Diane Levine, M.D., associate professor of Internal Medicine for the Wayne State University School of Medicine, always loved teaching, so perhaps it is fitting that she has received the WSU President's Award for Excellence in Teaching.

"When I was young I made workbooks for my younger siblings and forced them to 'attend school' in our basement" said Dr. Levine, vice chair of Education for the Department of Internal Medicine and a 1982 graduate of the WSU School of Medicine. "During residency it became clear that I could incorporate teaching into my clinical career."

It was serving as chief medical resident that launched her teaching career, which now spans 25 years. She serves as the faculty preceptor for Clinical Medicine for year one and year two students, Physical Diagnosis for year two students and the year three continuity clinic. She also is the clerkship director and an attending faculty for year three students on the Internal Medicine Clerkship and year four sub-internship. In addition, she teaches and supervises residents on wards and in their ambulatory clinic.

"Being the first clinician educator to win the prestigious WSU President's Award for Excellence in Teaching is an enormous honor," Dr. Levine said. "I am grateful to the students, residents and patients who allow me to have to teach medicine and share the joy of caring for patients."

Dr. Levine's enthusiasm for teaching is also recognized by her students. In 2008, she was selected by the School of Medicine's senior class to receive the Staff Award, presented annually to a clinical instructor elected by the senior class.

"I love watching students finally get to see and interact with patients. I love that moment when it all comes together -- the history, physical, the clinical reasoning," she said. "I also love the potential each student has. It provides me with the opportunity to have hundreds of children and watch them take their first steps. It is the ultimate motherhood -- without the pain of labor!"

While the Huntington Woods resident never received formal training in how to teach medical students, she considers herself fortunate to have attended many conferences and workshops on teaching with great educators. "Also, I have wonderful role models like my father, Herbert Mendelson M.D., who inspired me with his wonderful teaching and taught me that learning never ends. I also had an exceptional local mentor at the Wayne State University School of Medicine -- Liborio Tranchida (M.D., professor of Internal Medicine) -- who taught me to simplify complex concepts and make them accessible to students."

And how does Dr. Levine connect with her students?

"The way I connect with students is to remember what it was like to be a student," she said. "I still remember and can still feel the nervousness of presenting at the beside or the fear of answering a question wrong and making a fool of myself. I put myself in my student's shoes to relate to them. I also look for things that we all can relate to -- shared experiences -- food, family (and the dysfunctional family), fatigue. I use imagery and I use a lot of humor. I have found that all people regardless of race, ethnicity or gender have a mother who told them to go to bed and that she didn't care what time other kids had to go to bed. It is that kind of connectedness that I tap into and I use it to relate to my students and get them thinking."