CAME recipients honoured for excellence in medical education

By Communications
Through their dedication to teaching and mentorship, six faculty and learners at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry have earned prestigious recognition from the Canadian Association for Medical Education (CAME).
Their work drives meaningful change within our School community and throughout society, said Dr. Michael Sanatani, CAME representative for the School.
“The awards celebrate and support medical educators across all disciplines and faculties of medicine,” said Sanatani. “It’s inspiring to see how we continue to identify exceptional individuals for Rising Star and Certificate of Merit awards each year. This reflects the incredible strength of our medical education and scholarship at Western.”
Here’s a closer look at this year’s CAME honourees.
Rising Star Certificate of Excellence recipients
Kayla Vieno-Corbett, PhD candidate, Anatomy and Cell Biology
Kayla Vieno-Corbett, a third-year PhD candidate in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, is a rising star in the medical education community. She has been recognized for her excellent teaching, impactful research, and dedicated service to the anatomy community over the years.
Qualities of an effective teacher:
Vieno-Corbett believes that life-long learning and supportiveness are key qualities of an effective teacher. Teachers with a genuine excitement for learning often inspire passion and curiosity in their students.
“I am committed to fostering a supportive learning environment, such as by providing opportunities that cater to different learning styles, as I strongly believe that students are more likely to succeed in an environment where they feel welcomed and that they belong,” said Vieno-Corbett.
Impact:
“When I observe effective teaching, I feel inspired to find ways to enhance my own teaching practices. Engaging in effective teaching has helped me to develop various skills, including communication, critical thinking, and leadership. I believe that these skills have not only improved my teaching abilities but have also contributed to my overall development in all areas of my PhD program.”
“As someone who aspires to a career in medical education, this recognition boosts my confidence in my teaching abilities.”
Taylor McCann, Medicine Class of 2025
Taylor McCann, a fourth-year medical student, is a bright, compassionate and hardworking student, with roots in southwestern Ontario. McCann has made significant contributions towards the updated Discovery Healthcare summer camp programs for the School’s Office of Distributed Education. She is a thoughtful leader who helps others achieve their best
Qualities of an effective teacher:
“The best learning experiences that I have had have been in environments where I felt safe to ask questions and propose answers I was unsure of without fear of being put down or thought less of,” said McCann, who noted that effective learning means being actively engaged with the content through patient interaction and hands-on experience. “Many of my preceptors have made significant efforts to facilitate opportunities for me that allowed me to meet my specific learning goals.”
Impact:
“As a future physician, it is necessary to become “comfortable with being uncomfortable,” as there are always going to be times of uncertainty. However, by having mentors who encouraged me to push the boundaries of my own learning and ensured I had the resources to find the answers to questions I was unsure of, I have the confidence I need to work through these difficult times.”
“As I continue in my training, I hope to share my excitement for learning with those around me and continue to learn how to be an effective educator from those with more experience.”
Dr. Anna Branch, third-year Neurology resident, Clinical Neurological Sciences
Dr. Anna Branch is a third-year Neurology resident. She is a Professional Association of Residents of Ontario representative, and active in Postgraduate Medical Education committees. She is also an enthusiastic contributor to the electronic charting updates at London Health Sciences Centre and in regional communities.
Qualities of an effective teacher:
“I believe the first key quality is effective communication skills – the most important part of teaching is ensuring that your learners are understanding the information you’re conveying to them,” said Branch. “Another is approachability, as people learn better when they are comfortable and feel they are able to ask questions. Finally, I think enthusiasm is very important, as learners will be more engaged with a teacher they can tell cares about the subject matter and their learning.”
Impact:
Branch said she will incorporate these qualities into her interactions with patients and learners.
“When I started medical school, I wasn’t even considering Neurology as a career path. However, despite the pandemic and online learning, the Neurology staff shared such engaging teaching that it made me completely reconsider the field. Their enthusiasm for the subject and ingenuity in redesigning the learning for an online model made me fall in love with the subject and led me to my current career path.”
“This has inspired me to continue trying my best to prioritize medical education as one of the key parts of my role as a resident.”
CAME Certificate of Merit (Faculty)
Dr. Fawad Ahmed, Adjunct Professor, Chair of the Scientific Planning and Faculty Development Committee, Windsor Campus
Dr. Fawad Ahmed ensures thoughtful continuing professional development is consistently offered and appropriate to the needs of distributed faculty. He mobilizes local leaders to contribute and leans on partner organizations to maximize outreach and is vital to maintaining excellence at the School’s Windsor Campus. Ahmed is an Adjunct Professor at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry and Chair of the Scientific Planning and Faculty Development Committee at Windsor Campus
Importance of an effective teacher:
Ahmed notes that teaching is vital in medicine because it ensures the continuous transfer of knowledge, skills and best practices to new generations of health-care professionals. “By encouraging curiosity and collaboration, teaching not only drives innovation and enhances teamwork, it also helps support life-long learning of experienced practitioners,” he said.
Impact:
“Teaching has helped my personal growth, both as a clinician and a researcher, by refining my own understanding and skills. It encourages me to stay updated with the latest knowledge, practice effective communication, and learn to approach problems from multiple perspectives.
“This award will help inspire my continued research endeavours and my resolve to mentor the next generation of health-care professionals.”
Dr. Jessica Howard, Associate Professor, Undergraduate Director of Family Medicine, Department of Family Medicine
Dr. Jessica Howard is a passionate educator who has helped expand family medicine clinical experiences in the clerkship program, shaped the launch of a comprehensive dermatology block and provided continued mentorship to medical students considering family medicine for their future.
Impact:
“I am proud to continue the tradition of teaching at Schulich Medicine. Teaching has been at the core of my practice since I began in 2009. Learners are a part of my world each and every day and I strive to model excellent care for patients, work-life balance and the energy for them to do the same one day.
“Teaching is vital to the practice of medicine, as it motivates one to keep learning. You can’t teach without continuing to learn and improve your skills.”
Dr. Julie Ann VanKoughnett, Associate Professor, Departments of Surgery and Oncology
Dr. Julie Ann VanKoughnett is the Program Director for General Surgery and a passionate educator who is actively involved in teaching at all levels. She continues to lead “Women in Surgery” information events and works to create a supportive and welcoming environment.
Importance of an effective teacher:
VanKoughnett notes that teaching ensures the lessons learned and experiential knowledge of physicians are passed on to current and future physicians. “I treasure the knowledge and skills taught to me by my mentors, and feel honoured to be a voice that passes this wisdom forward.”
Impact:
“My role has provided me with the opportunities to help ensure that surgical training at Schulich Medicine remains the strongest in Canada and ignite the passion in our outstanding residents to become technically excellent and compassionate surgeons.”
“I highly value the education I received in medical school and residency at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry. To be recognized for teaching excellence at the same institution is an honour.”