Larry Gruppen, PhD, is the Josiah Macy Jr. Professor of Medical Education and Chair of the Department of Medical Education at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor. Dr. Gruppen was appointed to be the Josiah Macy Jr. Professor of Medical Education in 2003, and has worked in the area of faculty development for a majority of his career. Macy sat down with Gruppen and discussed the importance of endowed professorships.
What has the Macy award allowed you to do that you might not otherwise have done?
For me, the award has given me protected time that allows me to conduct my own research, and has provided resources to support other colleagues to take part in my research initiatives. From research assistants to travel funds, the Macy endowment has essentially become a broad resource for the entire medical education department here at Michigan.
Because the endowment can be used in such a broad way, I have also been able to advance my research on self-assessment. Right now I am currently working with 26 other medical schools around the country to gather data on how different environments impact learning. Now in its fourth year of data collection, this institutional research collaborative has been made possible, in part, because of the resources my position provides.
Why do you think endowed chairs are important for institutions such as Michigan?
Endowed chairs are a great way to recognize individuals, and in this case, also recognize medical education. It is great to see that medical education is being brought to the same level as some of the more traditional endowed chair positions. An endowed chair for medical education is also a statement for Michigan. It shows the university is investing in the future and trying to improve the educational experience.
My work is focused on faculty development. We have a number of different programs and workshops in which faculty can learn practical skills and improve their educational approach. We were also one of the first schools to create a longitudinal program for faculty development. Faculty meet once a week for nine months and bring new skills back into the classroom. This directly benefits the student and improves the classroom experience.
Why do you think you were selected for this position?
I wasn’t part of the selection process, but my career has always been identified as one focused on educational development. I believe it was my background, scholarship and research in this area that helped me stand out. At the time, the school was also recruiting a new department chair. They used that search to also fill the endowed chair position, so I think that helped as well.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Since I became the Josiah Macy Jr. Professor of Medical Education more than 10 years ago, I have seen more medical education chairs pop up. Macy definitely spearheaded this trend and has given some gravitas to the field such that endowed medical education chairs are important and increasingly common.