Named director of Curriculum and Educational Research Office
Gary Beck, Ph.D., has been named director of the Curriculum and Educational Research Office (CERO) in the College of Medicine.
The appointment, which was effective Feb. 1, was announced by Gerald Moore, M.D., senior associate dean for academic affairs for the College of Medicine.
“Gary brings a wealth of experience and a strong background in education to the position,” Dr. Moore said. “He brings a unique perspective to the position which will strengthen our educational mission.”
The CERO is devoted to promoting and improving medical student education and educational scholarship in the College of Medicine and UNMC.
Some of the priorities of the CERO include educational research, curriculum development and evaluation, educational leadership and faculty development.
Among the activities conducted by the CERO are:
- Measuring student performance;
- Assisting faculty in developing or modifying methods of instructional delivery, including use of educational technology;
- Advising college leadership on policies and procedures;
- Monitoring national trends in medical education; and
- Aligning curriculum with accreditation standards.
Dr. Beck started at UNMC in 1995 in the department of pediatrics. In 1997, he was named clerkship administrator for pediatrics. Upon completion of his master’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2006, he became an adjunct instructor in the department in 2007.
As clerkship administrator, he co-authored several manuscripts as well as presented original research at the annual meetings of a number of professional organizations – the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Central Group on Educational Affairs (CGEA), the Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics (COMSEP), the Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry, and the Association for the Study of Medical Education.
In 2011, Dr. Beck completed his doctorate in educational psychology from Capella University, an online university based in Minneapolis. In 2012, he was named pediatric education director and assistant professor of pediatrics.
Dr. Beck has received regional and national recognition for his contributions in medical education. Among his top honors, Dr. Beck received the CGEA Medical Education Laureate Award in 2011 and the first Award for Excellence in Clerkship Administration from COMSEP in 2012.
Dr. Beck has been actively involved in medical education organizations for nearly 15 years. He served as the membership coordinator for the CGEA from 2002 to 2011 and was named co-chair of COMSEP’s Research and Scholarship Task Force in 2012. He also is the administrative director for two national medical education organizations – the Alliance for Clinical Education and the Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry.
As director of CERO, Dr. Beck replaces Hugh Stoddard, Ph.D., who took a position at Emory University. The assistant dean position held by Dr. Stoddard remains unfilled at this time.