Elections: APDIM

Candidates

President-Elect

R. Dobbin Chow, MD 

R. Dobbin Chow, MD

Thank you for considering my candidacy for the position of President of APDIM.  I have served as an internal medicine program director for the past 17 years, the first seven with MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital and the last ten with the University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus.  Prior to that, I was an Associate Program Director at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore for 15 years.  I greatly enjoy working with and learning from residents, and I cannot envision myself doing anything else.  

I have been an APDIM member since 1991, and over those three decades, APDIM became my professional home.  I have developed a deep-rooted appreciation for the organization and connection with its members.  I harbor tremendous respect and admiration for past APDIM Presidents, and it is with trepidation and humility that I present myself as a candidate for this career-defining position.  

Regarding my background, I enjoy teaching in a small-sized program, where I can develop meaningful and longstanding relationships with each resident and faculty member.  Indeed, I believe this is the most rewarding and inspiring aspect of what we all do.  Because I am based in a community hospital setting, there is a need to assume diverse roles and responsibilities.  I give didactic lectures, precept residents in ambulatory clinic, teach on the inpatient wards, preside over morning report, and implement didactic curricula.  I lead Journal Club, Morbidity & Mortality Conference, and Ambulatory Conference.  I annually organize new intern orientation, resident retreats, career development workshops, and Board review sessions.  I oversee skills training in hand-offs, communications, and documentation.  I feel confident in these different roles because of what I have learned over my career from my APDIM colleagues.   

Like many of you, I take particular pride in mentoring chief residents and faculty in their teaching and leadership skills.  Some have become clinician educators whose career trajectory will far surpass mine.  I acknowledge that particular threshold is not a high bar.

I have engaged in some scholarly endeavors in medical education, all of which were accomplished in collaboration with brilliant and supportive colleagues from APDIM, and I am forever in their debt.  By serving as a member of the APDIM community, I have developed lifelong friendships and enriching professional relationships.  I would bring that same approach to the presidency; I value the experience and collective wisdom of my APDIM colleagues.  I have long harbored the view that APDIM is a uniquely supportive and dynamic community, that members would give the shirts off their backs to help other members in need.  I know; I have a large collection of shirts from APDIM members over the years.  It is time for me to share some shirts of my own.  I would strive to engender and promote that sense of community and mutual support of our priorities, which is centered around our learners.  My hope is that we as a community would nurture and promote the growth of younger members, as the organization did for me decades ago.

President-Elect

Aashish Didwania, MD, MBA 

Aashish Didwania, MD, MBA

I am honored to be considered for the role of APDIM president, a position that deeply aligns with my passion for advancing internal medicine education.

As APDIM president, my priorities will include expanding and streamlining faculty development opportunities at APDIM meetings, course offerings, and asynchronous learning. This will ensure equitable access and measurable growth in educator competencies for both community- and university-based educators. I will continue to strengthen partnerships with our sister constituencies in AAIM and prioritize APDIM’s involvement in policy work that drives innovation and efficiency in medical education. I am excited to represent the collective APDIM community in collaboration with our many partner and regulatory societies, including ACGME, ECFMG, NRMP, and AAMC, among others.

My leadership philosophy reflects a deep commitment to service. I find parallels between being a primary care physician and a medical educator – while technical skills are important, my investment in people, whether patients, learners, or colleagues, is essential. I have worked to create spaces where learners are supported and I have invested in highly skilled, gifted individuals who may have been overlooked in the past, ensuring they feel empowered. Over time, I have evolved my intern skills of assessing “sick–not sick” and managing to-do lists to embracing a leadership style grounded in purpose-driven, effective project management and adaptability. Failures and challenges, such as the pandemic, have been humbling but have also fueled my commitment to the vital work of medical education. Whether addressing complex issues like unionization, pass/fail grading, or signaling, I strive to ensure that every decision prioritizes the holistic development of trainees and the health of our programs.

