Maura E. Sullivan, PhD

Professor of Clinical Surgery (Educational Scholar)

Vice Chair of Education

Image of Maura E. Sullivan, PhD
Is this your profile? Click to edit

Overview

Dr. Maura Sullivan is a Professor of Clinical Surgery (Educational Scholar) at the University of Southern California. She is the Associate Dean for Simulation Education in the Keck School of Medicine, The Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Surgery and the Executive Director for the Surgical Simulation and Education Center. She has a joint appointment in the Rossier School of Education where she is a Professor and a Senior Research Associate. Her research and academic interests include Cognitive-Task-Analysis, the development of expertise, technical skills training, faculty development and curriculum development.

Dr. Sullivan obtained her undergraduate degree in nursing from Fairfield University, her Master of Science in nursing/critical care from the University of California, San Francisco, and her PhD in Educational Psychology from the Rossier School of Education at USC. She is actively involved in the Association of Surgical Education and is the Director of the Surgical Education Research Fellowship, a member of the Board of Directors and a member of the grants review committee, Center for Excellence in Surgical Education, Research and Training (CESERT). She holds an appointment with the American College of Surgeons as an ATLS Educator, is the Co-Editor-In Chief for the Resources in Surgical Education peer review online journal, is a member of the leadership team for the development of an online assessment tool to measure readiness on incoming PGY 1 residents to assume clinical duties and is the Course Director for the Surgeons As Educators Course. In addition, she is a faculty member for the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology (APGO) Academic Scholars and Leaders Program.

Publications

  • The Joint Council on Thoracic Surgery Education (JCTSE) “Educate the Educators” Faculty Development Course: Analysis of the First 5 Years. Ann Thorac Surg. 2016 Dec; 102(6):2127-2132.. View in PubMed
  • Pressurized Cadaver Model in Cardiothoracic Surgical Simulation. Ann Thorac Surg. 2015 Sep; 100(3):1118-20.. View in PubMed
  • Expanding simulation-based education through institution-wide initiatives: A blueprint for success. Surgery. 2015 Nov; 158(5):1403-7.. View in PubMed
  • Workplace bullying of general surgery residents by nurses. J Surg Educ. 2014 Nov-Dec; 71(6):e149-54.. View in PubMed
  • The use of cognitive task analysis to reveal the instructional limitations of experts in the teaching of procedural skills. Acad Med. 2014 May; 89(5):811-6.. View in PubMed
  • Development and verification of a taxonomy of assessment metrics for surgical technical skills. Acad Med. 2014 Jan; 89(1):153-61.. View in PubMed
  • A framework for professionalism in surgery: what is important to medical students? Am J Surg. 2014 Feb; 207(2):255-9. Sullivan ME , Trial J, Baker C , Inaba K , Etcheverry J, Nally M, Crookes P . View in PubMed
  • Teaching behaviors in the cardiac surgery simulation environment. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2013 Jan; 145(1):45-53.. View in PubMed
  • Development of a cardiac surgery simulation curriculum: from needs assessment results to practical implementation. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2012 Jul; 144(1):7-16.. View in PubMed
  • Multi-decadal drought and amplified moisture variability drove rapid forest community change in a humid region. Ecology. 2012 Feb; 93(2):219-26.. View in PubMed