Education Leadership
University of Michigan’s Pediatric Education Program continues to be one of the top programs in the United States. Our education leadership group has almost 50 years of combined educational administrative experience, and our diversity enables us to have a vision for the program that extends beyond today. The Pediatric Education faculty work continually to monitor and update all aspects of the program – from curriculum changes to the development of innovative approaches that will better train the leaders of tomorrow. Read about our leadership team.
Hilary M. Haftel, M.D., M.H.P.E.
- Associate Chair and Program Director, 2007 - Present
- Associate Director for Pediatric Education, 2003 - 2007
- Assistant Director for Pediatric Education, 1996 - 2003
- Master of Health Professions Education, University of Illinois, 2004
- Fellowship, Pediatric and Adult Rheumatology, University of Michigan, 1994
- Chief Resident, Internal Medicine, Albany Medical College, 1991
- Combined Medicine-Pediatrics Residency, Albany Medical College, 1990
- M.D., Albany Medical College, 1986
Hilary Haftel, M.D., M.H.P.E. is the Pediatric Program Director and Associate Chair for Pediatric Education after serving as an assistant/associate program director for 11 years. Dr. Haftel received a master's degree in Health Professions Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2004. She directed the Communication Skills and Professionalism program at the University of Michigan Medical School from 2003 to 2007. Dr. Haftel has served on numerous Medical School and national comittees for undergraduate and graduate medical education. Her research interests include the quality of clinical education, performance assessment, medical decision-making, and autonomy in changing medical climate.
Stephen M. Park, M.D.
- Associate Program Director 1999 - Present
- Director of Community and International Health Programs 1999 - Present
- Director of Continuity Clinic Program, 1999 - Present
- Medical Education Scholars Program, University of Michigan, 1999
- Chief Resident, University of Michigan, 1997
- Residency, University of Michigan, 1996
- M.D., Baylor College of Medicine, 1993
Stephen Park, M.D. serves as Associate Program Director and directs our community and international health programs. Dr. Park designed our innovative and comprehensive continuity clinic curriculum and has been instrumental in designing and implementing level-specific assessments, which are used to provide residents with preceptor feedback on common clinic scenarios. He has developed and oversees International health experience for residents in Central America and Africa and is involved with global health initiatives across the health system.
Dr. Park completed the Medical Education Scholars Program in 1999. He serves on numerous student and resident committees. Park’s research interests include resident education and faculty development in primary and community-based health care, evidence-based practice and physician-family communication.
Michael Lukela, M.D.
- Program Director for Medicine-Pediatrics Program, 2007 - Present
- Associate Director for Medicine-Pediatrics Program, 2004 - 2007
- Assistant Director for Medicine-Pediatrics Program, 2003
- Medical Education Scholars Program, 2005
- Chief Resident, Pediatrics, University of Michigan, 2003
- Chief Resident, Internal Medicine-Pediatrics, University of Michigan, 2002
- Combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency, University of Michigan, 2002
- M.D., Harvard Medical School, 1998
Michael Lukela, M.D. serves as program director for our combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program. He has been instrumental in assisting in the development of our Mock Code Program, which is also now being used to assess senior leadership skills. Most recently, he led our Patient Safety curriculum development.
Dr. Lukela completed the Medical Education Scholars Program at the University of Michigan in 2005. He is an active member of the AAP and the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine. Lukela also is an instructor in the Clinical Educator Program and director of the M2 Clinical Comprehensive Assessment. His research interests include patient safety and resident/medical student education.
Namita Sachdev, M.D.
- Associate Director for the Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Program
- Chief Resident, Pediatrics, University of Michigan, 1994
- Combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency, University of Michigan, 1993
- M.D., University of Michigan, 1989
Namita Sachdev, M.D. received her Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1985. She graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1989 and completed her residency training in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at U-M in 1993. She served as a chief resident in the Department of Pediatrics prior to joining the faculty at UM.
During her tenure at U-M she has been actively involved in the residency training program and led the efforts of to develop more effective assessment tools in the ambulatory setting. She is also a member of the M2 Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (CCA) committee and faculty mentor in the Clinician Educator Program at our medical school.
Dr. Sachdev’s areas of clinical interest are infectious diseases and preventative medicines.
R. Alexander Blackwood, M.D., Ph.D.
- Assistant Director for Pediatric Education, 2006 - Present
- Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Rosalind Russell Arthritis Research Laboratory, 1990
- Fellowship, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of California San Francisco, 1990
- Pediatrics Residency, University of California - San Francisco, 1986
- M.D., Ph.D., Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1983
Alex Blackwood, M.D., Ph.D. is Assistant Director and leads our resident research and mentorship programs. Blackwood has been our educational lead for our infectious diseases division since 1998. He serves on the Resident Selection and Promotions Committee as well as the Advisory Board for the M.D./Ph.D. program. He is a member of the University of Michigan Medical School Admissions Committee and is Vice Chair of the Institutional Review Board. In addition, he has co-authored our Otitis Media and Pharyngitis Clinical Guidelines and is a member of the Faculty Scholar’s Program in Integrative Healthcare. Recognized as an outstanding educator and mentor, Blackwood has received several teaching and mentor awards.
Heather Burrows, M.D., Ph.D.
- Assistant Director of Pediatric Education, 2009 - Present
- Associate Director of Education, Division of General Pediatrics, 2009-Present
- Pediatrics Residency, University of Michigan, 2003
- M.D., Ph.D., University of Michigan, 2000
Heather Burrows, M.D., Ph.D. serves as Assistant Director of Pediatric Education and is the Continuity Clinic Director for our program. She practices at our East Ann Arbor General Pediatrics site, where she supervises residents and students. She has implemented a monthly primary care morning report series as well as a telemedicine experience for our residents. She is involved in resident quality improvement education and serves as a mentor for the resident outpatient QI group. Her interests include quality improvement and patient education.
Adrienne T. Musci, M.D., M.S.W.
- Assistant Director of Pediatric Education, 2007 - Present
- Pediatrics Residency, University of Michigan, 1993
- M.D., Georgetown University, 1990
- M.S.W., New York University, 1983
Adrienne Musci, M.D., M.S.W. serves as Assistant Director of Pediatric Education. Dr. Musci is a 1993 graduate of our Pediatric Residency Program and practices at our East Ann Arbor General Pediatrics site, where she has supervised residents and students for the past 13 years. Dr. Musci has sat on the Residency Recruiting Committee and the Resident Advisory Committee since 1997. She has always been identified as an excellent teacher and mentor and was awarded Outstanding Educator of the Year in the Division of General Pediatrics in 2006.
Dr. Musci will be heavily involved in resident recruiting as well as working with the residency program curriculum from general inpatient and outpatient perspectives.
John P. Schmidt, M.D.
- Assistant Director of Pediatric Education, 2007 - Present
- Combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency, University of Michigan, 2002
- M.D., University of Michigan, 1998
John Schmidt, M.D. serves as Assistant Director of Pediatric Education. Dr. Schmidt is a 2002 graduate of our Combined Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program. He currently serves as Educational Lead for General inpatient Pediatrics and the Associate Director of the Hospitalist program. Dr. Schmidt has won numerous accolades for his teaching ability, including the Senior Award (presented by the graduating medical school class) six times in the last seven years. Dr. Schmidt has been instrumental in facilitating the use of the computerized medical record and improving inpatient rounding.
Dr. Schmidt will be heavily involved in resident recruiting as well as working with the residency program curriculum from general inpatient and outpatient perspectives.
