Michael Nolan receives Master Teacher Award from international professional organization
Michael Nolan, a professor of basic science at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, has received the 2014 Master Teacher Award from the International Association of Medical Science Educators.
The annual award is presented to an association member who, over the course of many years, has consistently demonstrated extraordinary excellence in teaching both at his or her institutions and within the association.
Before joining the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine in 2009, Nolan was on the faculty at the University of South Florida for 34 years, rising from the rank of instructor to professor emeritus. While there, he developed and taught a formal clinical neuroanatomy course for the school’s residency programs in neurology and neurosurgery.
Nolan has published four books and received numerous teaching awards at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. His early research centered around pain mechanisms and management by means of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, commonly known as TENS.
“Dr. Nolan has a relentless passion for ensuring that the teaching and learning of medical science is firmly grounded in basic sciences,” said Dr. Cynda Johnson, dean of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. “He brings a unique set of qualifications from both the academic and clinical sides.”
Nolan also serves as vice chair of the school’s Department of Basic Science.
With a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Marquette University, Nolan spent two years as a physical therapist in the U.S. Army. He earned his doctorate in neuroanatomy from the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Formed in 1997, the International Association of Medical Science Educators mission is to advance health professions education through teacher development and to ensure that the teaching and learning of medical science continues to be firmly grounded in foundational sciences and the best practices of teaching.
Written by Catherine Doss
