Mary Morreale, M.D., has a passion for teaching that she believes may be hereditary.
Her mother is one of five sisters who were all teachers, as was her grandmother.
Teaching, and a drive to continue learning, runs deep with Morreale, the student clerkship director of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences for the Wayne State University School of Medicine.
"I like to think it's part of my genetics," she said. "I enjoy working with the students and the thrill of discovery that is learning."
A 2000 graduate of the School of Medicine, Dr. Morreale could have gone into any field of medicine. And while she still sees patients in a clinical setting, she chose teaching because of the thrill of learning and a desire to instill that passion in future generations of physicians.
"I think medical students need to see people who are passionate about the field," she said. "It seems to me that if you are going to teach, you must be passionate about it."
As clerkship director for Year Three students, Dr. Morreale finds them facilities in which to work. She also develops and coordinates elective courses for Year Four students.
She attempts to enliven classroom learning by integrating video of patients that students interpret, case studies of actual patients and group discussion and discovery. Previously, the Year Three program was all lecture, she said.
"I want to make it as interesting as possible," she explained.
Through her enthusiasm, Dr. Morreale also hopes to erase the stigma that some still attach to the need for psychiatric assistance.
The payoff for her efforts, Dr. Morreale said, comes in the fact that more of her students pass the National Board of Medical Examiners test, but also in the excitement that she instills in them.
She also serves as a faculty mentor to a group of 10 students. Many of the students are from states other than Michigan or Canada, so they may be far from home, and missing the family support network. "It helps them to know there's someone they can talk things over with," she said.