Dr. Sawarynski received her Cancer Biology PhD from Wayne State University School of Medicine and Karmanos Cancer Institute. Dr. Sawarynski is an Associate Professor of Foundational Medical Studies at Oakland University William Beaumont (OUWB) with a focus on Medical Education and Cell Biology. Since 2015, Dr. Sawarynski has served as an Embark Program Co-Director which includes development of the longitudinal research design courses and program milestone events, and advising the medical student body in the conception and execution of their required independent research projects. Along with her faculty role, Dr. Sawarynski is the Assistant Dean for Accreditation and Continuous Quality Improvement and is working with medical educators across the continuum to evolve the curriculum to meet the needs of today’s medical student. Dr. Sawarynski’s current research is focused on medical student wellness, improving research design instruction, and developing educational scaffolds to support GenZ students. She is a national AAMC Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) certificate program graduate, an OUWB Diversity Champion graduate and has completed Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead training certificate program. Dr. Sawarynski is passionate about creating an environment in which all students and faculty can thrive.