For this week’s blog post, we are excited to showcase a Harvard Macy alumnus and faculty member, sharing his experiences in the Harvard Macy Institute’s Assessment and Evaluation: Systems Thinking in Health Professions Education program.
Dr. William (Bill) Fuller grew up in the suburbs of New York City, where he now serves as a clinician educator and primary care doctor. Bill's career path is marked by a blend of deep commitment and a continuous drive for personal and professional growth. After earning his medical degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate and completing his internal medicine residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, he returned to New York, where he has focused on education across the continuum at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC).
Since 2018, Bill has served as the assistant clerkship director for the internal medicine clerkship at CUIMC, where he has become increasingly interested in how best to support, educate, and assess medical students. His work has focused on improving the quality of narrative feedback received from teams regarding student performance. A mentor, recognizing Bill’s passion for this work, recommended that he join Assessment and Evaluation: Systems Thinking in Health Professions Education, which opened a new door for Bill and set him on a path of continued professional development.
Describing his experience as “overwhelming, in the best way possible,” Bill reflects on the intense and rewarding nature of the program, saying, “I think I laughed when I saw they had an entire pre-course session on how to deal with the information density of the course; it’s like, I'm a doctor, being overwhelmed with new information is my whole life. But then the course started, and let’s just say I now see the need for that session. It's a lot of concepts, all of which are important, coming at you quickly. And man, was it fun! So many answers to things I had been thinking about, and new ideas that generated other questions. I left with 100 ideas for projects and collaboration, and a reading list that I'm still working through.”
The one-week program’s comprehensive yet nuanced presentation of concepts was both a challenge and a thrill. Bill reveled in the opportunity to address longstanding questions and was invigorated by the wealth of new ideas and projects that arose from his learning. The program offered him a wealth of resources and invaluable insights from seasoned interprofessional colleagues and experts in the field.
The program’s influence on Bill is evident in his enhanced ability to articulate and advocate for improvements in assessment practices. Having a structured approach to understanding systems and managing variability has clarified his thoughts and bolstered his effectiveness in various professional settings. Bill now approaches assessment projects with a more refined perspective, aided by the new vocabulary and methodologies he acquired. This helped him advocate for and eventually obtain protected time for improving the quality of narrative assessment on the Medicine clerkship.
Beyond the knowledge and skills Bill developed at the Harvard Macy Institute (HMI), he emphasizes the value of the connections with mentors and peers, which have greatly enriched his professional network. His involvement has led to further opportunities, including serving as a faculty for the course, where he continues to engage with, contribute to, and learn from the Harvard Macy Institute community.
Reflecting on the distinctive nature of the program, Bill highlights its interactive, small-group settings as a key factor that sets it apart from other professional development experiences. When asked about the most important takeaways from the course, Bill shared, “Can I count two hours of picking Lou Pangaro's brain as one takeaway? He's the guy behind RIME, and we had a lot to discuss! Along with the folks in my interprofessional group (IPG), Lou was an invaluable resource, as he’s spent much of his career addressing the same challenges I was facing. His insight into what has worked, what hasn't, and why probably saved me from multiple false starts in the work I brought back to my own institution.”
Bill wholeheartedly recommends Assessment and Evaluation: Systems Thinking in Health Professions Education to colleagues grappling with assessment challenges. He believes the program offers a wealth of knowledge and connections that can significantly advance one’s understanding and capabilities in the field. For those passionate about medical and health professions education and eager to tackle assessment issues, this program is a transformative opportunity that has enhanced Bill’s career.
Bill Fuller, MD (Assessment and Evaluation: Systems Thinking in Health Professions Education ’21) is a clinical educator and primary care doctor at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. His areas of professional interest include clinical assessment and structured active learning opportunities for clerkship students. Bill can be contacted via email.
HMI Staff
