Jennifer Dotys passion and compassion for medical students is transparent through the open-door policy she maintains with students and the constant support she offers them.
As clinical coordinator for the clerkship program in surgery, Doty directs and assists third-year medical students as they rotate through an eight-week observational program. The clerkship allows them to receive additional training in surgical techniques while participating in daily rounds, presenting information and patient cases, and collaborating with a larger team.
She considers the approximately 100 students she works with her second family. In turn, the students view her as a second mom.
Beyond her day-to-day duties, Doty takes extra steps to help students improve. Medical students are required to write personal statements when they apply for medical school and for positions as resident physicians. She works one-on-one with students as they edit their resumes and statements. She even volunteers to serve as a mock interviewer. In 2011, non-MU medical students who were visiting the medical school heard of her expertise and asked her to assist them with their own mock interviews. In 2008 and 2010, Doty delivered presentations on how to write a personal statement at the American College of Surgeons’ annual congress.
In her more than 15 years as clinical coordinator, Doty has improved the lives of medical students by developing a standardized assessment tool to evaluate clerkship students across disciplines. She expanded the orientation process for these students from one to two days and implemented various lab sessions to assist them in preparing for the program.
In addition to her duties as clerkship director, Doty, a nurse for more than 25 years, has volunteered as a staff nurse at the Russell D. and Mary B. Shelden Clinical Simulation Center in the School of Medicine. She has been a member of surgery’s curriculum committee for more than 10 years. Doty received the Excellence in Student Medical Education Award in 2001 from the School of Medicine.
“Jennifer truly sees her job with the students as a blessing and a privilege,” her nominator said.