Joseph P. Grande, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine
Joseph P. Grande, MD, PhD, has been a pioneer in advancing the integration of basic and clinical science in medical education since joining the faculty of the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine in 1991.
From 1991 to 1997, Dr. Grande was core faculty for The Cell, one of the nation’s first integrated clinical and basic science courses. Since that time, he has continued to advance course integration, implementing differential diagnosis assignments to promote students’ clinical reasoning skills. Dr. Grande also developed and implemented a teaching assistant (TA) program for third-year medical students in the pathology course. In addition to providing students with clinical perspectives and mentorship, he encourages TAs to innovate, and they have with the creation of journal clubs, the development of longitudinal cases, and the implementation of a web-based course platform. Dr. Grande then works with the TAs to share their work in peer-reviewed journals, stimulating interest in medical education scholarship.
Students have recognized Dr. Grande many times for his unwavering support and commitment to creating a positive learning environment, naming him teacher of the year more than a dozen times. He is a highly sought-after mentor and has earned acclaim for supporting the research training of more than 70 learners, including high school students, medical and graduate students, medical residents, visiting clinicians, and research fellows.
His peers have also recognized Dr. Grande as an exceptional educator, honoring him with the Dean’s Recognition Award, Distinguished Educator Award, and Medical School Career Award, among others. From 2006 to 2013, Dr. Grande served as associate dean for academic affairs at the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, where he assisted in implementing a new curriculum that maximized student engagement and individualized learning opportunities.
Dr. Grande has influenced medical education nationally through his significant contributions as a prolific medical education scholar, reviewer for dozens of journals, a member of the editorial board of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, and, perhaps most notably, 24 years of service and counting on various committees of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). He has advised the NBME on Step 1 Committee and Pathology Test material development and recently completed two terms as a member of the NBME Executive Board.
Dr. Grande received his bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Notre Dame and his MD and PhD in pathology from the University of Chicago. He completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic and a postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Michigan. He has been a federally funded investigator since 1993 and continues efforts to understand and develop treatments for chronic renal disease, with a current focus on hypertension and diabetes.