The Association of American Medical College’s Central Group on Educational Affairs recently awarded Fred McCurdy, M.D., Ph.D., associate chair for pediatric education in UNMC’s department of pediatrics, with its 2002 Medical Education Laureate. The award recognizes individuals who have made long-standing, substantive contributions to medical education and contributed significantly to the growth and development of the organization.
“The award affirms the work that I’ve had a passion for for 20 years, which is education and developing other people as faculty,” Dr. McCurdy said. “My success is not predicated on what I do, but on the legacy I leave. If everyone around me is successful in their career, I’ve done exactly what I’ve set out to do.”
A native of Hastings, Dr. McCurdy graduated from Hastings College in 1967 and earned his medical and doctorate degrees, with distinction, from UNMC in 1976. A general pediatrician and pediatric nephrologist, Dr. McCurdy joined the UNMC faculty in 1993, after retiring from a 25-year career in the U.S. Air Force. His last duty assignment was as the Director of Undergraduate Education for the Department of Pediatrics at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md. Last year, Dr. McCurdy earned an MBA from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. At UNMC, he also serves as associate compliance officer for University Medical Associates, the physician practice group at UNMC.
“Faculty development is traditionally believed to only encompass teaching people how to be better teachers,” Dr. McCurdy said. “I’ve tried to change that conversation. I believe faculty development is development of faculty skills in all areas that they are held accountable — teaching, scholarship, service and administration.”
As a result, Dr. McCurdy formed CGEA’s Educational Leadership and Management Certificate Program three years ago. The three-year program develops the administrative and leadership skills of CGEA leaders.
“The idea is to link together in people’s minds the connection between being an effective leader and being a scholar,” Dr. McCurdy said. “That linkage had never been made before in the CGEA.”
From 1998 to 2001, Dr. McCurdy served as a member-at-large on the executive committee of the CGEA. He currently serves as convener (chair) of the CGEA Faculty Development Special Interest Group and recently finished a four-year term on the national Research In Medical Education Planning Committee of the AAMC.
Along with former UNMC faculty members Jeff Susman, M.D., and Dave Steele, Ph.D., Dr. McCurdy is co-editor of “A Student Guide to Primary Care: Making the Most of Your Clinical Experience.” The textbook for first and second-year medical students will be released in July.