Tsveti Markova, associate professor of the Wayne State University School of Medicine's Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, has won the prestigious Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
The award is named for Parker J. Palmer, Ph.D., a sociologist and educator who wrote "The Courage to Teach," a book of reflections on the intellectual, emotional and spiritual aspects of teaching. Each year the ACGME chooses recipients from among numerous nominees. The award honors program directors for exemplary teaching of residents and leadership of innovative and effective residency programs. Winners of the award must demonstrate excellent leadership and mentorship practices, teach excellent patient care and safety practices, encourage and achieve program development and innovation, and represent a strong role model to promote ethics of reflection and humanism.
"I am honored to be recognized by the ACGME with this award," said Dr. Markova, M.D., F.A.A.F.P. "It is a testament to the exceptional educational standards the WSU School of Medicine adheres to, the supportive environment for teaching provided by Crittenton Hospital, and the commitment to all residency faculty, residents and staff to the highest level of educational excellence. I am humbled to represent so many people in accepting this prestigious honor. I am looking forward to an even more exciting future, and leading the educational effort within the rapidly changing clinical care environment."
She said she plans to donate the monetary award that accompanies the plaque to the School of Medicine's Aim Higher for Students Campaign.
Dr. Markova also serves as Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs and director of Graduate Medical Education for the WSU/Crittenton Family Medicine Residency Program.
"The award recognizes excellent leadership and mentoring skills in teaching residents to provide quality health care in our challenging environment, a true description of Dr. Markova," said Kendra Schwartz, M.D., M.S.P.H., Interim Chair of the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences. "Dr. Markova is respected by the faculty and staff with whom she works as a fair and conscientious leader who instills a desire to 'go the extra mile' to make our programs the best they can be. As the vice chair for Clinical Affairs, Dr. Markova successfully led the implementation of several initiatives to optimize the efficiency of the Family Medicine Center's operations while improving the learning environment. The new Family Medicine Center at Rochester is specifically designed to embody the principles of the New Model of Care."
The New Model of Care, a concept developed by the "Future of Family Medicine" report developed by the American Academy of Family Physicians, proposes transformational redesign of both medical work and workplaces to better serve the changing needs of patients, physicians and practice teams.
Dr. Markova joined the School of Medicine as a full-time faculty member in 2000, and took on the role of Family Medicine Residency Program director the following year.
She has been involved in medical education in a variety of teaching environments, including lecturing to small and large groups, office precepting, leading rounds with patients and one-on-one mentoring. Her medical school students are at all four levels. Other students include residents and faculty members. She has also developed competency-based, outcomes-driven curricula, implemented innovative instructional techniques and mentored residents and faculty in the area of scholarship.
"I am passionate about integrating different elements of teaching into my everyday life as a family physician and as an educator: coaching patients on self-management skills, explaining to students the pathophysiology of specific medical conditions, researching an evidence-based answer with residents, or working on a publication with junior faculty," she said. "The diversity is challenging and fun!"
Dr. Markova has provided leadership for five ACGME Residency Review Committee site visits, which led to the maximum five-year accreditation for two WSU Family Medicine programs -- the WSU/Detroit Medical Center and the WSU/Crittenton programs. In 2007, she worked with Crittenton Hospital administrators and clinical departments to create an optimal learning environment for residency training and engaging the community. She had a leading role in establishing the new Transitional Year Residency Program at Crittenton in 2008, which received ACGME accreditation with commendation. That same year, in close collaboration with then-department Chair Maryjean Schenk, M.D., M.P.H, she led the design and construction of a new state-of-the-art Family Medicine Center in Rochester. The pair ensured the site was designed to embody the principles of the New Model of Care, including an interdisciplinary team structure, an electronic health records system, and quality improvement and chronic care model initiatives.
Dr. Markova also has been invited to give numerous presentations to share the department's experience in leading a model Patient-Centered Medical Home practice, and advocating for transformation of practices on state and national levels.
She has served as a member of the WSU Dean's Council on Graduate Medical Education since 2002, and has been an active contributor to the Southeast Michigan Center for Medical Education. She has held several positions with the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians, including member of the board of directors, and chair of the Residency Directors Committee and the Committee on Public Health.
In 2008, Dr. Markova received the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians' Educator of the Year, designed to recognize instructors who make outstanding contributions to education for family medicine in undergraduate, graduate and continuing education.
Before joining the School of Medicine faculty full time, Dr. Markova served as resident faculty and associate program director at North Oakland Medical Centers in Pontiac, and taught WSU medical students since 1996.