Our Mission
The purpose of the Michael Adams MD Clinician Educator Track (MACE) is to provide a standardized curriculum for residents interested in Academic Medicine and a career as a clinical educator.
Interested Internal Medicine residents apply during their intern year and join the track during their PGY2 year, and Internal Medicine and Pediatrics residents apply during PGY2 to join as PGY3s. Residents will participate in a longitudinal two-year didactic curriculum during their clinic/elective blocks. Additionally, they will complete a capstone project related to a medical education topic of their choosing, develop close mentoring relationships with faculty, and engage in a community of educators during their didactic sessions. Lastly, participants will gain important firsthand teaching experience throughout the program and will rotate on a dedicated teaching elective.
The love of teaching is deeply built into the culture at Georgetown. The program is named in honor of Dr. Michael “Mike” Adams, Georgetown’s former Internal Medicine Program Director, who inspired countless medical students and residents at Georgetown through his energetic and compassionate teaching and leadership. Dr. Adams was truly a skilled clinical educator whose impact continues to live on at Georgetown.
Mission
To foster the development of residents as educators and leaders via didactics, hands-on teaching experiences, scholarship, and close mentorship in order to become confident and effective clinical educators.
Track Components
The Michael Adams Clinician Educator Track (MACE) has four components over two years of residency:
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Two-year longitudinal curriculum that includes didactic lectures, small group sessions, external lecturers, and journal clubs
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Clinical Teaching Experiences
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Leading Morning Report sessions, Chalk Talks, and a third-year teaching elective
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Capstone Project
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Faculty Mentorship
Resident/Alumni Testimonials
“MACE was instrumental in both my nascent sub-specialty of Hematology/Oncology as well as my core specialty of Internal Medicine. The skills I gathered from the program serve me on a daily basis with both learners and patients. I genuinely attribute the ability to convey difficult treatment plans as well as clinical pearls to many of the techniques we practiced throughout our MACE experience. I'm very thankful to have had this formative experience during my residency!”
Sam Kareff, MACE Class of 2021
“MACE was a wonderful experience that introduced me to the theory of graduate medical education and offered the opportunity to practice hands on teaching experiences. As part of the program, I worked on two projects with IRB exemption and was able to see various steps of the med-ed reach process through these two projects. Also, as part of the program I was able to develop and receive feedback on chalk-talks, a skill I use in my day-to-day clinical practice regularly. MACE has helped to facilitate my ongoing activity in medical education, which I hope to continue in various capacity throughout my burgeoning medical career. Finally, through MACE I made long-lasting relationships with mentors and my peer residents in the program! Overall MACE is a great experience and one of my favorite residency endeavors”
Kaitlyn Dykes, MACE Class of 2022
Capstone Project examples from recent years:
- Integrating social medicine into morning report
- Revitalizing the intern survival guide, a needs assessment
- Guiding student self-directed learning for the internal medicine shelf exam
- Rheumatology education for IM residents
- Palliative care education in residency
- Third year medical student perceptions of oral presentation skills
- Intern Management Curriculum
- A needs assessment for a procedure curriculum in the MGUH Internal Medicine Residency Program
- Third year medical student perceptions of oral presentation skills
- The value of Virtual education: Is virtual problem-based learning an effective method of teaching clinical reasoning to medical students?
Faculty
Virginia Malatack, MD
Director
Virginia.J.Malatack@medstar.net
Virginia Malatack is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University. She completed medical school at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha. Dr. Malatack has had the privilege of directing MACE since it started in 2019, and it remains one of her absolute favorite parts of her job. She has enjoyed watching both the residents and track grow. Dr. Malatack’s interests include professional development for students, residents, and colleagues, and medical care in life limiting illnesses. She is the medical director of the 2 North intermediate care unit, course director for the medical student clinical skills course, and she serves on the steering committee for inpatient hospice at Medstar Georgetown.
Stephanie Cardella, MD
Director
Stephanie.Cardella@gunet.georgetown.edu
A native of the DC area and Georgetown School of Medicine graduate (‘11), Stephanie Cardella is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University and Associate Program Director for Inpatient Medicine for the Internal Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Cardella was first introduced to the idea of “residents as teachers” during her internal medicine residency and chief residency at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. There she had the opportunity to participate in a teaching course led by master clinician educators as well as become a member of UNC’s Academy of Educators. Dr. Cardella has had the privilege of co-directing the MACE track since its inception and serves as director of the Argy Teaching Elective for the residents, through which all the MACE residents rotate during their third year. She also serves on the Clinical Competency Advisory Committee for the internal medicine residency. On the hospital side, Dr. Cardella is the medical director of the C41 medical/surgical unit at MedStar Georgetown. She is also co-lead of the MedStar Hospital Medicine Patient Experience Committee and is currently one of the MedStar Health Teaching Scholars in the 2025-2027 cohort.
Lydia Bunker, MD
Associate Director
Lydia.Bunker@gunet.georgetown.edu
Lydia Bunker is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University. A diehard Red Sox fan, she grew up in the Boston suburbs before completing her undergraduate studies at Harvard University. She then attended New York Medical College, where she served as student body president. Her first foray into the world of Medical Education was leading the Independent Student Analysis in preparation for the Liaison Committee of Medical Education’s site visit. She returned to Boston for Internal Medicine residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. There, she completed the longitudinal Clinician Educator Track and attended the Harvard Principles of Medical Education course. Following graduation, she worked as a hospitalist at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in Temple, Texas where she was a guest lecturer for the IM residents. She joined the Georgetown family in 2023 and is now thrilled to be an associate director of the MACE track. Additionally, she is a member of the Hospital Medicine procedure team and serves on the Clinical Competency Advisory Committee for the Internal Medicine residency program.
Cassandra Libbing, DO
Associate Director
Cassandra.L.Libbing@gunet.georgetown.edu
Cassie Libbing is an Indiana native and graduate of Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Drawn to Georgetown for its strong focus on medical education and diverse cultural setting, she completed her Internal Medicine residency training here in 2024. During residency, she participated in the MACE track and served as its chief resident in her PGY3 year. Her capstone project—a longitudinal survey assessing resident wellness—led to several program improvements, including the creation of a Wellness Committee that has grown from one to twelve members. She now advises the committee as faculty in her position as a Hospitalist at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Cassie also serves as a Clinical Competency Advisor and physician leader on the CAUTI Committee, contributing to hospital quality and safety initiatives. Outside of medicine, she enjoys staying active, exploring new restaurants, and traveling in search of the world’s best ice cream.