Teaching
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At the age of 19, I began working as a Summer Laboratory Instructor at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine's Youth Summer Program. In this full-time position, I taught topics in physiology, molecular biology, pharmacology, and toxicology to a diverse cohort of students from across Canada and around the world. The program enrols approximately 100-120 students per week for four weekly modules. Many of my students later applied to undergraduate STEM programs, with some applying to medical school more recently.
In 2023, I returned as a guest speaker to the program, where I gave an introductory talk on Public Health Epidemiology.
All students were invited to provide anonymous feedback through an online evaluation platform managed by the Division of Teaching Labs, here are a handful of the comments by students. Full evaluation reports are available upon request.
43 Total (~50% Class Response Rate). 27 are shown below:
very fun keep it up
He was very fun and engaging with the content being taught.
Thank you. you helped us out a lot
Konrad was also very great. He was very helpful and approachable. He tried to talk with every student and make jokes and have fun. He explained everything clearly as well.
Konrad has a great sense of humor which always brings laughter to the green team. He is really patient with our questions and he tries his best to explain all the concepts when doing the lab. He always tries to make everyone participate in the activities, and he shows great passion in instructing us as well as participating in some of the lab activities
Konrad was a super fun instructor. He would answer literally the most random questions he knew the answer to all of our questions, super knowledgeable. Even when we were doing our labs, he always helped us out we never really struggled either because he would always go step by step in detail. Overall both instructors were very easy-going and never really made us uncomfortable or pressured us. Konrad was super nice.
I really enjoyed how approachable he was and was very insightful about the topics, in which he constantly attempted to provide more information including things out of the module. He was easy to talk to and I did not find him to be much intimidating.
Konrad was very approachable and I felt comfortable asking him for help whenever I was unclear about something. He also told me about what to expect in university and I learned a lot of information I didn't know before from him and [staff name]. He took time to answer questions and told us interesting facts throughout our activities which made them even more fun. The only suggestion I would have would just be to speak a bit louder during pre-labs.
You were very passionate and helpful
always willing to help
Good luck with erasing the smart-board :) But, you were great!
Very kind and approachable
Konrad was also very good at explaining all and going through all the lectures. He is very kind and polite and funny. He tries is best to answer all our questions and to elaborate. He also made sure that everyone understood everything that happened during the lecture and apply it to the labs we did.
So engaging and always really energized for what we are learning that day. He is always looking for opportunities that allow us to learn more and puts in his best effort to explain the concepts. I love his energy and enthusiasm.
I enjoyed how you explained everything multiple times and was always willing to explain again and again. Ands you always made an effort to make sure that everyone understood.
Konrad was very approachable and enthusiastic in teaching and helping students.
I liked how you went around and asked us how we were doing and making sure we understood what was going on. You were super approachable too!
Going more in depth when explaining concepts to provide greater understanding of the bigger picture.
Extremely knowledgeable and interesting yet some topics were over explained! :)
Extremely knowledgeable and very passionate about his field. He did an amazing job with making sure that every person in the class knew everything about the labs. Keep doing great.
Konrad always gives really useful tips for different labs.
You were really great at elaborating on points and prepping us for the labs! Thanks for being so helpful all those times I needed it :))
Good job, guy
KEEP THE GOOD WORK
Answered questions and was knowledgeable in the area through prior preparations.
This week has been great! You are very knowledgeable and excited about the topics we covered which made this week more fun! Thank you so much and have a great rest of your summer!!
Super passionate about science, you could see it the way he explained things. Made him a super engaging advisor and also he had lots of knowledge and could answer any question. Thank you!
In 2021, following my research on patient reported outcome measures at the UofT School of Cities, I began coordinating a quality improvement program for students at the University of Toronto. This small volunteer-run program, founded in 2010, aimed to provide allied health students the opportunity to develop skills to improve health systems while working on real-life projects at local clinics. Back in 2010 when the program was first piloted, a lot of clinical quality improvement work was focused on patient safety. Despite the growing breadth of QI projects at local healthcare institutions (from integrating technologies into health systems to addressing care inequities), a thorough revision of the program had never been done. I made it my goal to revise the program and learn from my first year coordinating the student QI projects.
