Locations:
SearchGuests packed the Health Education Campus for the State of the College Address in July, where Executive Dean J. Harry (Bud) Isaacson, MD, provided an in-depth update on the program’s achievements, initiatives and priorities.
The 2024 State of the College address, held during the 20th anniversary celebration in late July, began with reflections from former Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine deans Andrew Fishleder, MD, and James B. Young, MD, Professor Emeritus of Medicine, as well as Stan Gerson, MD, Dean of the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
Bud Isaacson, MD, Professor of Medicine and Executive Dean of the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, acknowledged the countless successes during the past 20 years, owing to the continued enthusiasm and dedication of program leadership, faculty, staff and students.
Among the successes is that 54% of all CCLCM graduates have matched at hospitals historically ranked in the top 10 by U.S. News & World Report. By far, most of those students (N=78) have matched at Cleveland Clinic, and 26 CCLCM alumni are members of Cleveland Clinic’s professional staff.
The results of a 10-year follow-up survey of the classes of 2009 through 2013, showed:
Dr. Isaacson outlined current influences that are shaping the future of the program:
Dr. Isaacson also mentioned the preparation underway for the upcoming accreditation survey of the CWRU SOM by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). Lia Logio, MD, Vice Dean for Medical Education at CWRU, is leading this large effort, which includes CCLCM. A mock survey will be held this fall to prepare for the actual survey and site visit in March 2025.
Neil Mehta, MBBS, MS, Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs, shared how the program is meeting the curricular challenges. He touched on the parallel curriculum, Step 1 going pass/fail, self-study time, authentic longitudinal outpatient experiences during clerkships and more options for research year.
Dr. Mehta also shared the updates from Craig Nielsen, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean for Clinical Education, and Camille Sabella, Professor of Pediatrics and Associate Director for Clinical Education. The Cleveland Clinic Longitudinal Clerkship has had great success. A recent innovation has been the shared the use of bootcamps using simulators to prepare students for year-three clerkships including medical procedures and surgical bootcamp during second year and pediatrics and Ob/Gyn bootcamps at the start of each clerkship block.
Linda Graham, MD, Professor of Surgery and Assistant Dean for Research Education, gave an update on the research curriculum including several thesis-year options. She shared that most graduating classes have one or two Sarnoff Research Fellowship awardees; the Class of 2026 has three in addition to six joining the NIH for their research year. We also have our first student joining the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) in Japan for their research year.
Christine Moravec, PhD, Professor of Molecular Medicine and Assistant Dean for Basic Science Education, shared several updates on the Basic Science Curriculum. Among the updates shared is the restructuring of the length of the basic science curriculum. Shortening its length follows a nationwide trend and would align with year-three clerkships and create flexible weeks at the end of year three.
Monica Yepes-Rios, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Jazmine Oliver, MD (‘12), Assistant Professor of Medicine and Associate Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, shared the outstanding progress of the DEI Steering Committee and its seven action groups, four of which received DEI Catalyst Grants from Cleveland Clinic in 2022. They also shared updates about several projects in which the Community Outreach Action Group is involved:
Christine Warren, MD, MS (’09), Associate Professor of Dermatology and Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs, introduced the Class of 2029 and shared some facts about them. The incoming class comprises 21 women and 11 men, and one student hails from Nigeria. Nine of the 32 incoming students identify as being underrepresented in medicine.
In 2024, CCLCM received a record 2,295 applications and 2,024 secondary applications for the 32 available spots in the incoming class. Of the applications, 244 were from students in Ohio.
The program ended with the presentation of the first CCLCM Legacy Awards, each of which acknowledged the recipient’s “outstanding dedication to medical education at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine.”
Awards were presented to:
Awards were posthumously presented to:
In May 2002, an agreement was inked between Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine to start a new medical school program. With generous support from Norma Lerner and her late husband, Al, the Lerner College of Medicine was made possible.
Twenty years later we continue our mission to educate a diverse group of individuals to become physician investigators who advance biomedical research, deliver exceptional clinical care and promote health equity. We are proud of all that we have collectively accomplished and eagerly look forward to the next 20 years and beyond.
