Scholar in Residence and the person for whom the award is named.

Gundersen Medical Foundation’s Medical Education program has been awarded the inaugural prestigious DeWitt C. Baldwin, Jr. award from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

The award recognizes residency programs, like Gundersen’s, that are exemplary in fostering a respectful, supportive environment for medical education and patient care, which leads to the personal and professional development of learners.

“It is a great honor to receive this inaugural DeWitt C. Baldwin, Jr. award recognizing humanism in medical education,” says Greg Thompson, MD, designated institutional official and chief medical officer. “Receiving this award is a reflection of the legacy of those who have come before us, a reflection of the culture we create each day, and motivates us to do greater things tomorrow.”

He adds, “There are roughly 650 sponsoring institutions in the U.S. who provide ACGME recognized medical education; 60 were invited by the ACGME to submit applications for this inaugural award; six underwent a site visit; and just three were selected as winners. We are one of the winners. This is great recognition for our culture of education and teaching at Gundersen and reflects the work of a ‘village.’”

While being considered for the award, ACGME representatives made a site visit to Gundersen to observe residents and Medication Education faculty, program directors and leadership. During the site visit, the observers witnessed how Gundersen promotes a medical education culture of humanistic values, including respect, integrity, compassion and excellence toward residents, patients and staff.

Just a few examples include:

• A well-rounded educational experience for our residents that reflects Gundersen’s mission, vision, and values.
• Our nationally recognized Respecting Choices program, which has set the standard for discussing end of life care with patients, and in which our residents fully participate.
• Resident participation in programs such as Global Partners and St. Clare Health Mission, where our residents address healthcare disparities, experience different cultures, and gain appreciation for the resources available here and the value of caring when standard medical care is not available.

Dr. Thompson; Jennifer Lee, director, Medical Education; and Michael Dolan, MD, chief medical operating officer who is an alum of Gundersen’s Internal Medicine Residency Program led a delegation of Gundersen representatives to accept the award in Washington, D.C., on behalf of Gundersen.