Dr. Spencer comes to us from Cleveland, where she most recently served as Professor of Medicine at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program and Vice Chair for Education for the Medicine Institute at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Spencer graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a BS in Behavioral Neuroscience from Tulane University, and received her MD from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She completed her Primary Care Internal Medicine residency at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill-Cornell Medical Center and subsequently completed a fellowship in General Internal Medicine with a concentration in Women’s Health and earned a Master’s Degree in Medical Education from the University of Pittsburgh.
As Vice Chair of Education, Dr. Spencer will lead initiatives to optimize all medical student education, residency, and fellowship training programs across the Department. She will work closely with the Chair of Medicine, the Senior Associate Dean for Education, the medicine residency and fellowship program directors, GME office and the Office of Medical Student Education to enhance faculty and trainee development, ensure compliance with AAMC and GME guidance and develop new and innovative educational initiatives across the Department.
As Director of the Washington University Academy of Educators, Dr. Spencer will continue to develop the vision, mission, and programs of the Academy including membership selection, budget, educator awards and events, faculty and career development programs, mentoring programs, develop and oversee an annual Education Symposium, oversee, with the Senior Associate Dean for Education, the Loeb Fellowship Program, and partner to enhance educational scholarship. Dr. Spencer will work closely with Dr. Eva Aagaard, Senior Associate Dean for Education and with the Director of the Medical Education Research Unit and the Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs. Dr. Spencer will also collaborate with WUSM Department Chairs, Associate and Assistant Deans for UME, GME and CME, and the Director of the Teaching Center to ensure that educators receive the support they need to excel in their teaching and educational leadership roles.