I reviewed and updated the intended learning outcomes for the program, focusing on four major domains:
(1) Healthcare Project Foundations: Working in interdisciplinary teams, performing background literature research, searching grey literature, stakeholder engagement, confidentiality and protection of information in healthcare projects
(2) Identifying Needs & Understanding Quality Improvement: qualitative research skills, defining quality within a healthcare context, applying empathy and process mapping.
(3) Leading Quality Improvement Work: Learn how to use PDSA cycles in a healthcare setting, learn how to use run charts, process maps, & cause-effect diagrams, learn how to define and select measures
(4) Communicating your Quality Improvement Work: Developing an understanding of SQUIRE guidelines, presentation and communication skills
Empowering patients, families, and staff with a framework to enhance escalation of care (UHN) - 2024
Implementation of on-Demand Interpreter Service (ODIS) in the Emergency Department (Sinai Health) - 2024
Evaluating the suicide risk assessment (the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale) and its impact on treatment interventions (Sinai Health) - 2024
Auditing and Improving Voyce Patient Interpretation Service (Michael Garron) - 2024
An Evaluation of Access Alliance's Social Work Program in Toronto (Access Alliance) - 2022
Improving Goals of Care Discussions and Documentation (CAMH - Geriatrics Unit) - 2022
Engaging Patients to Improve Follow-up at the Bridging Clinic (CAMH - Bridging Clinic) - 2022
Reducing The Number of Overdue Routine Childhood Vaccinations at a Primary Care Clinic (Golden Mile Primary Care Clinic) - 2022
Implementation of Measurement-Based Care (MBC) in Ambulatory Psychiatry: Preliminary Results from a Pilot Program (Sinai Health) - 2022
Teaching Certificates
In Progress: Advanced University Teaching Preparation (AUTP) Certificate, University of Toronto
2024: Graduate Trainee Interprofessional Educator Certificate Program, Centre for Advancing Collaborative Healthcare & Education (CACHE), University of Toronto
2023: Teaching Fundamentals (TF) Certificate, University of Toronto Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation
Contact Teaching
*2021-2022: Director of Practical Experience, Quality Improvement Practical Experience Program, University of Toronto Chapter of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Summer 2019: Laboratory Instructor. Medicine Youth Summer Program at the Division of Teaching Labs, University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine
Education Development
2022-2024: Curriculum and Project Advisor to the Quality Improvement Practical Experience Program, University of Toronto Chapter of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement
2022-2024: AI Critical Evaluation Skills in Post Graduate Medical Education, Temerty Center for AI in Medicine
2023-2024: Health Policy Mentorship Program for Allied Health Students, University of Toronto Chapter of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement
2023-2024: Epidemiology Curriculum Committee Member, Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Presentations, Public Events, and Workshops
*Samsel K (Panel Discussion Facilitator)., Igniting Healthcare’s Data Revolution: Responsibly Integrating AI. University of Toronto Chapter for the Institute of Healthcare Improvement. Toronto, ON, October 2023.
Samsel K (Moderator)., Adjudicated 3-Min Oral Abstract Presentations at the T-CAIREM AI in Medicine Conference, Temerty Centre for AI Research and Education in Medicine. Toronto, ON, October 2023
Samsel K, Tiwana A., Exploring the Field of Public Health Epidemiology. Medicine Youth Summer Program, Temerty Faculty of Medicine. Toronto, ON, August 2023
Samsel K (Discussion Facilitator), Roundtable Discussion with André Picard on “The Past, Present and (AI?) Future of Medicare in Canada”. Temerty Centre for AI Research and Education in Medicine. Toronto, ON, June 2023
*Samsel K Introduction to Scientific Research. Journal of Undergraduate Life Sciences. Toronto, ON, November 2021
*Samsel K. Understanding Health Outcome Measures: Global Perspectives and Key Considerations for Outcome-Driven Healthcare. School of Cities Urban Leadership Fellowship and Academy Symposium. Toronto, ON, June 2021
Samsel K. Caffeine Intake, CYP1A2 Genotype, and Male Reproductive Outcomes. Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto. Toronto ON, April 2020
(* Denotes virtual component, hybrid or fully online)