The EXCellence In TEaching (EXCITE) Pathway is a longitudinal curriculum that aims to develop knowledge and skills in medical education and teaching to complement and enhance clinical excellence and scientific discovery.
- All residents and fellows are welcome to apply to and participate in the EXCITE pathway as part of their program; there are no limits to participation.
- House staff will participate in didactics and workshops that address core topics including teaching strategies, curriculum design, feedback, career development and more.
- Foundational knowledge related to teaching will be developed through active, group learning as well as self-directed learning including text and journal article selections.
- EXCITE participants will be matched with faculty mentors to facilitate and promote ongoing professional development related to education. Participants are also assigned a “coaching pod” comprised of faculty who have volunteered to provide feedback and coaching for participants when presenting didactics or teaching in real-world settings.
- EXCITE participants will engage in guided reflections on educational programming to enhance their understanding and application of optimal approaches to teaching.
- By the end of the pathway, EXCITE participants will develop an active educator portfolio and other teaching artifacts to support their career development as an invested educator.
- Applications are distributed at the beginning of the academic year by residency and fellowship leadership.
- For questions about the EXCITE Pathway, please reach out to the leadership team: cody.a.chastain@vumc.org, anna.burgner@vumc.org, or derek.pae@vumc.org
Pathway Leadership
![](/sites/default/files/2023-08/Chastain_Cody.jpg?fid=1311)
Cody Chastain, MD
Director, EXCITE Pathway
Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Infectious Diseases
![](/sites/default/files/2023-06/Burgner_Anna.jpg?fid=768)
Anna Burgner, MD
Associate Director, EXCITE Pathway
Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Nephrology and Hypertension
![](/sites/default/files/2023-08/Pae_Derek_0.jpg?fid=1320)
Derek Pae, MD
Associate Director, EXCITE Pathway
Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine
Division of General Internal Medicine