0008-11-20 Einstein IM Updates NL-vs4 (1)

Internal Medicine
ISSUE THREE | FALL / WINTER 2020 NEWS
Einstein Internal Medicine just added virtual
simulations to its educational offerings.
Flipping the Educational Paradigm
Turns out the saying, “there’s a silver lining in everything,” holds true…even with
COVID-19. For Einstein Internal Medicine, the silver lining was the opportunity to
retool its approach to resident education. According to Program Director Glenn
Eiger, MD, the effort began with minimizing in-person interactions.
“Our daily morning report was the obvious place to start,” he explains. “We
switched the format to a virtual platform and also began recording every lecture
and conference. This meant residents and educators could participate from
anywhere and they could view it asynchronously on their own.”
But the changes didn’t stop there. The pandemic also allowed the program to
introduce a flipped classroom model — something it had been considering for
a while. This model requires that learning take place before meeting with the
professor, rather than having the professor teach the information as is done in
traditional classrooms.
“When residents enter what is now a virtual classroom, they first spend time
reviewing and discussing the lesson content, then interacting with the faculty to
ask questions and delve deeper into the content,” says Dr. Eiger. “We’ve actually
had more participation than ever before!”
For third-year resident Fahad Gul, MD, the switch has resulted in a more
engaging experience. “We can now share images and videos with our
colleagues during the morning report, which we couldn’t do before,” he says.
“And the flipped learning model keeps me more focused than the lecture model
we used to follow. Now our time is spent in meaningful interactions which I think
improves the learning experience.”
continued on page 2
Overcoming
Adversity…Together
When the human
immunodeficiency
virus (HIV) swept
across the U.S.
I was a medical
resident at
the time, and I
remember how
frightening it
was for both
patients and
healthcare professionals. There were so
many unanswered questions, so many
unknowns. I hadn’t thought about that
experience much until this past March
when we began seeing our first cases of
COVID-19 in Philadelphia. While the two
viruses are different, the fear and threat
are similar.
Like my mentors had done in the past,
I encouraged my Department to lean
on the pillars of our profession and let
science guide our decision making. We
also charged our leaders with the task of
regularly disseminating information to our
team. Transparency, safety, and physical
and emotional support were top priorities.
PPE protocols were rapidly reviewed and
new schedules and rotations were put into
place for our trainees.
Resident wellness was also a
concern. To ensure their safety and
wellbeing, we did twice-daily video
check-ins to make sure they had what
they needed — information, food,
entertainment, someone to talk to when
lonely. Every Saturday we held virtual
happy hours.
And we maintained our focus on
education (see cover story).
Throughout this ordeal, we drew
strength from the countless Einstein
alumni from around the world who
reached out to provide support and
medical information. Thank you for
demonstrating the power and reach of
our alumni network and for remembering
us during this challenging time.
continued on page 2

continued from page 1
Flipping the Educational
Paradigm
While Dr. Eiger doesn’t think the
all-virtual approach to learning
will last forever, he does believe
remote learning will be integrated
into a hybrid model in the future.
“We’ve discovered that learning can
happen successfully this way and
people appreciate the convenience
it offers,” he says. “In fact, we just
started simulation trainings with
a few people in-person and the
rest viewing remotely. It didn’t go
perfectly, but it was neat to watch.
I think this is going to open up a
whole new world for our residents
and attendings.”
continued from page 1
Overcoming Adversity…Together
I would also like to thank our administration for recognizing the importance
of resident wellness and allowing us to expand our complement by three
residents — for a total of 27 per year — so we could reduce work hours and stress.
I’ve seen such hard work, ingenuity, bravery, and creativity over the past several
months from across Einstein Healthcare Network. I’m proud to serve with this
organization, all our colleagues and with these amazing people.
I hope you enjoy this latest issue of Einstein Internal Medicine News. Please don’t
hesitate to contact me to schedule a virtual visit and reconnect with our program.
Our alumni are always welcome. Thank you for your continued support.
Glenn Eiger, MD
Program Director, Internal Medicine | Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia
215-456-4940 | eigerg@einstein.edu
“What’s Next?” for Einstein Alumna
Dr. Awele Maduka-Ezeh
Awele Maduka-Ezeh, MD, PhD, had
been with Christiana Care Health
Services for just six months in 2012
when she got a call about a job as
the Medical Director for the Delaware
Division of Public Health. It was a golden
opportunity for Dr. Maduka-Ezeh, whose
heart has always been in public health.
She interviewed and got the job.
“It was a very fulfilling time for me, and
the position allowed me to combine
the clinical, laboratory and public
health pieces of my education and
experience,” she explains. In 2018,
Dr. Maduka-Ezeh transitioned to
Medical Director of Delaware’s Bureau
of Healthcare, Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services.
