Skip to Main Content

Clinician Educator Distinction (CED) Pathway

Yale Neurology Residency

The Yale Department of Neurology has had a Clinician-Educator (C-E) Distinction Track since 2016. While it is expected that all residents will engage in teaching, the Distinction Track is for residents who choose to focus their scholarly work in educational activities. The goal of this track is to provide focused training and mentorship for aspiring educator-scholars, especially those with an interest in educational leadership or scholarship as a component of their careers.

As of 2022, this Distinction Track has been approved by the Yale GME/TLC Advisory Group, and is recognized as a Clinician-Educator Distinction that meets the institutional standards as a distinction track within Yale-New Haven Graduate Medical Education.

Outline

Residents can earn the Clinician-Educator Distinction (previously known as the Neurology Education Certificate) by completing activities that count for 80 credit-hours over the 3 years of residency. The activities are designed to be achievable within a busy neurology residency program, and fall into several categories, as outlined below.

Didactics & Structured Observations (minimum 30 credits total)

  • Didactics

    TLC Medical Education Discussion Series

    Sponsored by Yale's Teaching and Learning Center (TLC), these lectures feature guest- speakers from Yale and around the country.

    Credits Per Activity: 2

    Minimum Credits Required: None

    Neurology Education Journal Club

    Neurology Education Journal Club occurs 3-4 times per year, and is typically scheduled in the noon conference timeslot. These sessions focus on critical appraisal of one or more pieces of original scholarship relevant to neurology education, and is presented by either faculty or residents.

    Credits Per Activity: 2

    Minimum Credits Required: 8

    Noon Conference Education Didactics

    There are 3-4 formal didactic sessions per year that focus on education during the noon conference time slot, typically including learning theory and retrieval practice, bedside teaching, feedback and assessment.

    Credits Per Activity: 2

    Minimum Credits Required: 8

  • Conference Attendance

    Yale Med Ed Day

    Credit can be obtained by attending the yearly Yale Medical Education Day Conference. Residents must enroll in the plenary and at least 2 workshops to receive credit.

    Credits Per Activity: 5

    Minimum Credits Required: None

    Other Medical Education Conference

    Credit can be obtained by attending at least ½ day (4 hours) of any medical education-focused conference (e.g. NEGEA, AAMC, GMEC, medical education parts of AAN meeting, etc.). Attendance may be virtual or in person.

    Credits Per Activity: 5

    Minimum Credits Required: None

  • Structured Observations

    Grand Rounds/Clinical Grand Rounds

    Structured observations on grand rounds, noon conferences, clinical grand rounds and other educational sessions. These observations are designed to allow residents to improve teaching skills by observing clinician educators and peers teaching in various settings. All structured observation credits should be logged with a completed observation form.

    Observations done alone are 1 credit, but 2 credits can be obtained by performing the observation and then discussing it with another CET resident or CET faculty.

    Credits Per Activity: 1-2

    Minimum Credits Required: 2

    Noon Conference/ Morning Report

    Structured observations on grand rounds, noon conferences, clinical grand rounds and other educational sessions. These observations are designed to allow residents to improve teaching skills by observing clinician educators and peers teaching in various settings. All structured observation credits should be logged with a completed observation form.

    Observations done alone are 1 credit, but 2 credits can be obtained by performing the observation and then discussing it with another CET resident or CET faculty.

    Credits Per Activity: 1-2

    Minimum Credits Required: 2

  • Formal Training in Teaching

    Annual Chief Resident Clinical Teaching Course

    This course is offered yearly, typically in October and early November, and consists of five sessions, each lasting 2 hours, focusing on teaching and learning climate, and aimed toward residents as educators.

    Credits Per Activity: 2

    Minimum Credits Required: 6

Total Credits Required in this Category to Graduate with Distinction

30

Teaching

  • Medical Student Teaching

    Note

    Intermittent emails and posts on the Teams main page will provide opportunities to participate.

    Neuroanatomy Case Conferences (Observed)

    Teaching and facilitating the neuroanatomy case conferences within the Connections to the World (CTW) course for pre-clerkship students. Paired with a faculty member who will provide observation and feedback.

    Credits Per Activity: 10

    Minimum Credits Required: None

    Clinical Vignettes (Observed)

    Discussion of clinical vignettes with pre-clinical students, paired with a faculty member who will provide observation and feedback.

    Credits Per Activity: 2

    Minimum Credits Required: None

    Simulation (Observed)

    Simulation-based cases for students on their neurology clerkship, with faculty supervision for feedback on teaching.

    Credits Per Activity: 2

    Minimum Credits Required: None

    Physical Exam Session (Observed)

    Overview of the neurological examination with medical students at the start of their 4-week neurology clerkship.

    Credits Per Activity: 2

    Minimum Credits Required: None

    Top Ten Differential Diagnoses

    Teaching in the “Top Ten Differential Diagnoses” sessions, with observation and feedback for at least one session.

    Credits Per Activity: 2

    Minimum Credits Required: None

  • Resident (Peer) Teaching

    Note

    Additional resident teaching opportunities will become available throughout the academic year. Intermittent emails and posts on the Teams main page will provide opportunities to participate.

    Lead Morning Report (Observed)

    CED residents participating in the distinction are expected to lead morning report, noon conference, simulation, or Neurology Education journal club under direct mentor supervision. A completed evaluation form in MedHub should be completed when logging these credits. Residents are expected to notify their mentor of scheduled teaching sessions in advance. Appropriate mentors for this include Drs. Dewey, Schaefer, Moeller and Narula.

