Keynote Speakers
Laurah Turner, PhD
Associate Dean for Artificial Intelligence and Educational Informatics
Assistant Professor of Medical Education
Assistant Professor of Biostatistics, Health Informatics and Data Sciences
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Presentation: Applied Intelligence:
Integrating AI Technologies into Health Professions Education
Workshop: Building Your AI Teaching Toolkit: An Educator's Guide
Dr. Laurah Turner is the Associate Dean for Artificial Intelligence and Educational Informatics and an Assistant Professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She is also the founder and director of 2-Sigma Labs. Her research applies AI and statistical methods to improve medical education, refine assessments, and address training disparities. She leads projects on AI coaching, personalized learning, and automated curriculum mapping.
Dr. Turner serves on the AAMC Technical Advisory Committee on AI in Admissions and Selection and has received grants from the AMA, APCCMPD, CHEST, and ATS. She holds a PhD in Biological Anthropology from Indiana University, with expertise in statistics and human behavior. Her work focuses on integrating AI into medical education ethically, ensuring accessibility, innovation, and the preservation of essential human elements in physician training.
Cornelius A. James, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Learning Heath Sciences
Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine
Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
University of Michigan Medical School
Presentation: Charting the Future: Equipping Health Care Professionals for the AI Revolution in Clinical Practice
Dr. James is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Learning Health Sciences at the University of Michigan (U-M). He is both a general internist and pediatrician practicing primary care. Dr. James has held various educational roles, including director of U-M’s evidence-based medicine curriculum and Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program. He serves on several committees, including the U-M Clinical Intelligence Committee and the International Advisory Committee for Artificial Intelligence.
In 2022, Dr. James received the Kaiser Permanente Excellence in Teaching award. He holds the James O. Woolliscroft, MD Endowment Award in Humane Patient Care. Dr. James’ research focuses on enhancing clinical reasoning with AI and equitable digital health implementation. His work has been published in top medical journals such as JAMA and Academic Medicine.
Thomas Thesen, PhD
Associate Professor of Medical Education, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Adjunct Associate Professor of Computer Science, Dartmouth College
Affiliate Faculty member at the Center for Technology & Behavioral Health, Dartmouth College
Visiting Scientist at the Brain & Mind Institute, Aga Khan University in Kenya
Presentation: Generative AI for Precision Clinical Skills Education:
Opportunities and Challenges
Workshop: What do clinicians need to know about AI & Digital Health
Dr. Thomas Thesen is an Associate Professor of Medical Education at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine and directs the Neuroscience-Informed Learning & Education (NILE) Lab. With a Ph.D. from Oxford and a postdoc at UC San Diego, he previously led a brain imaging lab at NYU and helped launch a medical school in Texas. His research focuses on neuroscience-based learning, AI, and digital health to optimize medical education. Funded by NIH, NSF, and others, his work personalizes training to improve outcomes and well-being. He directs key courses at Dartmouth, integrating AI into medical learning. A recognized educator, he has received multiple teaching awards. His expertise bridges neuroscience, education, and technology to advance medical training.