ALexAlex Djuricich has been the Program Director for MedPeds, at IUSM, since July 2006 (10th year). Before that, he was an APD from 2002-2006.  He has also been an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine and Clinical Pediatrics Indiana University School of Medicine.

“I am excited to announce that, beginning in January, 2016, I will be starting a new position, as Education Editor for the NEJM Group, which oversees the New England Journal of Medicine and other educational products.  This will eventually afford me the opportunity to have a clinical appointment through Harvard Medical School, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, and Children’s Hospital of Boston. My clinical time, once settled in, will eventually be with Med-Peds residents in their continuity clinic, working with Niraj and Colleen!

I decided earlier this year to learn more about the inner workings in health care, and began a physician-only Business of Medicine MBA program at IU. I will actually be returning once a month for this program after my move to Boston. I really enjoy learning about Strategy, Revenue and Healthcare Delivery, and how it impacts medical education and is impacted by medical education. My new favorite concept is the “Learning Healthcare System”. All of my project ideas have been related to the medical education field, and I hope to continue my passion for medical education.

Closer to the residency, I am very impressed with how the residents have come together during interview season to provide the best experience for prospective applicants–it demonstrates the outstanding “team-player” culture within our institution and residency program!

I hope that all of you will extend a warm welcome to our new IU MedPeds Residency Program Director, Tim Brady. Tim was a classmate of mine, graduating from residency the same year as me in 1998. He has been a core faculty member since before that term was coined. He previously was the medicine clerkship director, as well as the faculty lead for the pediatric ambulatory rotation. Tim will work with Emily Machogu and Mike Wilson, our two current APDs, to chart the future of MedPeds at IUSM. Please welcome him to our incredible MPPDA community!

I have gotten back into the swing of running again recently. I just had my best 5K time yet, and enjoy running early in the morning in the fall. I need to figure out my running path in Boston, especially during the winter time!

My wife and kids recently took a trip to Boston to check out houses and to go whale-watching (while I was interviewing applicants!). The housing market in Lexington (the suburb where we purchased) is much faster than Indianapolis, and essentially, we bought a home by my viewing it through FaceTime on the phone while my family walked through it! I hope to host many PD colleagues over the next few years.

My oldest daughter just turned 11, and we are working on handling the move out east with our children as best as we can. They will finish out this semester and start at a new school in Lexington, MA. My youngest daughter just broke her arm (the cast is almost bigger than she is!) after a fall from a scooter (but the pediatrician in me was proud that she was wearing a helmet!) We got a chance to experience the health care system from a family/patient point of view and were very pleased with the outstanding care she received.

I will miss the incredible camaraderie of this group, but am pleased to say that I will probably be around at some of these educational meetings as an “exhibitor” through my new employer!”

Alex was also recently named a recipient of the ACGME’s 2016 Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award.  Alex has been an invaluable resource for the MPPDA as an active member, a Past President, and trusted adviser.  You can also follow Alex on his blog “Mired in MedEd” at http://alexdjuricich.blogspot.com/ We all wish him the best in his new position, and wish him luck with his ever-evolving tap-dancing skills.

In this section, we would like to spotlight individual MPPDA members who are doing amazing and innovative things in education, clinical programs, or community service with their Med-Peds programs.  If you would like to nominate an individual MPPDA member, please leave us a comment below or email us at [email protected].