M. Brownell Anderson honored with AAMC GEA award in her name

The Group on Educational Affairs of the Association of American Medical Colleges announced a new Award for Emerging Educators. It is named in honor of NBME's M. Brownell (Brownie) Anderson, M.Ed., for her outstanding commitment to the Group on Educational Affairs (GEA).

The purpose of the GEA is to advance medical education and medical educators through faculty development, curriculum development, educational research, and assessment in undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education. Brownie began her work with them in 1983 and continued that work for more than 25 years. In that time, in collaboration with many medical educators in all of the schools, she increased the attention to and support for medical education at the AAMC.

The AAMC has a number of affinity groups for faculty and staff of AAMC member medical schools, teaching hospitals; the Group on Educational Affair is one of those groups. NBME President and CEO, Peter Katsufrakis, was the national chair of another of AAMC's affinity groups: the Group on Student Affairs (GSA).

Brownie began working at the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) in 2011 and the GEA wants to show recognition for her long-standing work with and commitment to the community of medical educators. They also want to honor her uncanny ability to identify, encourage, and welcome individuals early in their careers to the community of medical education.

The GEA states: In the spirit of M. Brownell Anderson, this award recognizes early career medical educators who have demonstrated enthusiasm, passion, commitment and creativity in the field of medical education. This award identifies and supports emerging educators in their career trajectory in medical education and serves as an opportunity to recognize and validate their potential and talent in the field. The GEA owes a debt of gratitude to M. Brownell Anderson for recognizing and cultivating new leaders for many years, establishing a tradition that lives on through this award.

In Brownie's own words, she expressed "I am overwhelmed, humbled, and a bit terrified by having this award named for me and above all, incredibly grateful. All I did was ask people who inspired me to help me get the work done. I am so fortunate to have been given the opportunities I was given and to have been able to work with and learn from so many incredible people."

Official nomination information and criteria will be made available in early 2019.