Growing up in Nigeria, Dr. Maduka-
Ezeh spent summers with her
grandmother, a midwife who ran a
maternity center. She accompanied
her grandmother on prenatal visits and
“helped” during exams.
“I’ve been interested in medicine
since I was seven years old,” says Dr.
Maduka-Ezeh. “While I was in medical
school in Nigeria, I decided to focus on
public health and infectious diseases.
I saw, first-hand, morbidity caused by
communicable diseases and I wanted
to help control those issues.”
Harvard University and a Master’s in
Public Health came next. A residency
at Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia
followed.
“The Internal Medicine
Residency Program at
Einstein is superb,” she says.
“There is a great balance of
being valued and supported
while also being given the
independence, responsibility,
and confidence to go into the
world and do great things.”
“My career path isn’t a very common
one,” Dr. Maduka-Ezeh continues.
“Most of my colleagues from residency
are more focused on clinical medicine.
However, Einstein provides a broadbased
program that really prepares you
for whatever you face in your career.”
Dr. Maduka-Ezeh went on to complete
an Infectious Disease fellowship at
the Mayo Clinic before moving with
her husband to Delaware after he was
offered his dream job.
“My husband had been following me all
over the globe,” she says. “It was my
turn to follow him.”
Not one to be stagnant, Dr. Maduka-
Ezeh decided to pursue a PhD in
Disaster Science and Management
at the University of Delaware after
managing the state’s response to
Ebola in 2015. She planned to focus
her dissertation on the impact of prior
pandemics on minorities and was set to
begin data collection at the beginning
of the year. Then COVID-19 hit.
“The timing of the pandemic changed
Alumna Awele Maduka-Ezeh, MD, PhD,
is prepared for anything thanks to the
Einstein Internal Medicine Residency
Program.
everything,” says Dr. Maduka-Ezeh.
“I changed half of my work to capture
COVID-19 information.”
Today, she is working on manuscripts
for three papers from her dissertation
research, one of which is focused solely
on people’s experiences during the
pandemic. She hopes to have them
published soon.
For once, Dr. Maduka-Ezeh claims,
she isn’t asking herself “What’s next?”
“I’m always looking for the next
thing,” she says. “But now that I have
completed my PhD studies, I’m going to
spend more time with my kids.”
However, she then adds that she and
her sister are starting a health services
research company called InspireHealth,
set to launch in the upcoming weeks.
“So, I guess you’re right,” she laughs.
“I’ve already thought of my next thing.”
2 | Spring/Summer 2020 | Internal Medicine News

Dr. Ryan Cardew Finds
His People at Einstein
Internal Medicine Chief Resident Ryan
Cardew, MD, never intended to become
a physician.
“When I was young, I was queasy around
needles,” explains Dr. Cardew. “My dad
was in finance. I didn’t really know what that
meant, but I thought I’d be a businessman
like him. I also considered law.”
One day a friend of the family, who
happens to be an orthopedic surgeon,
invited Dr. Cardew, then a high school
student, to shadow him at work. That was
the day Dr. Cardew knew he wanted to
practice medicine.
“I thought what he was doing was so cool,”
says Dr. Cardew. “His job was tough, but
fun and he worked with so many different
and, highly motivated people. From
that moment I was set on becoming a
surgeon.” In medical school it was internal
medicine and infectious diseases — not
surgery — that ultimately piqued his
interest.
“I had great infectious disease attendings
in medical school and throughout my
residency,” he says. “They were bright,
but humble. They had to understand
and process a lot of information to make
decisions for their patients. My personality
really fits that process.”
Originally from Florida, Dr. Cardew never
spent time in Philadelphia before coming
to Einstein. He’s fallen in love with the city
because of its friendly, diverse population,
great food, and many places to explore.
“Applying to Einstein was a bit random,”
he shares. “Their program checked all
the boxes for me and they had a good
reputation. When I met Dr. Eiger for my
interview I knew within five minutes Einstein
was the place for me. These were my
people. They are passionate
about medicine, focused
on making good doctors,
unassuming, and have a
great sense of humor.
Einstein immediately
moved to the top of
my list and I’m so glad
I am here.”
Ryan Cardew, MD,
is happy to be in
Philadelphia
and at
Einstein
A Novel Track Immerses Residents in
Daily Life at a Busy Urban Health Clinic
Matthew B. Behme, MD,
launched a novel urban
medicine track for Internal
Medicine residents over
the summer.
Matthew B. Behme, MD, was first exposed
to Einstein’s Community Practice Center
(CPC) as a resident. He felt such an
immediate and deep connection to its
mission that he began working there soon
after completing his residency. Twelve
years later, he’s still there.