Over the past two decades, I have dedicated my career to medical education, serving as an Associate Program Director for six years, Residency Program Director for 12 years, and Vice Chair of Education at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Along the way, I have had the privilege of mentoring trainees and faculty, fostering innovation, and cultivating a culture that values inclusion, well-being, and excellence.

My involvement with APDIM spans my entire post-graduate career, beginning with my first meeting as a chief resident in 2005. I learned how to be a program director from this amazing community through national meetings, a network of APDIM colleagues and friendships, and, of course, the APDIM Digest! As I grew, I sought ways to contribute – serving AAIM as vice chair of the E-Learning Task Force, chairing the Faculty Development Initiative Task Force, and now completing my second year on the APDIM Council. I approached each experience with curiosity, reflection, and a practical focus on helping training programs perform at their best.

APDIM has always been a community that embraces collaboration and bold thinking, and I am eager to work alongside all of you to shape the future of internal medicine education. Thank you for considering me – I am excited about what we can achieve together.

Councilor - Community Based

Forugh Homayounrooz, MD, FACP 

Forugh Homayounrooz, MD

I am an international graduate and female physician in leadership position. I have completed General Internal medicine fellowship and have been a program director for 13 years in a community hospital setting with university affiliation.  

I participated in the APDIM chief residents meeting years ago. Over the past 20 years I have participated in the APDIM meetings and a variety of pre-courses, first as a junior faculty and later as associate program director and then program director. I have collaborated in the APDIM northeast workshop twice with my colleagues in different institutions. I have been a speaker on resident wellness in APDIM as well as a speaker on chief residents’ workshop and multiple poster presentations and judging for poster sessions.

I have been successful for the past few years in recruiting diverse groups of residents into my residency program since more than half of my residents are " underrepresented minority in medicine". I have been very active in my residency program and have received national and institutional grants to promote diversity in the residency program and institution. I believe what I have experienced and learned I can bring to the APDIM council. I also have collaborated with my associate program director in obtaining prestigious national grant through ABIM/AAIM/ACP in DEI.

I am interested in my work at Diversity Equity Inclusion and resident and faculty wellbeing. I have collaborated with colleagues and have done meaningful work in my institution from publishing my work till obtaining grants in this field. The residents and faculty in my institution have benefited from this grant money being spent in this field.

My other field of interest is in patient safety and quality improvement. I have participated in the ACGME/AAIM ECHO project. I have participated in an ABIM faculty development workshop. I am an active member of ACP CT chapter council member and co-chair of the award committee and remain active in issues at the state level.

I enjoy being engaged in the APDIM community and for the past 20 years have been an active member. I believe by being in the council I can voice the issues related to GME that are unique and relevant to community teaching hospitals. I have 13 years of experience as a program director and therefore can bring my years of experience in the community teaching programs to the table. I enjoy interacting with colleagues from different institutions and I enjoy collaborating with other members in a variety of topics and issues. 

This opportunity, as a council member, if it is granted to me will start a new chapter in my professional life which I am very dedicated. I believe I will be able to be an accountable member of this council. I will learn and hopefully contribute to this amazing community.

Councilor - Community Based

Robert Pargament, MD 

Robert Pargament, MD

I am honored and humbled to be a candidate for a Councilor of APDIM.  After completing my residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 2004, I began my career as a clinician-educator in the WellSpan York Hospital Internal Medicine Residency Program.  I served as our clerkship site director for several years, spent a few years as an associate program director and ultimately was appointed as residency program director in 2014.  My clinical work is primarily in primary care, both seeing continuity patients on my own and precepting residents in their continuity clinic, with a smaller of amount of time spent with the residents on the inpatient general medicine service.

