From Teaching in Australia to Researching in Medical Education:

Anne Stahr, MS

The Kern National Network for Flourishing in Medicine (KNN) aims to uplift and share stories of the people advancing flourishing in medicine nationally. The purpose of the following feature story, and future stories to come, is to highlight the background and history of the individuals involved in the movement, display how medicine and healthcare has influenced their purpose in life and explore what motivates them to flourish. Our first feature story is on Anne Stahr, MS, the Director of Faculty Programming at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (UWSMPH).

Q: What most excites you about work you have done or are currently doing to advance flourishing in medicine?

Stahr: Developing the Mobilizing Character course was a great experience. The six modules were truly a product of collaboration across three schools and various individuals with expertise in different areas. As a part of the project, I had the privilege to conduct 13 interviews of faculty character exemplars at our school. These were faculty who had been previously recognized by students and colleagues with teaching awards, humanism awards, etc. What an inspiring and fascinating opportunity that was to hear from passionate faculty who make such an intentional difference with their teaching. They were inspiring people of character. I loved that we could translate the words and themes of those exemplar interviews into the course module names and content. 

I’m about to start a new project for the women’s leadership space using flourishing and doing interviews of women leaders to see how flourishing tends to pull you toward, or away, from the leadership positions. We did pilot interviews, and it was super interesting to listen to women’s experiences as they come through their careers. 

Stahr: If you had asked me this question before the pandemic, I probably would have had very different things to say...flourishing is somewhat aspirational and that may mean that for some times and some people, it’s just getting through the day. On other days and different people, it’s summitting the mountain.

I think most of us are suffering from a “COVID hangover” of sorts. Sometimes, it feels like we are still wading through molasses. A lot changed as a result of the pandemic and we’re all still figuring it out.

Anne Stahr (left) participating at the 2022 KNN Conference in Milwaukee, WI. (Photo by Jay Westhauser)

Flourishing doesn’t mean that it’s a cakewalk or it’s easy—and I think it’s really individualized. For instance, in the pilot interviews with leaders, they talked about how the challenge of it is what helps them feel that sense of flourishing. I think you can make or break a situation as a leader. Good leadership, strong leadership—that’s where you see flourishing.

Academic medicine also is a complex environment and just like you can have a bad hair day, you can have a bad character day. People can’t be perfect all the time, if that’s even the aspiration. People make mistakes. For medical education, I think it’s important we recognize that. Otherwise, there is no point in having the aspiration if you make the bar too high.

Interested in sharing your story? Please contact knn@mcw.edu.

2023 KNN Conference — Registration Information Coming Soon

Join us September 20-22, 2023, in Milwaukee, WI, to share successes, build and strengthen connections, and contribute to future innovations in medical education and practice across the nation at the 2023 KNN Conference.

We are excited to announce the conference theme, Together We Flourish: Collectively Transforming Medicine.

We are currently reviewing submissions for presentations and poster sessions. Those who submitted an abstract will be notified by mid-to-late May 2023.

Stay tuned for registration and more event information coming in the near future!

Questions? Contact knnconference@mcw.edu

Updates

Join the KNN!

The KNN program office is growing and looking to add the following positions to the team:

• Associate Director
• Communications Consultant
• Grant Operations Coordinator
• Learning Consortium Program Manager

We welcome applications through the links provided above.

Have an update to share? Please email us.

Upcoming Events 

May 3 - 5, 2023, Washington, D.C. | 2023 AAMC Health Workforce Research Conference

The AAMC conference is the premier gathering of researchers, educators and policymakers to discuss emerging issues related to the nation's health workforce. This year's theme is: The Next Normal: How Do We Make It Better for the Health Workforce? The conference will return to an in-person format with a limited virtual attendance option.

LEARN MORE >

June 23 - 25, 2023, Monterey, CA | Mayo Clinic - Faculty Development 2023: Empowering Medical Educators

Supported in part by the KNN, this event aims to build meaningful connections and cultivate a sense of belonging for medical educators through lecture-based and small group discussions. Successful ways of engaging with learners, teaching mentors to be coaches, and ways to mitigate burnout by rediscovering happiness, joy, gratitude, and value in teaching and medical education will be covered in this work-life integrated activity.

LEARN MORE >

Resources



• Transformational Times, April 28, 2023 | MCW's Kern Institute for the Transformation of Medical Education publishes the Transformational Times e-newsletter weekly to deliver stories of hope, character and resilience from its community.
• Leadership in PhD (LeaP): A Longitudinal Leadership Skill Building Program for Underrepresented Biomedical Research Trainees | KNN colleagues provide results of programming that works toward increasing diversity and leadership capacity in biomedical research.
• Take 5: Patient Centered EHR Use During A Clinical Encounter (Video) | Watch Mayo Clinic's Elizabeth Cozine, MD, and Jennifer Packard, MA, give five tips for balancing time with patients.
• Conference Brings Together Students from Multiple Schools to Explore Ways to Help Them Flourish within the Field of Medicine | Check out Vanderbilt University Medical Center's recap on the 2023 KNN Student Conference and how the Vanderbilt KNN student chapter is serving its community.

About the Kern National Network

The Kern National Network for Flourishing in Medicine (KNN) is a national movement focused on integrating four foundational elements within the profession of medicine: character, caring, practical wisdom and flourishing. We advance this work by connecting and convening stakeholders across the health ecosystem, catalyzing transformative initiatives, and influencing policy and systems change.

Kern National Network | knn@mcw.edu | website