LEARNING COMMUNITIES INSTITUTE

19TH ANNUAL MEETING

We are excited to announce the Learning Communities Institute (LCI) 19^th Annual Meeting, which will be held October 21-22^nd 2022, hosted by our colleagues at Tecnológico de Monterrey. We greatly look forward to reconnecting with members of our LCI community and welcoming new participants!

LCI annual meeting registration will open in July 2022.  We have opted again for a virtual meeting, given the ongoing uncertainty of international travel for many in the context of the global pandemic, and to prioritize ease of participation for as many students, faculty, and staff as possible. In our last two annual meetings, we’ve been able to achieve an engaging, welcoming, and collaborative virtual environment and think we can pull it off again! We are committed to returning to an in-person meeting in 2023, if conditions allow.

2022 LCI Annual Meeting will feature…

• Interactive workshops and presentations
• keynote and plenary presentations
• Interactive poster sessions
• Social gatherings and learning community small groups to debrief, connect and build relationships
• Opportunities to learn about the LCI organization & how to get involved
• Targeted support for new or in-development learning communities

Call for Abstracts…

Abstract Submission link

The  Learning Communities Institute (LCI) seeks submissions aligned with the LCI Mission, Vision, and Core Values. Successful abstracts must relate specifically to learning communities in medical education. We especially encourage abstracts that include medical student presenters – consider inviting a student from your institution to join you!

This year, we especially seek abstracts that relate to:

• ways in which learning communities impact sense of belonging, social connection and inclusion (for students, faculty and/or staff)
• diversity and equity advancements within learning communities
• interprofessional learning communities

We will accept abstracts in the following categories:

• Interactive workshop (50-minute Zoom, targeted to LCI general audience)
• Research / scholarship, including works-in-progress (ePoster or brief oral presentation)

Abstract submission timeline:

• Abstract submission deadline: June 15, 2022
• Presenters will be notified by email by July 15, 2022

ANNUAL AWARDS

The LCI honors scholarship and contributions to learning communities with the following annual awards at our national meeting:

Arky Award

Background of the Award:
Ron Arky, MD, Professor of Medicine and Emeritus Director of the Francis Peabody Society at Harvard Medical School, has been a steadfast leader and supporter of medical school learning communities. It was Ron’s voice that argued most forcefully that it was time for medical learning community leaders to formalize and create the LCI as a means to propel meaningful change in medical education. Ron has also been an important benefactor for the LCI, providing a generous gift to enable us to begin as an organization. This award is named after Dr. Arky as a means to continually appreciate his contributions to the LCI and to the learning communities movement and serves to recognize an individual member who has made a significant contribution to the development of learning communities in medical education.

Selection Process:
1. The nominator should complete a contact form and write a nominating letter on behalf of the nominee. This along with a second letter of recommendation should be submitted to the LCI Chair Elect, Sara Fazio ([email protected]) by July 1, 2022.
2. The Arky and Shultz Award Committee will review all nominations and identify a short list of nominees to be reviewed by the LCI Leadership Council for final selection
3. The awardee will be notified by September 1, 2022.
4. The Arky Award will be presented by the Award Committee Chair at the LCI Annual Meeting.

Shultz Award

Background of the Award:

Since the inception and formation of the Learning Communities Institute (LCI), Susan Shultz has played an invaluable role in contributing to the success of the organization. As the LCI Administrator, Susan has provided key organization support, as well as being a key member of the leadership team. Moreover, Susan has provided consistency to the organization, and serves a reminder that our most precious asset are the people who are part of the LCI.  She models the ideals of service, relationship, caring, and compassion which are at the heart of the organization.

In 2021, Ron Arky, MD, Professor of Medicine and Emeritus Director of the Francis Peabody Society at Harvard Medical School, made a generous contribution to the LCI for the establishment of an award to honor Susan’s legacy. This award serves to recognize a professional staff member at an LCI institution who has made a significant contribution to the development of learning communities at their local campus as well as to the LCI, thus impacting the broader medical education community.

Selection Process:
1. The nominator should complete a contact form and write a nominating letter on behalf of the nominee, along with a second letter of recommendation submitted to the LCI Chair Elect, Sara Fazio ([email protected]) by July 1, 2022.
2. The Arky and Shultz Award Committee will review all nominations and identify a short list of nominees to be reviewed by the LCI Leadership Council for final selection
3. The awardee will be notified by September 1, 2022.
4. The Shultz Award will be presented by the Award Committee Chair at the LCI Annual Meeting.

Program Innovation Award

Background of the Award:
The LCI Executive Committee, in conjunction with the LCI Board of Directors, has newly established a program innovation award to recognize the creation of innovative educational designs/programs in the context of a learning community. This award recognizes that continuous quality improvement is inherent in the process of program innovation, thus includes projects that are still in the process of development; full evaluative measures are not required.

Given the nature of the Program Innovation Award, self-nominations are encouraged, as well as peer nominations.  Nominations should be no more than 500 words and in the format of ‘Really Good Stuff’ in Medical Education), should include: (1) the problem that is being addressed, (2) the innovation strategy and design and (3) lessons learned, including preliminary data/outcome measures, why the project succeeded (or did not), resources required, plans for longevity and next steps.

Selection Process:
1. The nominator should complete a contact form and write a brief letter answering the three questions noted. This should be submitted to the LCI Chair Elect, Sara Fazio ([email protected]) by July 1, 2022.

2. The Program Innovation Awards Committee will review all nominations and select one winner, who will be invited to present their innovation during the annual meeting.
3. The awardee will be notified by September 1, 2022.
   4. The Program Innovation Award will be presented by the Award Committee Chair at the LCI Annual Meeting.

We hope you will join us in “building connections in medical education” in October 2022!

With gratitude,

2022 LCI Annual Meeting Program Committee

LCI Mission

The LCI is a non-profit organization of institutions, learners, educators, and administrators who work together to promote, enhance and evaluate the use of learning communities in medical education. Through collaboration among learning communities, the LCI seeks to improve health care education across the continuum of learning by fostering scholarship, professional development, and the centrality of relationships among learners and teachers.