Nominate an NNCI Scholar

About the NNCI Scholar Program

Psychiatry residents are the major target audience for our teaching efforts. They are also one of our greatest resources.  As featured online (nnci.gildaycreative.com) and at the BRAIN Conference, residents have also been major contributors in helping us to develop new content. We are incredibly excited to build on these early successes.

We are looking for promising residents who are interested in medical education, and who, consistent with one of the NNCI’s overarching learning objectives, have the potential to serve as Ambassadors of Neuroscience and Psychiatry.

Residents selected to be NNCI Scholars (3 to 5 each year) will participate in a yearlong experience working under the mentorship of the NNCI. Along with their mentor, NNCI scholars will create new teaching materials that will be published online via the NNCI website.  We also expect that NNCI scholars will help teach neuroscience in their local institutions — as such, they represent a key means of disseminating and implementing NNCI teaching approaches. NNCI scholars will also participate in helping plan the annual BRAIN conference held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training (AADPRT). After their year as an NNCI scholar, successful awardees will be encouraged to remain as participants in the program and become primary mentors to future NNCI scholars.

We are asking for nominations from training directors and plan to select 3 to 5 residents based on their skill and enthusiasm for teaching neuroscience, their previous accomplishments, and their potential as leaders in neuroscience education. Nominations are due July 13th, 2018 and should be submitted as a single pdf file to Amanda Wang (amanda@phoenixdigitalhealth.com).  Although we have a limited number of availability for NNCI scholars, all submissions will be considered for potential publication as a resource on the NNCI website. 

Nomination Process for NNCI Scholar Selection

The major component of the application is a “teaching sample” that demonstrates the applicant’s ability to translate a complex neuroscience topic for a lay audience.  These teaching samples must fall into one of the following four categories:

1. A new, creative, highly interactive, experiential, teaching module or teaching framework. For example:
   • Example 1
   • Example 2

2. Short Teaching Videos: It often helps for complex topics to be broken down into simpler concepts.  We have found Khan-academy style videos to be particularly useful.  This does not have to be a professional video production (our team will help with this).  However, submissions in this category could either include a rough-cut video production or a script with a description of accompanying visuals. Here is an example of a Kahn-academy style video: 
   • Example 1

    

   Alternatively, residents may choose to submit a “This Stuff is Really Cool” session.  These are brief talks (TED-Talk style) that each convey one point on the topic of neuroscience and psychiatry, presented at an introductory level. Here are a couple of examples:
   • Example 1
   • Example 2

3. A new teaching session using one of our pre-developed modules (such as the neuroscience in the media approach or the neuroscience lab) as a mechanism for covering a new topic.

4. A brief accessible review: These are generally short, engaging pieces that translate neuroscience topics or published research studies into a brief narrative.  Here are a couple of examples:
   • Example 1
   • Example 2

The quality and creativity of the teaching sample and the resident’s ability to translate complex neuroscience topics into an accessible format will be heavily weighted in the application process.  In addition to the teaching sample, NNCI scholars will be selected based upon their interest and commitment to teaching neuroscience and experience in teaching and/or curriculum development, including innovation and leadership. In addition to the teaching sample, the application should include the following components in a single PDF file:

1. Nominating letter from Training Director reflecting on the applicant’s relevant skills and abilities (as described in the selection criteria above). Please also specify how the program will support this resident’s teaching of neuroscience within their host institution and facilitate their participation in the NNCI Scholar program;
2. Applicant’s curriculum vitae in their home institution format;
3. Cover letter from the applicant briefly outlining prior relevant teaching activities, their vision for how they will use the NNCI Scholar experience, and how this relates to their career goals (800 word limit).

Please send the PDF to amanda@phoenixdigitalhealth.com no later than July 13, 2018.