Behavioral Science

Carol Elam, Ed.D.

(1990, University of Kentucky)

Associate Dean for Admissions and Institutional Advancement
Director of Medical Education Research
Office of Medical Education
University of Kentucky College of Medicine
800 Rose Street, Room MN118 (UKCOM)
Lexington, KY 40536-0298
Phone: (859) 323-6161
FAX: (859) 257-3633

e-mail: clelam1@email.uky.edu

Research Description

Dr. Elam’s research interests focus on topics related to medical school admissions process including the efficacy of various selection criteria, medical school admission interviewing, and the relationship of various predictive factors to success in medical school. Recent work has been in the areas of diversity and pipeline initiatives, approaches to service learning, and characteristics of millennial students. Dr. Elam is also collaborating with other faculty in the Department of Behavioral Science in the conduct of studies on topics related to emotional intelligence as well as the development of social networks within a medical school class. Dr. Elam serves as the Associate Dean for Admissions and Institutional Advancement and the Director of Medical Education Research for the College of Medicine.

2012 Accomplishments

Dr. Carol Elam, Professor of Behavioral Science, serves as Associate Dean for Admissions and Institutional Advancement and Director of Medical Education Research. She is responsible for the coordination of the recruitment activities for prospective students, and the implementation of the admissions process at the College of Medicine. During 2012, Elam gave 10 platform talks and presented 4 posters at regional, national, and international meetings and chaired a poster session at the Association for Medical Education in Europe. She published 2 articles in peer reviewed journals. Elam served as an invited consultant to the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine on admissions practices. Elam serves as Immediate Past Chair of the Southern Group on Educational Affairs (SGEA) of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).  Dr. Elam was the Program Chair for the 2012 SGEA Conference hosted by the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington in April, 2012 that attracted over 300 participants from medical schools across the southern United States.  At the 2012 annual meeting of the Association of American Medical Colleges, Elam received the Merrel Flair Award in Medical Education that was presented by the Group on Medical Education. The award honors an individual who has made a major contribution over a significant time period to the process or administration or transmission of information regarding medical education in North America. Awardees are recognized by peers for their leadership role in the field of medical education as well as in the Group on Educational Affairs. Dr. Elam is the only individual to receive a life achievement award from both the Group on Educational Affairs and the Group on Student Affairs of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Dr. Elam’s research interests focus on topics related to medical school admissions process including the efficacy of various selection criteria, medical school admission interviewing, and the relationship of various predictive factors to success in medical school. Recent work has been in the areas of diversity and pipeline initiatives, approaches to service learning, and characteristics of millennial students. Dr. Elam serves as the Associate Dean for Admissions and Institutional Advancement and the Director of Medical Education Research for the College of Medicine. 

Representative Publications

Elam, C.L., Stratton, T.D., & Gibson, D.D. (2007). Welcoming a New Generation To College:  The Millennial Students., Journal of College Admission. 195 (Spring, 2007):  20-25.

Borges, N.R., Manuel, R.S., Elam, C.L., & Jones, B.J. (2006). Medical School Millennial Students: A Comparison with Generation Xers.  Academic Medicine. 81(6):571-576.

Elam, C. & Stratton, T.D. Should Medical School Applicants Be Tested For Emotional Intelligence?, Virtual Mentor, online ethics journal of the American Medical Association, 8(7):473-476. Available at http://www.amaassn.org/ama/pub/category/16382.html. Accessed July 26, 2006.

Elam, C., McKaig, R.N, Jacobs, B., Whitlow, M., & Gros Louis, K.R.R. (2006). Examining a Safe Ride Program: The Midnight Special Late Night Bus Service, NASPA Journal.43(2):358-376.

Elam, C., Sabalis, R.F., Levitan, T., Fields, V., & Schriner, J. (2006).  A Challenge for Medicine and for Society:  Responding to Changes in Physician Supply and Demand, The Advisor. 26(3):15-19.

Elam, C.L., Stratton, T.D., Wilson, J.F., Rudy, D.W., & Jennings, C.D. (2006).The Kentucky Medical Curriculum: Continuing Innovations in Educating Physicians. Journal of the Kentucky Medical Association.  104:145-150.

Elam, C., Oeltmann, T., & Workman, J. (2005). Crafting the Letter of Evaluation:   Composing a that Captures the Applicant as an Individual. The Advisor, 25(1):20-25.

Elam, C.L. & Brown, O.G. (2005). The Inclusive University: Helping Minority Students Choose a College and Identify Institutions that Value Diversity, Journal of College Admissions. 187:14-17.

Elam, C.L., Hafferty, F., Messmer, J, Blue, A. Flipse, A.R., Lazarus, C., Chauvin, S. (2004). Reflections of Medical Student Service Leaders: Implications for Medical School Admissions and Curriculum. Journal of Experiential Education, 26(3), 152-166.

Elam, C.L. (2004). Medical Education Research at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Academic Medicine,79(10), 1-5.

Elam, C.L., Sauer, M.J., Stratton, T.D., Skelton, J., Crocker, D., & Musick, D.W. (2003). Service Learning in the Medical Curriculum: Developing and Evaluating an Elective Experience, Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 15(3), 194-203.

Elam, C.L., Hamilton, K.E., Oyewole, S.H., & Johnson, L.M. (2003). Minorities In Medicine:  Nurturing Interest and Enhancing Opportunities to Pursue a Medical Degree, The Advisor, 23(3), 19—24.

Stratton, T.D, Elam, C.L., & McGrath, M.G. (2003). A Liberal Arts Education As Preparation for Medical School:  How is it Valued? How Do Graduates Perform? Academic Medicine, 78, 59S-61S.

Gilbert, L., & Elam, C. (2003). Fundamentals in Financial Aid: Factors For Consideration by Health Professions Advisors and their Premedical Students, The Advisor, 23(5),11-15.