Ezra Schwartz | Master of Medical Sciences in Medical Education

From a young age, second-year Master of Medical Sciences in Medical Education student Ezra Schwartz, MD, CM, MMSc, knew that teaching would be a focal point in his life. “The first job I ever had was as a ski instructor. It was the first time I had a teaching role, and I fell in love with it. I enjoyed being able to share something that excited me with others.” While pursuing his bachelor’s degree in biology from Tufts University, Schwartz had the opportunity to develop and teach a full course. “That was my first formal teaching experience… and it was amazing.”

After graduating from Tufts, Schwartz returned to Montreal, where he taught math and science to students at all levels. This experience helped Schwartz develop the skills he needed to break down concepts and communicate efficiently with his students. “That [experience] really paid off when I went to medical school,” he says.

During his gap year, Schwartz attended Columbia University and got his first master’s degree in narrative medicine. Here, he had ample opportunity to teach workshops he would later take to McGill University, where he attended medical school. “I taught narrative medicine workshops at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts on visual attention to detail and mindful presence in clinical encounters… It’s much easier to explore bias outside of a clinical environment, learn skills, and transfer them back to a clinical environment.” This commitment to teaching and innovative pedagogical methods laid the groundwork for his eventual transition into medical education.

After graduating from medical school in 2022, Schwartz prepared for a vascular surgery residency, a highly competitive field. “In Canada, there are nine programs for ten spots in the country,” he says. “Understanding that I needed to have a backup plan… I applied to the master of medical education programs, knowing that I wanted to pursue this after residency… If I didn't get [into residency], I would do this before.”

Schwartz had strict requirements for his master’s degree experience. He sought a rigorous two-year program with a strong research component—a criterion met by the HMS Master of Medical Sciences in Medical Education program’s rigorous curriculum and thesis requirement. More than that, Schwartz was looking for a school with a good reputation.

“Harvard Medical School has a wonderful reputation,” he says. “It is a leader in medical education research and pioneering new kinds of medical education.” Compared to other programs that Schwartz looked into, HMS does not rest on its laurels. “Harvard understands that you have to continue to pioneer,” he says, “to push the field such that you retain those laurels because otherwise, you’re resting on the past rather than building in the present or looking to the future.”

The Master of Medical Sciences in Medical Education is unique compared to most master’s programs at Harvard because it is fully remote. “It was important to me to find a program that allowed global participation,” Schwartz says, noting that the online program increases accessibility for students who might not otherwise be able to leave their homes, work, and families for a two-year stay in Boston.

Now, in his final semester, Schwartz notes that one of the best things afforded by Harvard’s name is the opportunity to network. “My Harvard email… has put me in touch with people who are now my mentors and sponsors in vascular surgery, surgery, and surgical education within medical education.”

These connections have supported his thesis project, “Evaluating a National Online Vascular Surgery Curriculum for Medical Students Through Design-Based Research: A Stakeholder Usability Analysis.” Inspired by his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, Schwartz seeks to explore innovative teaching methods leveraging technology to enhance accessibility and engagement in vascular surgery education.

Schwartz says of his project, “My mission is to harness technology to increase accessibility to vascular surgery education at the patient level, medical student level, trainee level, and continuing medical education level.” Through rigorous research and collaboration with mentors like Traci Wolbrink, MD, MPH, Schwartz has been able to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel online curriculum in real-world learning environments.

With only a few months until graduation, Schwartz notes that one of the biggest surprises has been his classmates. “They are incredibly bright and motivated,” he says. “We challenge each other, but we have a culture of safety, respect, and mutual curiosity… that’s all in service toward our learning.” For him, these are relationships that will last a lifetime. “I will graduate with research allies and partners that I trust.”

For those interested in the Master of Medical Science in Medical Education’s full-time program, Schwartz emphasizes the importance of entering the program with research ideas and a clear direction for the thesis project. “Come into the program with research ideas because starting in late October, you already need to prepare for your thesis,” he advises. “The thesis timeline is much more contracted than one would think.”

Schwartz encourages those who can to look into the program’s part-time program, which extends over three years instead of two. “[The part-time option] gives you more time to complete your project… It’s very hard to do a medical education project in a short amount of time, actually, depending on what you’re doing.”

Whatever path students choose, their experience is fully supported by a diverse team of faculty and mentors from across Harvard. Schwartz’s journey and commitment to medical education will undoubtedly push him to develop innovative pedagogical methods in residency and beyond.

Written by Bailey Merlin