June 2, 2026 — Advancing the next generation of healthcare leaders requires not only excellence in clinical practice, but also distinction in teaching and scholarship.

A new cross-campus initiative aims to expand medical education research and scholarship training opportunities for faculty, helping them to develop skills in education research, curriculum evaluation and scholarly dissemination.

The inaugural Medical Education Research and Scholarship intensive course will launch this fall at the University of Florida College of Medicine. Teaching faculty in Gainesville and Jacksonville across all disciplines — M.D., PA and graduate education — are encouraged to participate. Applications for the eight-month intensive course are being accepted throughout the month of June. The program begins Aug. 7.

The course represents a close collaboration between the Division of Integrated Medical Education Research, Scholarship, Faculty Development and Educational Effectiveness, or DIMERS, in Gainesville and the Center for Medical Education Research and Scholarship, or CREATORS, in Jacksonville.

“To model true collaboration across campuses, we’ve aligned our efforts to make medical education research and scholarship more accessible, structured and impactful for all UF College of Medicine faculty,” said Colleen Kalynych, Ed.D., M.S.H., the associate dean for medical education at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville and founder and director of CREATORS. “Our goal is to help faculty translate the meaningful teaching work they are already doing into scholarship that advances both their careers and the field.”

Margaret Lo, M.D., FACP, serves as the associate dean for the Gainesville division, where her division will build on the foundation established in Jacksonville and expand opportunities to faculty across both campuses.

“We must grow and value our clinical faculty,” she said. “UF has strong infrastructure for clinical research, yet many faculty will pursue promotion with a focus on medical education scholarship. There is tremendous enthusiasm from department chairs and educators to invest in our faculty and provide the development they need to succeed in this space.”

Throughout the 2026-27 intensive course, a cohort of Gainesville and Jacksonville faculty will learn essential skills in research design, educational theory and practical strategies for pursuing scholarship for medical education.  The curriculum will blend learning experiences that combine in-person interactive sessions with asynchronous independent study and mentorship.

At the end of the course, participants will be equipped with the skills and resources to conduct medical education research, evaluate curricula they designed and transform teaching innovation into publishable scholarship.

The initiative is supported by a cross-campus team that includes Jessica O’Leary, Ph.D., the assistant director of CREATORS, and Terrie Vasilopoulos, Ph.D., who will serve as program director of the new Academy in Medical Education Scholarship, or AIMES, in the Gainesville division. Together, they are helping to build a comprehensive framework for faculty development in medical education scholarship.

“This is a chance to learn how to conduct scholarship in an organized way and understand frameworks and theories of educational research, as well as provide and establish data analysis and research resources that will be available to all faculty,” Vasilopoulos said. “For faculty passionate about the work they’re doing in this space, we can give them the resources to push it to the level of scholarship where they can make more of an impact and define their career trajectory.”

This intensive course is the first of three planned faculty development pathways in medical education research and scholarship.  Future learning paths will include an online, asynchronous series and self-paced modular sessions designed to fit into busy clinical schedules.

“By investing in faculty as educators and scholars, the UF College of Medicine is strengthening its ability to deliver evidence-based, innovative teaching,” Lo said. “This ensures that medical students, residents, fellows and physician assistants receive the highest quality training possible.”