Kern Institute Collaboration for Scholarship (KICS)
Launched in the summer of 2021, the Kern Institute Collaboration for Scholarship – KICS for short – aims to build infrastructure support for innovative, transformative medical education scholarship across MCW.
KICS Activities
Interested in expanding your medical education research, or looking to get involved or learn more about this exciting area of scholarship? Here are some ways we can help!
Research Office Hours
Research office hours are dedicated time each week to talk with experts about education and social science research. There's no agenda, and anyone can come by to join in the discussion. Have something specific you'd like to discuss? Office hours are also available by appointment. Use the form below to schedule a meeting with us. We love talking research and are excited to talk with you!
Research office hours are held virtually on Tuesdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CST. Join us via Zoom with the following information:
Meeting ID: 941 3121 3988
Passcode: MedEdRsrch
Research Team Meeting
KICS has our own research group with active research projects. We'd love you to get involved, either bringing your own project to KICS or joining one of our projects! Our research team meets Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. CST, with other meetings per project scheduled as needed. Email Michael Braun (micbraun@mcw.edu) for connection information.
Medical Education Journal Club
Our monthly journal club invites authors in to speak on their work, a unique journal club model and an exciting opportunity to learn about medical education research from some of the best minds in the field today. We meet on the second Wednesday of every month, 12:15–1:00 p.m. CST – a time we hope fits with people's lunch breaks. Email Michael Braun (micbraun@mcw.edu) with any questions.
Schedule of authors:
September 14, 2022
Sara Spinella, MD, MS | Curriculum on the management of alcohol use disorder and the process of publishing curriculum in the MedEd Portal
October 12, 2022
Jeffrey Wilhite | NYU Medical Education Registry
November 9, 2022
Susan Nathan, MD | My Life My Story and the use of narrative medicine in medical education
December 14, 2022
Tanya Nikiforova, MD, MS | Best practices with survey design in medical education
January 11, 2023
Cassie Ferguson, MD | REACH Curriculum
February 8, 2023
David Vermette, MD, MBA | What educators can learn from the biopsychosocial-spiritual model of patient care
March 8, 2023
TBD
April 12, 2023
Joanne Bernstein, MD | Earth Day: Turning your passion into scholarship
May 10, 2023
Ioho Ufomata, MD, MS | Working with your national society policy papers
June 14, 2023
TBD
KICS Directors

Michael T. Braun, PhD
Program Manager

Amy H. Farkas, MD, MS
Assistant Professor

Kristina Kaljo, PhD
Director, Faculty Pillar, Kern Institute
KICS Members

Lana Minshew, PhD, MEd
Director, Human-Centered Design Lab; Member, P-METaL Lab, Kern Institute

Devarati Syam, PhD
Program Manager, Student and GME Pillars, Kern Institute
KICS Interest Form
Connect with us!