Dr. Aleksander Downs Receives Aspirus OME Collaboration Award

For the 7th year, the Office of Medical Education (OME) is recognizing the collaboration and contributions made by Aspirus Physicians and Advanced Practice Clinicians (APCs) as clinical teachers for medical students and advanced practice clinician students. These Physicians and APCs recognize the importance of training up the next generation of medical professionals and embody the Mission, Vision, and Values of Aspirus. 

 

This year’s Collaboration Award goes to Dr. Aleksander Downs, a hospitalist with Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital. 

 

As a clinical teacher, Dr. Downs uses student, academic, or clinical partnership to advance Aspirus academic clinical medicine. 

 

One medical student said, “I rotated with Dr. Downs multiple times over the course of my clerkship year. Each experience that I had while rotating with him reminded me of the WHY behind medicine. He sought out opportunities to challenge me and teach me with complex cases that were admitted to the hospital, while supporting me and helping me learn the process for hospital medicine throughout my time with him. He took time each week to provide feedback both on my note writing, as well as my history taking and clinical skills, while giving me ample time to ask questions and learn from him. He made sure that I was exposed to everything that I had the opportunity to be exposed to while I rotated with him, including RRTs and codes, as well as helping manage acute complications. Dr. Downs was eager to teach every day, and he was always willing to slow down and show me something unique or new for a patient. He asked me questions that whether or not I knew the answers to that we would work through together to advance my learning and education as a future physician. He also demonstrated collaboration, not just with students that were rotating through, but with other healthcare professionals. He demonstrated the power that a team can have in healthcare. Overall, Dr. Downs is immensely compassionate and is a phenomenal educator for medical students. He shows compassion for patients, and he is always finding new ways to teach and strengthen medical education.”