Believe it or not, people in healthcare and education are still feeling the effects of the pandemic. Burnout levels and disillusionment remain high, leading to sometimes-bleak outlooks on the future. But that’s not Meghan; she’s energized.

Her office—new as of July 2024—is connecting folks who don’t normally communicate with each other. “I am struck by the interconnectedness of all that we do,” she says. Her goal is to build community where it didn’t previously exist.

In addition to talking with faculty, staff, and students, Meghan spends her time learning all she can about education at the medical center, doing program research, and working on administrative project and curriculum development, among other tasks. One specific project involves the use of artificial intelligence, looking at everything from course design to detailed programmatic data analysis. The Office of Education, in partnership with the UR Health Lab, recently hosted a half-day hackathon for clinicians, data scientists, and other creative thinkers to consider implementation of AI tools in our education efforts.

“One thing I appreciate about the Boundless Possibility structure is that traditional boundaries must be crossed to achieve any aspect of the plan,” Meghan says. And she’s right. You can’t “expand and transform healthcare delivery, promote an inclusive culture, and build programs of excellence,” you can’t achieve healthcare of the highest order, by sticking to your own sandbox. She continues, “I love to unite people throughout the institution who might have great conversation. If new ideas or partnerships come out of those talks, that helps move us closer to achieving our shared goals.”