I have had the good fortune of spending my entire post-residency career working in an amazing but relatively small, relatively unknown community hospital residency program that until recently was without subspecialty fellowships.  As a result, I have a visceral understanding of the challenges that many of us face with respect to recruitment of both residents and faculty, development and retention of faculty, and placement of residents into competitive fellowships, not to mention the actual clinical training for our residents.  Additionally, I have learned the importance of cultivating relationships with the leadership of our health system to ensure that our program’s educational mission is clearly understood and adequately supported.  Finally, I have had the opportunity to serve on our medical group’s Board of Directors for the past several years so understand the power that the voices of those of us working on the front lines can have in governance.  I am excited to have the opportunity as a Councilor to similarly advocate within APDIM to ensure that our voices continue to be heard within the academic internal medicine community.

In my tenure as program director, I have benefitted tremendously from membership in APDIM, ranging from attending and presenting at meetings, engaging in discussions both in person and on the discussion board, and developing relationships with a variety of colleagues within the organization.  I am eager to contribute to APDIM in a more formal way and help to ensure that it continues to be the source of support and professional home that we all need.  Thank you for your consideration.

Councilor - Community Based

Hilary Ryder, MD, MS, FACP, FHM, HEC-C 

Hilary Ryder, MD, MS, FACP, FHM, HEC-C

We live in a country that feels increasingly divided, and work in a field that can seem under attack. These challenges might lead to dissatisfaction, burnout, even early retirement.  However, I see an opportunity for us to come together, with common purpose, to support one another and our shared mission. With nearly two decades of experience in medical education and program leadership, I am deeply committed to advancing the mission of APDIM and supporting the diverse needs of all internal medicine residency programs across our nation.

Throughout my career, I have held multiple leadership roles that have given me a broad perspective on medical education from both the community and academic perspective. I currently serve as the founding Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program and Academic Chair of the Division of Internal Medicine at Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth, a university-affiliated, community-based program where I have worked to foster an environment of inclusivity and academic excellence. Previously, I served as Program Director and Clerkship Director at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, where I worked within the ‘ivory tower’ to implement innovative curricular improvements and resident support structures.

I am dedicated to representing the rich diversity of voices within APDIM and the broader Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine. Having worked in both an academic medical center and a community-based teaching hospital, and having started a new program, I understand the nuanced needs of different residency programs and the importance of tailoring solutions to fit varied institutional contexts. My vision for APDIM is to create collaborative opportunities for program directors and educational leaders to share best practices and address systemic barriers to achieving excellence in residency training. I am particularly committed to advancing initiatives that address burnout, support faculty development, and promote equity across ALL training programs. Let us be united by our common goals, and not divided by the specifics of our individual programs.

If elected, I will bring my passion, experience, and commitment to service to the APDIM Council, advocating for opportunities that empower our educators, enrich our learners, and ultimately improve patient care. I am excited about the opportunity to collaborate with each of you and contribute to shaping the future of internal medicine education. I am eager to serve and represent the shared goals and aspirations of this amazing community that has given me so much. Thank you for considering my candidacy.

Councilor - Community Based

Kacie Saulters, MD 

Kacie Saulters, MD

After recently transitioning away from a University program and into a Community program, I quickly learned how community programs can have differing needs, values, and require different types of support.  Through this journey, the APDIM community has been transformative for me. I hope to receive your vote for Councilor so I can give back by being a voice for community programs.

I believe my strengths will help me in this position. I find joy and purpose in understanding the context of a situation, working to create a strategic vision, motivating others, and rolling up my own sleeves to ensure that vision is achieved. I do this daily in my own program and will take these strengths to the Council to better support my APDIM community.    

I have been fortunate to train and work in institutions that represent the spectrum of academic medicine – from small to large university systems, to building collaboration with institutions abroad, and now to directing a medium-sized community program situated in the diverse Prince George’s County, Maryland. Prince George’s County is the second wealthiest majority-minority county in the country yet has profound inequity in distribution of wealth and alarming social vulnerability.  Our county boasts 25-30% of its population being born outside the U.S., and as a majority International Medical Graduate program we strive to ensure our patients are seen by doctors who may share their background.  Our primary mission is to train excellent internists to provide holistic care to our historically underserved patients and retain doctors to improve local access to care.  Through this current work and through each step of my career, I have gained experience that enables me to understand the unique challenges of the diversity of our membership as we care for our diverse learners and patients.    

