Past Events

Part 2 – Bring Your Best Self: Creating Environments of Growth

Held Thursday, October 10, 2024 | 5–6:15 pm CT 
 

The building blocks of character — strengths like compassion and curiosity or honesty and humility — shape our approach to others and the situations we face personally and professionally. At the same time, practical wisdom allows us to balance competing needs. Embracing character in medicine means creating spaces where individuals are encouraged to use and strengthen such traits over their careers. In this session, self-reflection, introspection and dialogue invited us to clarify our values, strengthen our human excellences across different dimensions and identify ways we can show up as our best selves each day. Andrea Leep Hunderfund, MD, MHPE, of Mayo Clinic Rochester served as the featured speaker, with Kimara Ellefson, MBA, of the Kern National Network as facilitator.

For more information, access the event flyer.

Part 1 – Meeting Others Where They Are: Cultivating an Ethic of Care

Held Thursday, September 19, 2024 | 5–6:15 pm CT 
 

Caring is more than being nice or having a kind demeanor. At its most powerful, caring is an ongoing, human-centered approach that leads to growth, development and a stronger society. Creating caring systems and spaces allows individuals to be attentive to needs, responsible for one another and responsive to changes. This session explored how our values, experiences and moral sensibilities can be applied in making decisions that maintain human dignity and support flourishing. Elizabeth Petty, MD, of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health served as the featured speaker, with Kimara Ellefson, MBA, of the Kern National Network as facilitator.

For more information, access the event flyer.

From Theory to Practice in the Promotion of Flourishing in Medicine

Held Monday, March 4, 2024 | Saint Kate Hotel | Milwaukee, WI
 

As part of Mission: TransformMedicine, the KNN hosted a phronesis convening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. During this one-day event, leaders, learners and scholars shared work and ideas on fostering practical wisdom in healthcare and explored challenging questions. The day concluded with a strategic action planning process, resulting in several work groups invited to continue exploring areas such as developing shared language and finding ways to move “from moral distress to moral delight.”
 

Session 4 – Flourishing

Held Monday, May 6, 2024 | 5–6:15 pm CT 
 

The final session of Foundations for Flourishing explored flourishing in medicine with Tyler J. VanderWeele, PhD, of the Harvard Human Flourishing Program, Matthew T. Lee, PhD, of Baylor University, William G. Pearson, PhD, of Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine at Auburn, and moderator Kimara Ellefson, MBA, of the Kern National Network.

For more information, access the event flyer or see details below.

Session 3 – Practical Wisdom

Held Monday, February 26, 2024 | 5–6:15 pm CT 
 

The third session of Foundations for Flourishing explored cultivating practical wisdom with Margaret Plews-Ogan, MD, of the University of Virginia, Kenneth E. Sharpe, PhD, of Swarthmore College and moderator Kimara Ellefson, MBA, of the Kern National Network.

For more information, access the event flyer or see details below.

Session 2 – Creating Caring Systems

Held Monday, October 23, 2023 | 5–6:15 pm CT 
 

The second session of Foundations for Flourishing explored creating caring systems in medical education and practice with Joan C. Tronto, PhD, of the University of Minnesota, Sonia Chimienti, MD, FIDSA, of Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and moderator Kimara Ellefson, MBA, of the Kern National Network.

For more information, access the event flyer or see details below.

Session 1 – Building Blocks of Character

Held Monday, June 19, 2023 | 5–6:15 pm CT 
 

The first session of Foundations for Flourishing explored building blocks of character with Lauris C. Kaldjian, MD, PhD, of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine and moderator Kimara Ellefson, MBA, of the Kern National Network.

For more information, access the event flyer or see details below.

Session 4 – Flourishing in the Learning Environment

Held Tuesday, October 25, 2022 | 4–5 pm CT 
 

This session featured five speakers from the University of California, San Francisco, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, Medical College of Wisconsin and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth: Moderator Catherine R. Lucey, MD, MACP; Michelle Guy, MD; Stuart Slavin, MD, MEd; Saba Anwer and Isabelle Tersio. Together, this panel of faculty and students explored strategies for infusing flourishing into clinical learning environments, and ways to become agents and beneficiaries of flourishing within educational settings. 

Learning Objectives

• Discuss strategies to infuse flourishing into learning experiences.

• Explore how faculty can integrate flourishing practices into curriculum and their philosophies of education.

