Vanneck-Bailey Scholars Program

Drs. Kennedy & Gordon, Named 2026-2027 Vanneck-Bailey Scholars

Please join the Virginia Apgar Academy of Medical Educators of the Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons as we congratulate two Assistant Professors of Emergency Medicine, Thomas M. Kennedy, MD, FAAP, FACEPand Miles P. Gordon, MD, FPD-AEMUS as the 2026-2027 Vanneck-Bailey Scholars. The Vanneck-Bailey Award is given annually to support a VP&S faculty member to develop educational programs that will “ensure that VP&S students are among the finest physicians entering the profession, skilled in the knowledge and practice of medicine and modeling compassionate, humanistic care to all patients.” We recognize the generosity of CUIMC patients whose commitments have made this award possible.

With the support of the Vanneck-Bailey Scholar Award, Drs. Kennedy and Gordon propose to “co-lead the implementation of a Longitudinal Ultrasound Curriculum at VP&S— from the anatomy lab to the bedside—reinforcing core concepts of the pre-clinical courses toward increasing consistency in diagnostic reasoning and quality in patient-centered care. This proposal builds on components already approved for inclusion in the required curriculum including POCUS in the Clinical Gross Anatomy course and the FAST exam workshop for M1 students. Some MCY clerkship directors are actively engaged in the planning process as well.

Both of these clinician educators bring complementary strengths that make their collaboration particularly well suited to this initiative. Dr. Kennedy is a Pediatric Emergency Medicine educator with recognized expertise in undergraduate teaching, simulation-based education, and curriculum design, and has played an important role in integrating ultrasound education into multiple components of the VP&S curriculum. Teaching Emergency Medicine at the resident, fellow, and faculty levels, Dr. Gordon brings strength in small-group and hands-on instruction across a variety of ultrasound focused components of FCM, R4R, lecture series, and electives. Together, they are well positioned to design, implement, and evaluate a longitudinal POCUS curriculum that is practical, learner-centered, and sustainable.

We congratulate Dr. Kennedy and Dr. Gordon and thank the applicants and selection committee members for their help in advancing the mission of medical education research and scholarship at VP&S.

Previous Vanneck - Bailey Scholars

2025-2026: Nathaniel Kratz, MD

Proposal: To equip future CUIMC physicians with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to effectively identify and address substance use disorders.  The proposal builds on Dr. Kratz’ prior work founding NYP’s TRANSiT (“Therapeutic Resources and Assistance in Navigation to Services while in Transition”)  a substance use bridge clinic and graduate medical education teaching site focused on low-barrier access to treatment for substance use disorder.

2024-2025: Taylor B. Sewell, MD, MBA 

Proposal:  To enhance the LGBTQ+ Curriculum at VP&S toward providing outstanding compassionate, and inclusive care to patients by integrating more training in LGBTQ+ health into the VP&S curriculum. 

2023-2024: Delphine Taylor, MD

Proposal: To conduct a program evaluation of the current structure of the VP&S Coaching Program, create resources for students and faculty, integrate competency-based assessments into coaching, and launch a national survey to identify how medical schools are using coaching programs to support self-regulated and adaptive learners.

2022-2023: Alwyn Cohall, MD

Proposal: Creation of content, service-learning activities, and exposure to individuals with lived experience in the carceral system as means of building a curriculum responsive to recommendations set forth by the AAMC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Competencies which broadly call for the expansion of learning opportunities addressing health care inequities arising from systemic racism and personal bias.

2021-2022: Jean Marie Alves-Bradford, MD

Proposal: A longitudinal Advocacy, Allyship and Upstander Skills Curriculum throughout four years of medical school

2020-2021: Dr. Devon Rupley, MD

Proposal: Ready for MCY: An Intensive Transitions Curriculum Facilitating Professional Identity Formation

2019-2020: Sidney Hankerson, MD

Proposal: Teaching Social Determinants of Health and Mental Health First Aid to Medical Students

2018: Anne Armstrong-Coben, MD

Proposal: An Advisory Dean Curriculum Spanning the Four Years at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons: Helping students develop into compassionate, humanistic physicians

2017: Hetty Cunningham, MD (inaugural scholar) 

Proposal: Promoting reflective capacity in the VP&S portfolio to support professional identity formulation in a medical education landscape increasingly focused on competency achievement