I have attended APDIM conferences for several years now and vividly remember wanting to attend every session at my first meeting and realizing how much I had to learn. Now years later I look forward to attending meetings twice yearly and seeing familiar faces in our community who are passionate educators and are learning from each other.  It is so encouraging to see willingness to share ideas and best practices as we all work toward the common goal of training excellent internists. It has been an honor to be involved in APDIM at the committee level via the Medical Education Research Committee and now I look forward to growing my commitment to the organization, and to you as a member.

Councilor - University Based

Debra Bynum, MD, MMEL 

Debra Bynum, MD, MMEL

Thank you for your consideration of my application to serve as a member of the APDIM Council. APDIM is my professional “home” and embodies a community that has been essential to my growth (and sanity).  As a lifelong educator for twenty-five years, I have worked with learners at all levels—from organizing UNC related AHEC based CME activities across our state, directing the clinical skills course for preclinical students, leading our Acting Internship selective, working as the Geriatric Fellowship Director for eight years, to now serving as Program Director and our Department’s Vice Chair of Education. But it is the role of Program Director that has defined my professional “self”.  I’ve now been PD for over ten years and have found this to be my “dream job”—not a steppingstone to something else.    

As a geriatrician, I seek to bring an ear that listens to all team members and a heart that sincerely values the importance of diversity.  I am the first in my family to graduate from high school—my father was raised on a farm in Eastern North Carolina with twelve brothers and sisters. I began working in my family’s restaurant at the age of 14 and dreamed of college but was not necessarily expected to go. My experiences in college and later medical school and residency were shaped by my identity as a first-generation college student, overshadowed with a sense of imposter syndrome, and guided by strong mentors who told me that “yes, you can.” It is with this that I bring a commitment to listen and to include and to mentor and to guide. 

APDIM and AAIM have been critical forces that have guided so many changes over the past years, and I see this as a crucial time in medical education that will continue to need experienced educators who truly understand the perspectives of students, residents, and fellows – as well as the unique perspectives that each of our programs have.  Our organization represents small and large programs, academic and community-based programs, rural and urban programs – and I feel it is incredibly important to understand and listen to our core educators who are facing at times similar and at other times very different challenges.  While we need to be united, I also feel strongly that we need to continue to support and even spotlight strong programs acting in good faith to individualize their approach to recruitment, training, and career preparation. And as we anticipate difficult conversations focused on grading, applications, interviews, resident pay and benefits, faculty wellness and support, and fellowship and career preparation (just to name a few of the big issues we are facing), I hope to be able to contribute, advocate, and represent the many voices of our APDIM community if given the opportunity to serve.

Councilor - University Based

Kathlyn Fletcher, MD, MA

Kathlyn Fletcher, MD, MA

As a member of several professional organizations, I can see clearly why APDIM is unique. It is more than an organization-it is a home.  At APDIM meetings I have seen content that is relevant, provocative, transformative, and educational.  More importantly, I have seen fellowship, mentorship, and friendship.  I have come to APDIM meetings at the end of my program director rope and found inspiration, hope, and the strength to continue on.  I have also found company on the journey to becoming better.  There are so many lonely moments in this work, but never at APDIM meetings.  I want to build on these attributes and foster even more connectedness. 

I have served on the APDIM survey committee, which helped me learn about the organization and the issues that keep program directors up at night.  I loved the relationships that I found on the survey committee, and I want to help others find connections through meaningful work together.  I came to the program director role from a clinician investigator background which made me a natural fit for the survey committee.  It also makes me a good fit for the council because I can bring research and scientific writing experience to the table.  A special part of my research background is experience with qualitative methods.  Through analyzing interview and essay data, I have been able to bring the richness of the program director experience back to our membership through presentations and to a broader audience through publications.  