“I feel like I’m giving back every day,”
says Dr. Behme, Chair of General Internal
Medicine for Einstein Healthcare Network,
Medical Director of the CPC, and Associate
Director of the Internal Medicine Residency
Program. “As great as that is, the people
who work there are just as much the reason
I’m there. We’re like a big family.”
The CPC is a primary care clinic located
in the Paley Wolgin Building at Einstein
Medical Center Philadelphia. During Dr.
Behme’s tenure, it’s undergone significant
changes, which have better aligned it with the mostly Medicaid-patient
population it serves.
Among the most notable additions in recent years: The Einstein Center
for Refugee Wellness; Einstein WelcomeMAT, which provides medicationassisted
treatment for those with substance use disorders; and a
comprehensive diabetes program that allows patients to meet with various
specialists during a single visit.
“In recent years, we’ve become much more involved with community
organizations in an effort to transition from being a practice that’s in the
community to one that’s of the community,” Dr. Behme says.
The latest phase of that evolution began unfolding in July: a novel urban
health track for Internal Medicine residents.
Currently, two residents are enrolled. They spend their two outpatient
weeks of each “2+6” cycle at the CPC. Their schedules are also modified
to allow for two four-week blocks, which they’ll be able to dedicate to
track-specific training.
Much of their time will be spent seeing patients in the CPC’s various
programs, participating in community-based events, and assisting
partner organizations. They’re also studying a didactic curriculum with a
concentration on cultural awareness and individual and systemic racism.
(Implicit bias is a recurring theme.) All the while, each resident is also
developing a research project on health equity quality improvement.
On average, about 100 patients seek treatment each day at the CPC.
Their conditions, Dr. Behme says, tend to be more advanced than the
patients treated in almost any other primary care practice.
“One of Einstein’s unique resources is its position in an underserved
community. We’re both a community hospital and an academic medical
center,” Dr. Behme says. “All of those ingredients contribute to the
innovative nature of this program.”
Ultimately, he wants to offer a master’s degree in public health through
the program. Discussions are underway with a partner institution that
could make that a reality as early as next year.
Internal Medicine News | Spring/Summer 2020 | 3

Einstein Healthcare Network
Office of Development
Braemer Education Building
5501 Old York Road | Philadelphia, PA 19141
Have exciting news to share?
Want to keep up with fellow Einstein
alumni? Or need to send us your
updated contact information?
Please drop a note to Fran Gress,
Manager of Annual Fund and Alumni
Relations at gressfra@einstein.edu
or call 215-456-6278. Or share your news
at advance.einstein.edu/alumni..
Einstein Residents Turn Wellness into a Competition
With virtually everything shut down in the spring, and normal
releases — gyms, restaurants, theaters — closed, it became
markedly difficult for people to manage their stress. Einstein’s
90 Internal Medicine residents included.
COVID-19 struck at a time when the residents were finishing
the second annual Wellness House Cup, a department-wide
competition that divides them into four teams, each named
after a house from Harry Potter — Gryffindor, Hufflepuff,
Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.
Every house develops its own group chat, and within those
chats, members share photos of themselves performing acts of
self-care, like meditating, going for a run, or having dinner with
friends. Points are assigned to each activity. The four house
leaders keep count and post to a leaderboard every two weeks.
After six weeks, the house with the highest score is announced
by way of a cake, similar to a gender-reveal party. The
winning house members are presented with meal cards for the
cafeteria. An MVP from each of the other three houses is also
named and rewarded.
“It’s been huge,” says Chief Resident
Meghan Anderson, DO. “People have
been way more competitive than I ever
expected.”
The cup, like the department’s larger
wellness program, is resident-run.
“We try to encourage a culture where
everyone’s welcome to contribute
ideas for things to do,” says
Dr. Anderson.
Chief Resident
Meghan Anderson,
DO, is a champion
of Einstein Internal
Medicine’s resident
wellness program.
“The reason I became invested in
our wellness program is because it’s
made a difference in my life,” she
says. “I was starting to feel burned out, to the extent that
I couldn’t see the support that was available from the
residents above me. I couldn’t see that I wasn’t the only
one struggling.”
Seeing the ways the residents have been there for each other
has Dr. Anderson feeling more optimistic about what could be
a trying fall and winter.
Supporting Einstein Healthcare Network’s Internal Medicine Program
Gifts to support Einstein Healthcare Network’s Internal Medicine Program
directly impact the training and well-being of our residents. You may
make your tax-deductible gift in support of the program by donating
online at advance.einstein.edu/alumni or calling 215-456-6278.
4 | Spring/Summer 2020 | Internal Medicine News
Office of Development
Braemer Education Building
5501 Old York Road
Philadelphia, PA 19141