Dr. Joan E. St. Onge is a clinical educator, professor of clinical medicine, and the senior associate dean for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. Throughout her career as a faculty member, she has been active in medical education, within departments of medicine and at the institutional level. Until recently, her primary area of work has been in graduate medical education (GME), including improving clinical skills, developing and evaluating new methods and settings in medical education, expanding the physician workforce, and addressing the well-being of physicians. She has had a continuous focus on professional development of residents and faculty members, and in creating learning and working environments that allow all to reach their full potential and engage in work that is meaningful, innovative, and highly beneficial to those they serve.

In her dual role of designated institutional official at the University of Miami/Jackson Health System and senior associate dean for GME, Dr. St. Onge was responsible for the accreditation of one of the nation’s largest ACGME-accredited Sponsoring Institutions. In this role, she developed and led programs focused on physician well-being and expanding the diversity of the residents/fellows and faculty members. As DIO, she developed Multispecialty Learning Communities to enhance belonging and wellness for first-year residents and instituted policies aimed at improving the well-being of our learners. In Florida, her leadership roles allow me to advocate at the state level for expansion of GME, and revision of medical licensure language that hinders the well-being of physicians. These roles include co-chairing the GME Working Group of the Council of Florida Medical School Deans and serving as the former vice chair of the Florida Physician Workforce Advisory Council. At the national level, she was a member of the steering committee of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Resident Affairs, and served as chair of that steering committee in 2022-2023. During that time, her focus was on addressing current issues in GME, such as developing a more inclusive environment for diverse residents, highlighting the need for enhanced education and training in the care of patients with disabilities, and navigating these issues amid a changing legal environment.

Since adding the role of senior associate dean for Faculty Affairs, Dr. St. Onge’s work focuses on supporting the career development for all faculty members at the Miller School. With the Dean, she leads the medical school’s culture change initiative (C-Change) and guide the initiatives aimed at promoting mentorship and vitality among the members of the faculty. She instituted a monthly faculty development workshop to enhance teaching skills and professional development and has worked with senior leadership to address gender equity in salary for the clinical faculty members. In July 2020, she co-chaired the Faculty Affairs Subcommittee of the Dean’s Racial Justice Task Force, which developed recommendations for expanding diversity in recruitment, retention, and creating an improved sense of belonging for Black faculty members.

On a national level, Dr. St. Onge has been a member of the National Board of Medical Examiners USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge Interdisciplinary Review Committee, the Women’s Health Task Force, and the Standard Setting Panel for the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills exam. She has also served on the AAMC Advisory Committee to the Foundational Competencies Project, the AAMC Medical Student Performance Evaluation Effectiveness Practices Working Group, and the AAMC CLASS subcommittee studying the clinical skills expected for future physicians in the transition from residency to independent practice.