    Credits Per Activity: 2

    Minimum Credits Required: 4

    Lead Resident Teaching Conference (Observed)

    CED residents participating in the distinction are expected to lead morning report, noon conference, simulation, or Neurology Education journal club under direct mentor supervision. A completed evaluation form in MedHub should be completed when logging these credits. Residents are expected to notify their mentor of scheduled teaching sessions in advance. Appropriate mentors for this include Drs. Dewey, Schaefer, Moeller and Narula.

    Credits Per Activity: 3

    Minimum Credits Required: 3

    Simulation Teaching (Observed)

    CED residents participating in the distinction are expected to lead morning report, noon conference, simulation, or Neurology Education journal club under direct mentor supervision. A completed evaluation form in MedHub should be completed when logging these credits. Residents are expected to notify their mentor of scheduled teaching sessions in advance. Appropriate mentors for this include Drs. Dewey, Schaefer, Moeller and Narula.

    Credits Per Activity: 3

    Minimum Credits Required: None

    Lead Neurology Education Journal Club (Observed)

    CED residents participating in the distinction are expected to lead morning report, noon conference, simulation, or Neurology Education journal club under direct mentor supervision. A completed evaluation form in MedHub should be completed when logging these credits. Residents are expected to notify their mentor of scheduled teaching sessions in advance. Appropriate mentors for this include Drs. Dewey, Schaefer, Moeller and Narula.

    Credits Per Activity: 5

    Minimum Credits Required: 5

Total Credits Required in this Category to Graduate with Distinction

35

Scholarship

  • Opportunities

    Yale Medical Education Day Presentation

    Residents may use any combination of the opportunities in this table to meet scholarship credit requirement.

    Residents may present at any forum or conference of their choice, provided their project or presentation is related to medical education.

    Credits Per Activity: 10 (poster), 15 (oral presentation or workshop)

    Minimum Credits Required: None

    Other (Non-Yale) Medical Education Presentation

    Residents may use any combination of the opportunities in this table to meet scholarship credit requirement.

    Residents may present at any forum or conference of their choice, provided their project or presentation is related to medical education.

    Credits Per Activity: 10 (poster), 15 (oral presentation or workshop)

    Minimum Credits Required: None

    Formal med education article submission to peer-reviewed journal

    Residents may use any combination of the opportunities in this table to meet scholarship credit requirement.

    Residents may present at any forum or conference of their choice, provided their project or presentation is related to medical education.

    Credits Per Activity: 20

    Minimum Credits Required: None

    Research in Residency on a Medical Education Topic

    Residents may use any combination of the opportunities in this table to meet scholarship credit requirement.

    Residents may present at any forum or conference of their choice, provided their project or presentation is related to medical education.

    Credits Per Activity: 10

    Minimum Credits Required: None

  • Contributions

    Contribution to a durable educational material

    These activities can include any contribution to a durable educational material (educational curriculum, survival guide, podcast, interactive modules, or educational videos).

    Credits Per Activity: 5-10

    Minimum Credits Required: None

Total Credits Required in this Category to Graduate with Distinction

20

*Additional credit possible based on review of the number of hours invested in the activity. Please discuss with your advisor how many credits you should earn.

Faculty Mentors

Current Residents

Alumni

Grad Year Resident Project Current Position
2024 Getasha Doobay, MD Variability in brain death education across United States neurology residency programs Neurocritical Care Fellow, Yale School of Medicine
2024 Christine Gummerson, MD Neurology Residency Didactics: A Survey of Program Directors Movement Disorders and Behavioral Neurology Fellow, Yale School of Medicine
2024 Milo White, MD The Grey Matter Project: A national neurology education program for high school students Vascular Neurology Fellow, Yale School of Medicine
2023 Aaron Bower, MD Podcasting to enhance medical knowledge in neurology Assistant Professor of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine
MHS in Medical Education Candidate
2023 Harry Sutherland, MD 1. Neurology Residency Didactics: A Survey of Program Directors
2. Medical Student Narrative Evaluations of Resident Teachers: A Qualitative Study
Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Fellow, Yale
MHS in Medical Education Candidate
2023 Katy Zuchowski, MD A Longitudinal Experience and Annual “Check-Ins” to Increase Resident EEG and EMG Milestone Attainment and Improve Milestone Rating Accuracy Movement Disorders Fellow, Yale School of Medicine
2022 Safa Abdelhakim, MD Podcasting to enhance medical knowledge in neurology Assistant Professor of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine
2020 Chindhuri Selvadurai, MD A retrieval practice approach to building medical knowledge for the in-service examination Assistant Professor of Neurology, University of Connecticut
2020 Christopher Traner, MD Resident-led redesign of neurology didactics, with a retrieval practice emphasis Consultant in Neurology, Cleveland Clinic
MHS in Medical Education
2020 John Picard, MD Resident-led redesign of neurology didactics, with a retrieval practice emphasis Neurointensivist, ChristianaCare, Newark, Delaware
2017 Jeffrey Dewey, MD "Engaging Neurology Residents in Learner-Centered Medical Student Education: A Novel Video-Based, Resident-Led Pilot Curriculum" Assistant Professor of Neurology, Associate Program Director, Clerkship Director, Director of Wellness, Yale Department of Neurology
MHS in Medical Education
2017 K.H. Vincent Lau, MD "Using learning analytics to evaluate a video-based lecture series." Assistant Professor of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine
2017 Reshma Narula, MD "Peer Mentorship in a Neurology Residency Program" Assistant Professor of Neurology, Vascular Neurology Fellowship Director, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Yale Department of Neurology
2016 Shivani Ghoshal, MD "Interdisciplinary teaching modules for neurology and internal medicine" Assistant Professor of Neurology, Associate Director of the Neurocritical Care Fellowship Program, Columbia University