• Explain how learners can be agents and beneficiaries of flourishing at their schools.

For more information, access the event flyer or see details below.

Session 3 – Flourishing in Healthcare Spaces

Held Tuesday, August 23, 2022 | 4–5 pm CT 
 

This session featured three speakers from the the Kern National Network for Flourishing in Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing: Moderator Kimara Ellefson, MBA; Danny O. Jacobs, MD, MPH, FACS and Linda D. Scott, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FNAP, FAAN. Together, they provided perspectives on ways to improve flourishing within healthcare settings, and how collaborative practice approaches can help practitioners, staff, patients and learners within care settings flourish.

Learning Objectives

• Explore how factors such as hierarchies and interpersonal dynamics affect the flourishing of practitioners, staff, patients and learners in care settings.

• Discuss how individual agency and the ability to act on one’s values influence the levels of flourishing within care settings.

• Examine how collaborative practice approaches can help those within care settings flourish.

For more information, access the event flyer or see details below.

Session 2 – Creating Organizational Cultures of Flourishing

Held Tuesday, April 26, 2022 | 4–5 pm CT 
 

This session featured three speakers from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic and Daughters of Charity – Province of St. Louise organizations: Moderator Melinda Buntin, PhD; Robert Brown Jr., MD, MPH; Sister Teresa George and Sister Tierney Trueman. Together, they provided insight on how their respective healthcare organizations each use its mission and values to impact flourishing amongst internal constituents.

Learning Objectives

• Summarize how a healthcare organization's culture promotes flourishing among its internal constituents.

• List strategies used by healthcare organizations that may strengthen flourishing and mitigate burnout and/or turnover.

• Explore the impact of organizational mission, values actions on flourishing.

For more information, access the event flyer or see details below.

Session 1 – Flourishing in the Community

Held Tuesday, January 25, 2022 | 4–5 pm CT 
 

This session featured three speakers from the University of Texas at Austin community: Moderator Larry Speck, MArch, FAIA; Sue Cox, MD; and Zack Timmons, MD. Together, they provided inspiration for considering how human-centered spaces, curricula and engagement approaches can affect flourishing within a community. In this session, participants discovered ways to elevate flourishing among diverse community members, as well as lessons and strategies for enhancing wellness and health in that setting. 

Learning Objectives

• Discuss how flourishing can provide a framework for improving community health in ways that go beyond direct patient care.

• Identify strategies within healthcare education and practice that elevate flourishing among diverse local community members.

• Explore how human-centered design approaches can be used to create systematic change that promotes community wellness and flourishing.

For more information, access the event flyer or see details below.

Session 3 – Social Justice, Health Equity and Flourishing:
Are We All Included?

Held Tuesday, August 3, 2021 | 4–5 pm CT 
 

Over the past year, the disproportionate impact of the pandemic as well as national protests surrounding racial incidents heightened attention to ongoing disparities—including those within healthcare. As such, it is important to consider: What responsibilities do healthcare professionals have to address root causes of health inequity? And what strategies can help dismantle barriers to flourishing that exist across diverse populations?

In this session, three panelists shared their lived experiences and professional journeys related to those themes.

Learning Objectives

• Explore the responsibilities that all health professionals have to address the root causes of health inequity.
• Advocate for building a strong relationship between health, health equity and the opportunity for individuals to flourish.
• Discuss strategies aimed to dismantle barriers to flourishing that exist across diverse populations.

For more information, access the event brochure or see details below.

Session 2 – Seeking Strength in Times of Crisis 

Held Tuesday, April 27, 2021 | 4–5 pm CT 
 

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed personal and professional challenges for everyone, but particularly for those in the healthcare field. Under such circumstances, what does and can flourishing look like? To what extent is it possible and equitable in times of crisis—now and otherwise? During the second session in the series, three speakers explored these questions through presentation followed by a moderated Q&A session.

Learning Objectives

• Discuss how pathways to flourishing (spirituality/religious community, work, education, family) can help health professions learners, practitioners and organizations find strength and resilience during crisis.
• Describe the types of well-being and mental health resources necessary to sustain strength and resilience for health professions learners, practitioners and patients, during and after crisis.
• Discuss how expectations for caring, committed and courageous individuals should be balanced with multifaceted institutional and societal support in attaining strength and resilience.
   

For more information, access the event brochure or see details below.