UAlberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry celebrates teaching excellence

When Brian Sonnenberg's students talk about what makes him a great teacher, the word "time" comes up repeatedly.

"Dr. Sonnenberg taught review sessions in the evenings and took time out of his own life to make sure that we were prepared for our exams. He was very genuine, very considerate and put in a lot of time and effort to make sure that we succeeded in our course," said second-year medical student Gina Catena. "It's obvious that he genuinely cares about us succeeding and learning so that we're prepared on the wards and prepared for when we see patients."

Sonnenberg is an associate professor in the Division of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and course coordinator for the cardiology block. He was chosen by the class of 2016 to receive awards for Teacher of the Year and Block of the Year. He arrived to accept the awards fresh from a shift in the University Hospital's emergency department.

"I remember some of my own teachers in cardiology," said Sonnenberg of the importance of dedicating extra time to his students. "There were some excellent people who put in tremendous hours. I feel I owe it to the students. And when I see them two years later on my wards, I want them to do well."

Haran Yogasundaram also attests to Sonnenberg's emphasis on preparing for the clinic. "He tries to focus on getting students to think in a clinical mindset rather than focusing on rote learning and recall," said the second-year medical student. "He is passionate about cardiology and it shows in how he interacts with students."

Sonnenberg enjoys teaching and finds that it sometimes challenges him. "It's very humbling when students ask for an explanation and you're left speechless. Sometimes you realize that you have to learn something better and that a stock answer doesn't always work."

Sonnenberg was one of 25 professors and preceptors who received awards on October 24 at the Celebration of Teaching and Learning. This year for the first time the awards were co-hosted by the Faculty and the Medical Students' Association.

"The idea of awarding people for excellence in teaching and as exemplars of medical education is obviously a core concept to our medical school and our educational mission," said D. Douglas Miller, dean of the Faculty. "At the end of the day it's really part of the tradition of becoming a physician; it's an apprenticeship in many respects. And the people we value the most are not those who impart the most knowledge, perhaps, but the people who give us the tools to be continuous learners for the rest of our careers."

Celebration of Teaching and Learning award recipients 2013