Heritage College educator joins prestigious Courage to Teach society

Sharon Casapulla, Ed.D., M.P.H., has been inducted into Courage to Teach, a prestigious teaching honorary society that recognizes medical educators who demonstrate profound humanism in medicine as they educate students.  

“It is an honor to be recognized as an educator. I come from a long line of teachers, and I hold educators in very high regard. This nomination to the CTT by colleagues I value and appreciate is deeply meaningful both personally and professionally,” said Casapulla, the director of education and research in the Office of Rural and Underserved Programs. "It's so rewarding to get to do what I love every day with amazing students and colleagues." 

The Courage to Teach board works to recognize outstanding medical educators who consistently demonstrate humanism in their approach to working with students. The Courage to Teach Medical Education Community was founded by Wiley Souba, M.D., former dean of the Ohio State University College of Medicine, in collaboration with Linda Stone, M.D.  

Casapulla was nominated by several Heritage College colleagues who are currently members of Courage to Teach, including Scott Rogers, M.D., associate dean for clinical education and co-chair of the Courage to Teach board. He says Casapulla has demonstrated a clear commitment to students throughout the four-year undergraduate medical education journey, including creating a coaching program with the Rural and Urban Scholars Pathways students, collaborating with faculty in leading the Open Book elective and creating an inclusive space for reflection in her Clinical Jazz sessions.  

In Casapulla’s classroom, students can take charge of their own learning and engage at various levels that they see fit. Casapulla says her approach to learning closely aligns with coaching.  

“I believe that I bring my authentic self to my teaching, and I try to encourage and facilitate others to do the same thing. I believe that reflection is a key component of learning, so I try to integrate reflection into any of the learning opportunities that I create,” said Casapulla.  

In the nomination, Rogers wrote, "Dr. Casapulla recognizes that meeting students where their needs arise is not a 9-5 activity. She regularly engages with students through evenings, weekends, and whenever there might be an opportunity to connect. She is a fierce champion of scholarly work (her publication list is impressive and long, but MOST impressively, the work she does consistently includes students). She also works tirelessly for marginalized and under-resourced communities, role modeling the ways a professional educator can impact beyond the walls of the academic environment."

Working as an educator at a medical college is rewarding and unique, said Casapulla. Teaching in this environment allows educators an opportunity to develop relationships with students over four years, instead of just working with them for a semester.  

What Casapulla values most about being an educator is growing these relationships with students. She says it is rewarding getting to know the students, watching them grow along their journey and develop into professionals. 

In addition to her work with RUSP, Casapulla has been instrumental in bringing narrative medicine to the Heritage College. She is a leader and co-developer of the Open Book Project, a narrative medicine elective offered at the college. Students who participate in the elective, examine a piece of narrative work, ranging from paintings to song lyrics to short stories, and then engage in the practices of narrative medicine including close reading, radical listening and reflective writing.

Katy Kropf, D.O., assistant clinical professor with the Heritage College, wrote in the nomination, "Her efforts create formative learning and research opportunities and the service learning programs she coordinates benefit both medical students as well as the communities she works in. I have worked with Dr.. Casapulla on several projects to educate ourselves and our students about the effects of racism on medical students and to honor the stories and experiences students face in the day-to-day lives. This work is critical and timely, and she is courageous to speak up about these issues."

In the nomination, Robin Newburn, D.O., assistant clinical professor, described Casapulla as "highly creative, a great listener, and very supportive of both students and colleagues. She is also an advocate and ambassador for inclusion and social justice and always finds ways to include these topics in activities through RUSP and the Open Book Project."

Casapulla joins other previously inducted Heritage College educators in the Courage to Teach Medical Education Community including Newburn, Kropf,, Rogers and  Tracy Shaub, D.O., interim dean of the Athens campus.