New assistant dean for education

Janet P. Hafler, M.Ed., Ed.D., has been appointed assistant dean for educational scholarship in the office of education. Hafler, who began her career as a registered nurse, earned a master’s degree in education from Teachers College of Columbia University and a doctorate in education from Harvard University. Hafler comes to Yale with extensive experience in the medical schools of Harvard and Tufts, where she worked in faculty development. At both schools she addressed teaching, learning assessment, and curriculum development. At Yale Hafler will work with faculty and residents to improve teaching and learning. She will develop and implement educational programs and individual educational consultations, and work on defining and evaluating educational contributions.

One new program she plans to start is a fellowship for faculty in medical education. The project will begin in July with one or two faculty members from each of five departments. Each participant will design a resident-as-teacher program for training residents to teach medical students as well as fellow residents. Hafler is also developing metrics for evaluating teaching. Richard Belitsky, M.D., deputy dean for education, noted that Hafler’s appointment coincides with the medical school’s decision to review its curriculum with an eye toward strategic revisions. “There was a clear consensus,” he said, “to bring to Yale someone with expertise in medical education who is trained as an educator.”