I recently edited a book that speaks to the program director experience of leading through crisis.  Crises are especially stressful and lonely times for leaders like us which inspired me to collect and share practical wisdom from other program directors across the country.  I found a diverse group of program directors who had led their programs through a crisis.  These co-authors represented community programs, large academic centers, and everything in between.  I learned so much from them and their experiences.  As a council member, I would seek out diverse experiences within the membership to make sure that we understand the issues that are important to all of us, and those that are important to some of us.  

My vision for APDIM is that we focus on moving each of us closer to flourishing as program directors. I would particularly focus on the experience of new program directors so that they can find opportunities early in their membership experience to contribute in a meaningful way. Through that process, they will create connections that span time and distance; connections that foster multi-site projects and advice from outside their own walls.  APDIM made me feel supported and validated.  I want to foster that power for others on this journey.

Councilor - University Based

Craig Noronha, MD

Craig Noronha, MD

For the past 13+ years, APDIM has been my professional home, fostering my growth as an educational leader. I am running for a Council position to continue serving and give back to APDIM, its members, and the broader AAIM organization. As residency leaders, we have the responsibility to train the future of internal medicine. APDIM is crucial for this mission, providing a platform for professional development, networking, and collaboration and being a member of the Council would allow me to build upon the robust opportunities available to medical educators.

My journey began at my first APDIM meeting in 2011, a transformative experience when I was a new Associate Program Director. I was surrounded by innovative educators, united in our commitment to our trainees, and I was inspired by the shared passion for medical education. Through workshops, plenaries, webinars, and countless informal discussions, I have gained invaluable knowledge and insight from my APDIM colleagues. These experiences have been instrumental in my development as an educational leader and reinforced the power of shared learning within our community.

APDIM advances internal medicine education through innovation, scholarship, and community building. My service on the AAIM Faculty Development Task Force provided invaluable insights into the diverse needs of faculty across various settings. This experience underscored the crucial role of faculty development in advancing our careers and supporting the work we do as educational leaders, particularly with lack of transparency in this process across many institutions. It has also allowed me to expand my mentoring portfolio, working with educators in different programs to address the unique challenges they face.

Furthermore, my recent service on the APDIM Program Planning Committee has honed my understanding of the specific needs and interests of chief medical residents, faculty, Associate Program Directors, and Program Directors. I actively sought to incorporate these insights into the planning of our fall and spring meetings with innovations such as co-creating an open forum for mentorship and coaching at the national meetings. 

As an APD/Interim Program Director for over 13 years, I deeply understand the challenges and priorities of our community. I am committed to listening to member concerns, advocating for their interests, and contributing to the continued success and growth of APDIM and the future of medical education in Internal Medicine.

Councilor - University Based

Marygrace Zetkulic, MD

Marygrace Zetkulic, MD

APDIM has been my professional home since starting as a clinical educator many years ago. The training, networking, and mentorship that APDIM has provided contributed substantially to my professional growth. Serving as an APDIM Councilor is a way to give back to the community I value highly.

The diversity of my professional experience is my most significant asset. My career spans the full and nuanced spectrum of program types represented by APDIM. I have served as APD in a large university-based program and many years as APD in a community-based program. I have started 2 new programs. I have extensive experience in the unique challenges of new and community-based programs. I have used that experience to support others.    I have made myself a resource through the New Program listserv, provided workshops for new programs, and even provided free mock site visits for many programs awaiting ACGME site visits.

I conceptualized my career in simple terms - I care for patients, and I make doctors. I pursue both of these tasks with a sacred sense of mission. I have done this work in times, locations, and contexts where caring for patients and making doctors was challenging, but I have an indefatigable enthusiasm for meeting challenges. APDIM is where PD’s and APD’s, core faculty feel the camaraderie and support of those who share that sense of mission. Those who know me recognize someone who has shared their struggles and never lost the sense of joy and privilege in what we do.