ECU medical school faculty named master educators

The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University has named seven medical educators as the 2024 recipients of its Master Educator Awards.

The Master Educator Program is designed to recognize excellence in education in a variety of categories, including outstanding teaching or mentorship, educational leadership and administration, and educational innovation and curriculum development.

The winners were announced during a Brody faculty meeting on Feb. 15, during which each winner received a white coat featuring a master educator designation, a plaque and a pin.

“The bestowing of the Master Educator Award allows us to honor faculty who have a well-established record of excellence in education,” said Allison Flowers, director of Brody’s Office of Faculty Affairs and Leadership Development. “These faculty are recognized by their peers and learners as exemplifying leadership in education, not only as a one-time recognition, but rather as a distinction that follows them throughout their careers at the Brody School of Medicine. The cadre of master educators highlights how the school attracts and retains high-quality faculty who are driven by and demonstrate our mission to train students who will one day serve to improve the health and well-being of the region.”

Faculty members and students may nominate educators to receive the award, and a committee of faculty members and students decides on the recipients. Since the program began in 2002, 84 Brody faculty members have received the master educator recognition.

Outstanding Teaching or Mentorship Contribution

Faculty members who have demonstrated sustained quality, quantity and diversity of direct instruction or mentorship:

• Emily B. Askew, Ph.D., teaching associate professor, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
  • Justin R. Edwards, M.D., associate residency program director and clinical associate professor, Department of Family Medicine
  • Amanda Higginson, M.D., associate dean, Department of Student Affairs, and clinical professor , Department of Pediatrics
  • Jacques Robidoux, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
  • David A. Tulis, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Physiology

Educational Leadership and Administration

Faculty members who have documented leadership and proficiency in the administration of educational programs:

• Paul P. Cook, M.D., chief, Division of Infectious Diseases, and professor, Department of Internal Medicine

Educational Innovation and Curriculum Development

Faculty members who document significant improvements in a course/clerkship or other educational programs:

• Sheena M. Eagan, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Bioethics and Interdisciplinary Studies