2014 Accomplishments

Dr. Elam’s research interests focus on topics related to the medical school admissions process including the efficacy of various selection criteria, medical school admission interviewing, and the relationship of various predictive factors to success in medical school. Recent work has been in the areas of diversity and pipeline initiatives, approaches to service learning, emotional intelligence, and use of AAMC personal competencies in interviewing and selection. Dr. Elam serves as the Associate Dean for Admissions and Institutional Advancement and the Director of Medical Education Research for the College of Medicine.  Dr. Carol Elam, Professor of Behavioral Science, serves as Associate Dean for Admissions and Institutional Advancement and Director of Medical Education Research. She is responsible for the coordination of the recruitment activities for prospective students, and the implementation of the admissions process at the College of Medicine. Ongoing activities include participation in SEE Blue recruitment evenings with the undergraduate admissions program throughout Kentucky, premedical presentations at colleges and universities across Kentucky and at selected schools in contiguous states, participation in the UKCOM accepted student recruiting event, the White Coat Ceremony, and UKMED. Continued outreach efforts to aid in the recruitment of prospective students and contribute to the culture of learning in the college included the Student National Medical Association annual conference and the annual Leaving a Legacy celebration. New outreach activities included the inaugural Rural Physician Leadership Boot Camp preparatory program and the Building Bridges to Medicine Mentoring program.  During 2014, Elam gave 10 platform talks and presented 5 posters at regional, national, and international meetings. (One poster was awarded best poster presentation at the Southern Group on Educational Affairs Conference in Miami, FL.) She published 5 articles in peer reviewed journals. She was tapped to participate in several national initiatives of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), serving as a member of the Group on Student Affairs Steering Committee for the GSA Professional Competencies for a Student Affairs Administrator Certificate Program and as a member of the Planning Committee for the first annual AAMC National Medical Education Meeting.  She was recently invited to serve as the Co-Chair for the 2015 National Medical Education Meeting, the first medical school faculty member invited to serve in this role.