Parul Sud, MD, FACP
Program Director
McLaren-Flint
How long have you been a member of AAIM?
More than ten years.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Among my varied roles as educator, clinician, coach, and administrator, I find that teaching and coaching residents, students, and young faculty is the most rewarding part of my job. Watching faces light up at ‘A-ha’ moments, seeing their learning trajectory soar is gratifying and it feels that ripples are created which will have far reaching impact.
How has the AAIM membership been of value to you and your career?
Meetings that I have attended through AAIM have been most impactful in my evolution both in my personal and professional growth. It is a great platform to learn from leaders in medical education. Attending the meetings always leaves me reinvigorated and reaffirms the values of educators. I encourage all my faculty to attend and I witness the surge in their enthusiasm when they return from these meetings.
What’s your favorite moment of your career so far?
There are many. A memorable one is when a past graduate called me late one night to tell me how she initially struggled in her job, overcame many obstacles and later received recognition and accolades for her work and her clinical skills. She was immensely grateful and attributed her success to her teachers, their feedback and coaching, and was calling me to simply say “Thank you.” I was grateful and felt validated that teachers do “touch the future.”
What was your childhood dream job?
I grew up imagining I would only take care of patients and go into private practice. Once I experienced the rewards of teaching, I discovered my niche.
How do you spend your free time?
I love to read, both fiction and non-fiction, and watch movies. I enjoy medical volunteering and learned a lot from participating in a 2-week overseas volunteer program. If I had spare time, I would do much more volunteering in underserved countries, combining travel with service.
What is your favorite book (or movie)?
Books: Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman and Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg are among my favorites.
What is the best advice that you have ever received?
“Failure is inevitable. Learn to fail forward.”
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