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Verle E. Headings Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health and Department of Genetics and Human Genetics; Director of Graduate Studies, Genetics and Human Genetics; Director, M.D./Ph.D. Program College of Medicine "I consider Howard to be essentially unique among institutions of higher education for the high priority we place on valuing the richness of diverse ethnicities and cultures. I recall with much delight the heartfelt observation of one international student as we prepared to begin a class session. He looked around the classroom and declared 'This is great. This is like a mini - United Nations.'" Dr. Verle E. Headings comments that another aspect of his classrooms is diversity of size: "The number of students in my classrooms ranges between 120 medical students, 15 medical students, two to three graduate M.D./Ph.D. students, 10 to 12 graduate students, and one to two graduate students in advanced electives." He tailors his approach to the unique dynamics in each classroom - in small classes, students conduct library research and give presentations, and in larger classes, students write more short essays based on research literature. "In common to all is our focus on developing skills of conceptualizing the subject matter at hand." Dr. Headings views his students as co-learners and can often be found at the table outside of his office engaged in ad hoc review sessions with students. He genuinely respects them and is an active participant in the "journey of learning." A member of the College of Medicine faculty since 1969, Dr. Headings is a well-recognized professor and an expert in the field of medical genetics. He has received the Outstanding Faculty Research Award and the Distinguished Faculty Author Award, is a member of the Alpha Omega Honor Society, and was selected as one of 35 persons to deliberate at the Oxford Round table in March 2003. He has written numerous manuscripts on the subject of genetic counseling, disorders, and screening and has participated in the Rockefeller Study Residency in Bellagio, Italy.  |
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