Biography
Dr. Luke received a B.A. in Chemistry from Brigham Young University and received his MD degree from the University of Utah, 1993. He did a 5 year Pathology residency at the University of New Mexico.
Personal Statement
My research interests encompass the area of computer informatics as well as the area of developing new teaching techniques in educational programs. As the Co-Chair of the Transitions Block I helped to significantly redesign how the tutorial portion of the block was designed. This redesign included the alteration of the tutorial cases the students used. In place of the long cases used previously, multiple short cases mimicking the pace and activity of actual clinic work were implemented. I also integrated a component in which the students were required to access the Clinical Pathology data by actually using the existing hospital computer informational system. I also integrated Calibrated Peer Review, a computerized system whereby students evaluate and write-up cases and then give feedback to and receive feedback from their peer classmates. I have received a grant to make the information for these write-ups available in a video format rather than a static paper format. I have also developed other ways to teach students about clinical pathology. One of the projects I have used to teach students involved drawing the students blood. The students then used the clinical lab data from their blood in different learning experiences. This method has been proven to be effective in teaching students as well as being an engaging and interesting experience.
Areas of Specialty
Hemoglobin Electrophoresis
Serum Protein Electrophoresis
Pathology Informatics
Certifications
American Board of Pathology, Clinical Pathology
Achievements & Awards
Best Electronic Poster- Departmental Web Site, APIII, Pittsburg PA, Sept 2007
Medical Education Scholars Program, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, 2004-2005
Paul E. Strandjord Young Investigator Award, 1997, Academy of Clinical Laboratory Scientists and Physicians
Suma Cum Laude Graduate, 1989, Brigham Young University
Languages
- English
Courses Taught
My philosophy toward teaching medical students and residents centers on active learning. As I teach and interact with students I want students to take responsibility for their own learning. This active learning comes through a variety of methods which include pre-tests so that I know where strengths and weaknesses exist in their knowledge base, real-life learning projects that are engaging and will develop skills they will use later in their careers, conversations with students that allow me to understand their thought processes and where misunderstanding may be occurring. I believe that students retain knowledge when they have to work to acquire it rather than having it given to them to memorize. Encouraging students to be active learners that may struggle to learn and find answers for themselves while supervised helps them to become lifelong learners because as we work to learn and gain experience our power to work and learn increases.
One of the experiences that I have had in teaching medical students includes the medical student tutoring program. During my tutorial sessions students would teach each other through discussion or student directed learning. As I facilitated the discussion amongst the students I would play devil’s advocate with the students to encourage the students to think and teach their peers at a level that matched their current level of understanding. My role as a facilitator allowed me to steer or nudge the discussion in the right direction but in an unobtrusive manner allowing the students to feel that they had found the answers themselves. The progression of the discussions stretched the student’s level of understanding at a pace that allowed real learning to occur in a safe learning environment.
Research and Scholarship
My research interests encompass the area of computer informatics as well as the area of developing new teaching techniques in educational programs. As the Co-Chair of the Transitions Block I helped to significantly redesign how the tutorial portion of the block was designed. This redesign included the alteration of the tutorial cases the students used. In place of the long cases used previously, multiple short cases mimicking the pace and activity of actual clinic work were implemented. I also integrated a component in which the students were required to access the Clinical Pathology data by actually using the existing hospital computer informational system. I also integrated Calibrated Peer Review, a computerized system whereby students evaluate and write-up cases and then give feedback to and receive feedback from their peer classmates. I have received a grant to make the information for these write-ups available in a video format rather than a static paper format. I have also developed other ways to teach students about clinical pathology. One of the projects I have used to teach students involved drawing the students blood. The students then used the clinical lab data from their blood in different learning experiences. This method has been proven to be effective in teaching students as well as being an engaging and interesting experience.