Joining The University of Toledo (UToledo) College of Medicine and Life Sciences (COMLS) in August 2016 was the best career decision I have made thus far, because it has allowed me to directly participate in educating and mentoring students and resident physicians. Since completing medical school in 2004 at UToledo (previously Medical College of Ohio) and emergency medicine residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI in 2007, I have focused on benefiting my patients and educating learners of all backgrounds and levels of education. Enriching the education of medical students and resident physicians became integral to my core because there is no greater service than helping patients in need. Furthermore, when UToledo COMLS partnered with Toledo-based ProMedica Health System to expand and improve the learning environment of our students and resident physicians, I was employed at an outside local hospital with a stable job. However, I could not pass up the opportunity to switch to UToledo to be part of such a monumental opportunity in educating the next generation of physicians in northwestern Ohio.  

I immediately participated in bedside ultrasound teaching as I noticed it was an inherent need at UToledo. Using the resources at the Interprofessional Immersive Simulation Center (IISC) and my past experiences including my certification in ultrasound (Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, RDMS) we initiated bedside ultrasound education that would provide high yield skills education to the students and residents. Specifically, a curriculum for medical students in the emergency department was started which involved one-on-one teaching with me. Other forums include teaching at the patient beside, classroom, and in the IISC. Ultrasound education was incorporated into the Bridge to Clerkships 2017-19 courses, Thread Four: GI System education block, as well as other forums. Furthermore, I authored several publications and scholarly activities that were written and presented in academic journals and national conferences respectively. See publications and presentations section of CV.

Toledo, Ohio is my hometown and I am a proud double graduate of UToledo, where I earned my undergraduate and medical school degrees. I am deeply indebted towards UToledo and I want to partake in expanding its mission to educate “a diverse community of leaders committed to improving the human condition in the region and the world.” One of the best feelings is to see students and residents benefit from the education that I and my colleagues provide knowing they will carry it on into their future careers and ensuring they take a piece of UToledo with them.

I have participated in medical school interviews, lectured to physician assistant students, and taught educational workshops to other specialties including the family practice residency program. Furthermore, I participated in global health trips to China, Honduras, and Nepal under the UToledo banner. In my prior employment, I have been core faculty in emergency medicine since December of 2008 when I worked at the Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center and served as the Ultrasound Director where I worked with many residents and UToledo medical students. I served as volunteer faculty for these students and worked with them in the emergency department. In addition, I presented lectures locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally on emergency medicine topics always recognizing UToledo in every presentation. Likewise, in my academic career I was able to write eleven publications mostly in the past three years on topics in medical education and emergency medicine, including abstracts and poster presentations at national conferences. See publications and presentations section of CV for details.

In 2018, I joined the Department of Medical Education as the Director of Clinical Skills and served as the Gastrointestinal (GI) System Co-Director. This was a big responsibility and in addition to participating in the development of the GI curriculum and assessments, teaching clinical skills, organizing workshops, and leading small group sessions, I advised and mentored approximately 180 medical students about their studies and future goals. I enjoyed my time in the classroom with the students, addressing issues that would arise, and assisting them with their education. Simultaneously, I was also serving as the Ultrasound Director and Core Faculty of the UToledo Emergency Medicine Residency Program. I have and currently serve on several committees, including the Clinical Curriculum Committee (CCC), the Executive Curriculum Committee (ECC), and the Foundational Science Curriculum Committee (FSCC), and have participated in Due Process Committee meetings.

Service to UToledo and its students is a paramount activity that I believe is important to participate in directing medical students and giving them advice to help them avoid pitfalls is valuable for their future. Medical students and residents face many challenges, so if I can assist them in any way, I work hard to do so. Helping students overcome various challenges such as career planning and time management is often more important than giving medical lectures because most students are astute learners. However, they often lack proper mentorship and direction towards life and the challenges ahead, especially in their medical careers. I have met with many students and residents in my time at UToledo giving them direction towards their goals. See CV list.

While a medical educator’s accomplishments can oftentimes be measured by publications, awards, and other accolades, I feel I am on the right track after being asked by three medical students this year (2019) to hood them at graduation and one student last year. (2018) This request by the students of me is the most natural award I could receive because it lets me know I have positively influenced and mentored these students to make the right decisions for their futures. This, and not my paycheck, is what gets me up in the morning to go do my job.  My passion for UToledo and its students is also exemplified by the “Moussa Family Emergency Medicine Educational Fund” valued at $10,000 which is a non-endowed fund that I established with my wife through The University of Toledo Foundation used to support medical students in research and other academic activities.

My teaching and service experiences at UToledo’s COMLS peaked when I became the Course Director for two transitional programs: Bridge to Clerkships, which prepared medical students for their third year of medical school, and Bridge to Fourth Year, which prepared them for their fourth year, including their internships. I implemented many improvements to the week-long Bridge to Clerkships Courses and inaugural Bridge to Fourth Year Bootcamp Course by adding more hands-on and clinically relevant skills training related to everyday experiences of third and fourth year medical students. One of my favorite additions was teaching the students to use a needle, syringe, bottle to simulate drawing up local anesthetic for various procedures such as laceration repair. These transitional courses involved months of planning and collaboration with faculty, students, and other staff. Here, I really learned what it means to be an educator requiring the ability to make quick curriculum, scheduling, and other course changes. Successes and setbacks occurred but in the end, the final product served the students very well based on their evaluations.

I participated in The Integrated Clinical Experience (ICE) Program with two first-year medical students who worked with me specifically with the emergency department and allowed them to experience clinical situations. These programs need to be supported and expanded and look-up to the work that Dr. Shirley Bodi has initiated for this program. Furthermore, I serve on committees and working groups to facilitate the Affiliation transition between ProMedica and the UToledo College of Medicine to offer my suggestions of what I believe current faculty and aspiring faculty educators need to teach our students. For example, balancing service and education is critically important at ProMedica Toledo Hospital as it has had a recent influx of learners and sitting on academic integration committee meetings allows me to voice my recommendations and concerns and advocate for our students at a new clinical site. To strengthen my preparation for working with medical students and residents, I have completed a teaching fellowship run by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) in 2015 and ‘16 and completed the Ohio ACEP Leadership Development Academy in 2011.

In summary, I very much love my job and role at UToledo. I am privileged to have the ability to combine patient care services to my community and teaching aspiring physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and other health care providers. I remember when I was a student here and had questions about various aspects of my future and what it was like not to know which direction to go. Now that I am on the other side of the coin, I want to be available for my students and residents because every advantage they get here at UToledo will help them resolve and avoid many obstacles down the line. At the end of the day, that is what gets me up in the morning to serve others to serve their patients.