Timothy Yau, MD, associate professor of medicine, Division of Nephrology, Washington University in St. Louis, co-authored an article for practicing physicians who want to pursue academia with a focus on education. The article “The Nephrology Clinician Educator: Pathway and Future” is featured in Advances in Chronic Kidney Diseases (ACKD, Vol 27, Issue 4, 323-319, Epub 2020, Oct 24; authors John K. Roberts, Anna M. Burgner, and Timothy Yau).
Yau is a respected and valued teacher at WashU Nephrology. He has received eleven Distinguished Service Teaching Awards since joining the faculty in 2011. Most recently (2019), Yau received a Samuel R. Goldstein Leadership Award in Medical Student Education and is currently the clinical skills director for the new Gateway curriculum. Outside of the institution, he is the Social Media Editor for the American Journal of Kidney Disease and is very active in nephrology social media.
This article in ACKD defines the clinician educator and maps out a pathway of skills needed to thrive in this career. The article also provides recommendations to both educators and leaders to ensure the clinician educator pathway continues to grow and will hopefully spark an interest in this nephrology specialty.
“I hope the article is useful for junior faculty who are entering academia with a focus on education,” says Yau. “I wish I had these pointers when I started out!”
Devotion to effective instruction, educational skill development, inclusion & diversity, role modeling & mentorship, medical education scholarship and pursuit of leadership roles are essential for the career of the physician clinician. Check out the virtual abstract created by Sophia L. Ambruso, DO:
On Twitter, follow Timothy Yau @Maximal_Change, as well as @John_K_Roberts, @anna_burgner, and @sophia_kidney.
Stay up to date with WashU Nephrology @WUNephrology.