Heidi Chumley
What do you do every day?
Heidi Chumley: I 'm the dean of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. Being the dean is like being the principal of a school; it's all about ensuring that every student is successful and can move on to the next step. For medical students the next step is residency training in a medical specialty of their choosing.
Why do you love your job?
Heidi Chumley: I 've wanted to be a doctor since I was seven. After my own medical experience, I know that I wanted to make it better, especially for women. I really love my job because I feel like I get to make a difference.
What were your biggest moments of fear or challenge in your career?
Heidi Chumley: Training as a physician is incredibly challenging mentally, physically and emotionally. However, you are still surrounded by mentors and friends who want to see you succeed. As I began my career in academic medicine, where I was a doctor and teaching future doctors, I saw that there were special challenges for women in academic medicine. I got married and raised a family, but this can be very challenging for someone with a career in academic medicine.
What are the latest innovations in science that you are the most excited about?
Heidi Chumley: Medicine is advancing every day, but while here are many affordable interventions that can help people, there are still parts of the population that don't have easy access to them. The opportunity to improve our system so that everyone has opportunities to access them is very exciting to me. I 'm also excited about the genomics revolution and I hope we can see genetic diseases eradicated.
Where did you grow up?
Heidi Chumley: I grew up in Clear Lake Texas, halfway between Houston and Galveston near the Space Center. My mom is a teacher, and my dad works for IBM where he programmed for Apollo.
Who was your favorite teacher and why?
Heidi Chumley: My favorite teacher was my high school basketball coach. I learned more about life from him than any of my other teachers. I learned how to be a teammate, how to stand for something important, how to be a leader, how to compete as a professional (be a good sport), and the importance of keeping your eye on the big picture (academic and personal growth).
What are you reading currently and what are some of your favorite books or authors?
Heidi Chumley: I love to read Malcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point, David and Goliath, Blink). The way he sees the world and writes about it explains things very well. He sees that success is something we can drive ourselves. I have also been enjoying Tom Clancy novels. They are long, filled with intricate plots, and have a great historical background.
Do you have a guilty pleasure or a website that you visit everyday?
Heidi Chumley: My life is very hectic and it's intense at work and home. I 'm always busy. When I do have free time I love to go out on the beach, listen to the waves, and read a book. I need to find that peace to restore and refresh myself. If you lead a hectic, busy life, you need that so you can still have more to give.
What 's your inspiration?
Heidi Chumley: Our medical students! Many of them at AUC come from difficult backgrounds and their stories are so incredible. They are extremely resilient, empathetic people and they become wonderful physicians because of their struggles and what they have had to overcome.
What 's next? What is something you hope to accomplish in the future?
Heidi Chumley: Twenty years ago I kept saying I wanted to be the dean of a medical school and now I am! This is what I have wanted to do for a long time and I am enjoying it right now. On the horizon, I would like to have a higher level of involvement in health education policies globally. Right now, I'm having a lot of fun doing this!
About Heidi Chumley
Dr. Heidi Chumley is a family physician who joined AUC as Executive Dean and Chief Academic Officer on March 21, 2013. During her career, Dr. Chumley has focused on medical education, publishing educational research on topics including educational innovations and clinical reasoning. Dr. Chumley is one of the editors of The Color Atlas of Family Medicine, serves on the editorial board of Family Practice Essentials, a continuing medical education product produced by the American Academy of Family Physicians, and is a regular reviewer for Medical Teacher, an international journal focused on medical education. In her role as executive dean and chief academic officer, she is responsible for the oversight of the medical education program in its entirety. She joined AUC following an eight-year career at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, where she most recently served as associate vice chancellor for educational resources and interprofessional education. Her responsibilities included fostering a vibrant learning environment supported by technology and other academic resources, as well as developing a center for interprofessional education and simulation. She served for nearly four years as senior associate dean for medical education, responsible for admissions, curriculum, and student affairs. Dr. Chumley also led initiatives in rural health, and cultural enhancement and diversity, while maintaining a full-scope family medicine practice that included delivering babies. Dr. Chumley earned her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, where she also completed her residency in family medicine and a fellowship in academic leadership. From 1999 to 2004, she practiced in the University Health System in San Antonio. A native of Texas, Dr. Chumley received her bachelor 's degree in biochemistry from Abilene Christian University. She has been recognized with national awards for teaching, leadership, and scholarship, including the Parke Davis Award for Clinical Teaching, the Association of American Medical Colleges Early Career Women Faculty Professional Development Award, and numerous awards from the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.