Nominated by her peers and trainees and selected by the Graduate Medical Education Teaching Awards Committee, Anna Merrill, PhD, DABCC has been selected as a recipient of the Excellence in Interprofessional Education Award.
Dr. Merrill has been a faculty member in the Department of Pathology since 2017 and leads the clinical chemistry rotation for resident education, which has been rated highly year after year. Her rotation presents a series of highly-interactive, case-based lectures on a range of clinical chemistry topics, tailoring the rotation to resident interests and their career trajectory. She ensures that residents participate in handling a quality/management issue, allowing them to step into the shoes as a lab director and propose a solution to the issue at hand.
One of the major projects Dr. Merrill took over was strengthening resident training in coagulation testing. In collaboration with another faculty member, she developed and deployed a formal coagulation curriculum that incorporates interactive lectures, observing esoteric testing on the bench, and interpreting lupus anticoagulant panels.
Residents often praise her for her enthusiasm for education and for creating a welcoming learning environment where residents feel comfortable asking questions and working through difficult topics. Dr. Merrill goes the extra mile so her residents fully understand why their work in the lab can shape critical clinical care. Residents frequently indicate that her leadership has a meaningful effect on their training and growth as residents.
"Dr. Merrill is one of those attendings who makes you feel like competence and kindness aren’t a tradeoff.”
Dr. Merrill also co-chairs the Pathology Residency Wellness Committee that provides opportunities both within the workday and beyond for residents to relax, feel appreciated and supported, and create healthy habits to help foster and sustain their wellbeing. Several examples include recruiting residents to participate in a 5k run while also participating herself, organizing wellness walks over lunch hour, and supporting a Pathology book club for trainees and faculty.
About the Award
The Excellence in Interprofessional Education Award honors non-physician health care team members who play a vital role in shaping the clinical education of resident and fellow physicians. The Award allows Program Directors to formally acknowledge colleagues whose expertise and commitment significantly enhance the learning environment.