Dr. Kelly J. Caverzagie is professor of internal medicine and serves as the associate dean for Educational Strategy and Learning Environment for the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), where he was responsible for leading the implementation of the Training the Physicians of Tomorrow curriculum which launched in August 2017. As associate dean, he consistently works to advance the mission of the College and University through growth, innovation, and looking to optimize the education for faculty members and learners. He also serves as the primary investigator for UNMC’s participation in the American Medical Association (AMA) Accelerating Change in Medical Education (ACE) consortium and is the point person for the College’s academic preparations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Caverzagie also serves as the vice-president for education for Nebraska Medicine, the clinical partner of UNMC. In that role, he reports to the health system chief executive and chief academic officers and has accountability for ensuring an optimal learning environment for health professions learners and faculty and staff members. To accomplish this goal, in 2016 he established the Office of Health Professions Education, a unique department dedicated to aligning and integrating the clinical and educational missions of Nebraska Medicine and UNMC.

Dr. Caverzagie has expertise in the assessment and evaluation of learners, with a particular focus on competency-based medical education and transformative change. As part of the implementation of the ACGME’s Next Accreditation System, Dr. Caverzagie co-led the development and implementation of the original Internal Medicine Milestones and has served as a faculty member for the ACGME’s national faculty development program for the past decade. Additionally, he has served in many leadership roles for national and state health advocacy organizations and is currently a co-chair of the International Conference on Residency Education (ICRE). In 2019, he was elected to the AMA Council on Medical Education.

Clinically, Dr. Caverzagie continues to practice as an academic hospitalist, where he enjoys teaching about topics including complex decision-making, communication skills in difficult situations and issues surrounding health care policy, health system redesign, education reform, and the hidden curriculum. He continues to push innovation as well as personal and professional growth in his resident and student learners.

Dr. Caverzagie’s personal mission is to help lead the redesign of health professions education to more effectively meet the needs of patients and populations.