Dear Simulation Community Colleagues,
I am writing to you with a rainbow in my heart to announce that Mary Fey, RN, PhD has accepted the position of Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs at George Washington University School of Nursing. On the rainy side, all of us in the extended Center for Medical Simulation (CMS) community will miss her terribly. Her wit, wisdom, creativity and ability to simply get great work done is a joy to be part of.
The sun shining through this rain: it warms my heart when people stay close to and carry out a life mission vital to them. Shaping the culture of learning, and especially the teacher-learner relationship in nursing is Mary’s passion. I imagine you can all join me in celebrating that she is moving along the trail on that journey.
I am also grateful for Mary’s contributions, leadership, and guidance on the CMS mission. Thanks, in part to her contributions, CMS is emerging from the pandemic reinvented and strong both fiscually and programmatically.
I am delighted to say that Mary will be continue to teach and consult with CMS.
Warmly,
Jenny
Jenny Rudolph, PhD
Executive Director
Center for Medical Simulation
And here is what Mary has to share with all of you:
Hello Everyone!
The journey began in 2009, when I attended the Center for Medical Simulation’s Comprehensive Instructor Workshop (now Heathcare Simulation Essentials: Design and Debriefing). I loved being an educator, and the philosophies and practices I learned in that course finally put ideas, theories, and actions to how I intuitively knew I wanted to be as an educator. I learned that holding my learners to high standards did not mean that I had to join “the mean girl’s club” approach to education; rather, I could hold them to high standards while still thinking the best of them. Indeed, thinking the best of them actually allowed me to hold the high standards. I had always believed that if you set the bar high, learners will reach it – CMS taught me how to do that.
In 2015, I joined CMS full time as a fellow, and eventually, I became the Senior Director for Teaching and Learning. Over the years, that wonderful Comprehensive Course which has influenced thousands of health professions educators around the world became “mine”. With the team at CMS, and adjuncts around the world, we continually updated and refreshed the course to keep it current. We didn’t let a pandemic stop us, either – we took it online, where it continues to thrive. As I cared for that course, my teaching philosophy continued to evolve. My amazing peers shaped my thinking in profound ways. At the heart of all of is The Basic Assumption. Believing in the goodness and sincerity of the learners, my peers, and other human beings is at the core of my practice as an educator. I would not have arrived at this without CMS.
I always knew that I would one day return to my beloved profession of nursing. The time is now and George Washington University is the place. I’ll join a new group of peers, and together, we’ll have a positive impact on nursing education. I’ll stay connected to the Center for Medical Simulation, because, really, it would be impossible for me to leave entirely. I look forward to the future, knowing that I’m on the right course.
With warmest regards,
Mary
