Interprofessional Academy of Educators

- Membership Overview
- Apply for Membership
  Discover how you can join the Academy and the timeline for applications.
- Member Benefits
  The Academy provides community, connections and collaborations with other educators committed to excellence in teaching and learning.
- Member Directory
  Access a complete list of all our current Academy, Associate, Affiliate and Emeritus Members.
- Member Spotlight
  Get to know our members beyond what is in their professional bio.
- Distinguished Educators
  The Distinguished Educator designation is the highest honor in Academy membership and is awarded for excellence in teaching and peer mentoring.
- Collaborations Overview
- Special Interest Groups
  Connect with Academy members who share similar interests by joining one of our interprofessional groups.
- Current Opportunities
  See a list of new and ongoing projects that our Academy members can collaborate on.
- Meet Current Members
  View our current members and the leadership team advancing education and scholarship at UNMC.
- Teaching Overview
- Teaching Toolkit
  Access a repository of teaching resources to hone your skills and give students the best learning experience possible.
- Teaching Launchpad
  Boost your skills to the next level with this series of training sessions for individuals who are new to teaching.
- InnovatED Symposium
  This event lets you discover the newest innovations in health professions education, including advances in ideas, technology and teaching methodologies.
- Peer Feedback on Teaching Program
  Receive feedback from peer reviewers about your current strengths and get ideas to take your teaching to the next level.
- Catalyst for Education Award
  Recognize an individual in an educational support role whose contributions are integral to furthering UNMC’s mission.
- Impact in Education Awards
  These awards are the highest education-related awards conferred by UNMC and recognize the innovation of our educators.
- Scholarship Overview
- Educational Scholarship Toolkit
  View key resources to guide you along your education research and scholarship journey.
- Consultations
  Our education researchers provide guidance and consultation services in developing educational scholarship projects.
- IAE Education Research Grants
  Apply for one of our grants that are awarded for pilot education research projects to support larger grant applications for future study.
- Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal
  Read our peer-reviewed journal on emerging research and pilot studies in health professions education.
- Spotlight on Scholarship
  This showcase highlights the educational research being done by UNMC and UNO medical humanities educators.
- Education Research Network
  Join campus education researchers who identify needed resources, support projects and increase collaboration opportunities.
- Academy Toolkits Overview
- Teaching Toolkit
  Access a repository of teaching resources to hone your skills and give students the best learning experience possible.
- Preceptor Toolkit
  Access our curated set of tools specifically for clinical educators to help you effectively teach learners.
- Promotion & Tenure Toolkit
  Discover helpful tips and tricks to navigate the P&T process, as well as what is needed to create an impactful portfolio and narrative.
- Educational Scholarship Toolkit
  View key resources to guide you along your education research and scholarship journey.

Member Spotlight

Shining a Spotlight on Dr. Russell Buzalko

Academy Member Since 2016
Director of Academics and Continuing Education, Children's Nebraska
Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, UNMC College of Medicine

What do you do at UNMC?
I was the Founding Director of the Office of Education at Children's Nebraska. We collaborate with approximately 90 different schools and/or programs across the nation at any given time. Consistently, we assist around 2,500 unique learners per year to reach their health care professions education goals. Simultaneously, we produce hundreds of CME/CNE events per year designed for our local licensed professionals and globally through our outreach programs. During this time, I maintained an Adjunct Associate Professor appointment through the Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine and will continue to do so into semi-retirement, starting soon.

Tell us about your educational research interests and teaching role.
I enjoy teaching TeamSTEPPS, health care team-based classes, tools and methods to our regional health care professionals through UNMC and my outside work with the Nebraska Coalition for Patient Safety (NCPS). My educational research interests are quite varied. Sometimes I'm working with my friends in the McGoogan Health Sciences Library to produce articles about the establishment of virtual libraries to assisting colleagues across campus related to almost any topic. Variety makes research even more fun!

What is one of your favorite/memorable teaching moments?
Any time a learner operationalizes something that I may have taught them or when they walk across the stage at graduation.

Share a favorite Academy experience.
I was fortunate to have been a part of the committees formed to establish the IAE at UNMC and remained a part of this group since being inducted into the inaugural class in 2016. It has been exciting to watch the IAE grow, network and produce powerful outcomes for our faculty and learners across multiple campuses.

What's the best advice you've ever received?
We are better together, not divided.

Additional Member Spotlights