It’s either like training a new pilot for solo flight or fielding a baseball team that’s ready for the big leagues. No matter which analogy Don Van Dyke, M.D., chooses to describe medical education, his point is that mentorship is an indispensable part of the process.

Van Dyke is a professor of pediatrics in the UI Carver College of Medicine and epidemiology in the College of Public Health. He has honed his teaching and mentorship skills over a long and varied career. Concerning pilots, he said, “There’s ground school, but that’s just the first step. You have to stick with them until they’re soloing.” (more…)

Members of the UI Carver College of Medicine’s class of 2008 celebrated one last time together on the occasion of their graduation May 16. Prior to the evening commencement ceremony, the College invited graduates and their families, friends and colleagues to enjoy some fellowship along with light snacks and beverages in an afternoon gathering. (more…)

“The Examined Life: Writing and the Art of Medicine,” a major conference hosted by the UI Carver College of Medicine, has established its place as an annual forum in the national dialogue between the medical and literary communities. The second “Examined Life” conference, organized by the College’s Writing Program, took place April 23-25 on the UI campus and drew more than 140 participants from across the United States and Canada; indeed, one individual traveled from as far as Australia and another came from the United Kingdom to participate in the gathering.

Physicians and medical educators, writers and teachers of writing, editors, publishers and medical students came together to share their experiences and ideas about the value of writing in medical education and practice and about the contributions physicians can make to the world of letters. Such diverse perspectives are a crucial aspect of the conference’s success, said Margaret LeMay-Lewis, the Writing Program’s coordinator. (more…)