Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Anthony Shanks, MD, learns to design educational studies in the UIC MESA Program

Graduates of the UIC Online Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment (MESA) programs come from various educational and professional backgrounds. Meet Dr. Anthony Shanks, MD, FACOG, who graduated from the Online MEd MESA program in 2023 and currently works as a Professor of Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

Dr. Shanks has been practicing his specialty in Maternal-Fetal Medicine since 2010. After earning his medical degree, he went on to complete an Obstetrics and Gynecology residency and a Maternal-Fetal Medicine fellowship.

Interested in building on his medical knowledge, Dr. Shanks was looking for a program to develop the skills to evaluate educational data and to design, run and analyze his own research projects. Learn more about Dr. Shanks’ experience in the MESA program.

What led you to choose the online MESA program at UIC? 

I was looking for a program to develop my skills to evaluate quantitative and qualitive educational data. Specifically, I wanted to design, run and analyze my own research projects in OBGYN education. A respected educator suggested the MESA program to me, and it was a tremendous experience.

What skills did you gain or sharpen through your MESA program at UIC and how do you use them today? 

The most important skill I learned was how to design educational studies with a focus on data analysis. I have a couple of education specific projects that have been published or are set to be published. My latest published project is “Integration of ultrasound simulation to improve medical student knowledge and satisfaction on the obstetrics and gynecology clerkship.” For all my projects, I set up the design and ran the statistics based on what I learned in the MESA program.

I also learned to appreciate education nomenclature and when and why educators should apply testing accommodations. I also learned how to use SPSS, which is a statistical software suite for data management, advanced analytics, and more.

How has your MESA degree program impacted you in terms of your current position or a position you would like to attain in the future? 

We will see! The program helped me with scholarly productivity with multiple presentations and publications that required statistical analysis that I was able to run independently. It has also helped me figure out what the construct is that I want to evaluate and how to determine the best statistical method to use.

I also started this program in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. I was able to appreciate the pedagogy involved in delivering an asynchronous remote curriculum. This was particularly useful for me in pivoting instructions virtually these last couple of years for my own use at my home institution.

Why do you suggest that other medical professionals consider enrolling in the MESA program? 

I think physicians tasked with educating future generations should learn about pedagogy and how to become better teachers. There are many paths to accomplish this, and I think MESA is one aspect.

What advice would you give to prospective students considering the MESA degree program at UIC? 

I recommend MESA students take one class at a time. I also created a routine for myself which helped me stay current and on top of my coursework which was crucial. Also, do not become frustrated if concepts don’t click on the first pass. Some topics will take 2-3 times to finally feel like you have learned it. Also, don’t forget to save your notes!

MESA online graduates are in high demand. Receiving this graduate degree or certificate, students are ready to succeed in a variety of research settings and environments. Choose from two online programs, a Master of Education Degree or a Graduate Certificate in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics and Assessment, and begin your journey today. Talk to an enrollment specialist to learn more about these online programs.