Name
The MCW Practical Wisdom Pathway: A Human-Centered Approach to Accessing
and Deepening Complex Problem Solving and Character Strength Formation in
Medical Student Learning Communities
Date & Time
Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 10:38 AM - 10:53 AM
Location Name
Oglethorpe F
Speakers
Authors
Julia A Schmitt, Medical College of Wisconsin
Presentation Topic(s)
Technology and Innovation
Description
PURPOSE
Our purpose is to equip future physicians with a novel approach to
character strength development and practical wisdom, enabling them to
navigate complex ethical challenges and adapt to the dynamic demands of
clinical practice. The MCW Practical Wisdom Pathway addresses the urgent need
for strategies to promote physician well-being and flourishing through
meaning and purpose, by relying on and developing character strengths for
clinical reasoning and the other complex scenarios in medicine.
METHODS
Developed through iterative, human-centered design methods and literature
reviews, the MCW Practical Wisdom Pathway is a deliberation and reflection
model developed in 2024 and introduced into the curriculum in 2025 to all
Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) medical students. It guides them through
five distinct steps of problem solving in complex scenarios: 1.)
acknowledging one’s reactions, 2.) setting a caring aim, 3.) gathering
diverse perspectives, 4.) formulating a plan, executing, and 5.) character
reflection and iteration. Integrated into their ethics course and learning
communities, the Pathway is accompanied by custom visual tools on character
strengths and an integrated model that illustrates the interplay between
character strengths, practical wisdom, and flourishing.
RESULTS
Our research and faculty/student feedback affirmed the Pathway's
usefulness, including the visual aids we provided them. There was also a desire
for more content on character strengths and their use in complex ethical
cases. Students engaged meaningfully, adeptly identifying character
strengths, articulating caring aims, and exploring diverse viewpoints.
CONCLUSION
The Pathway offers a structured methodology for cultivating practical
wisdom from implicit understanding to explicit action. Future modules will
deepen engagement with character strengths in each step of the Pathway. This
adaptable and replicable model provides a timely framework for other medical
educators to foster character development, ultimately contributing to the
flourishing of future physicians and the broader medical community.
Our purpose is to equip future physicians with a novel approach to
character strength development and practical wisdom, enabling them to
navigate complex ethical challenges and adapt to the dynamic demands of
clinical practice. The MCW Practical Wisdom Pathway addresses the urgent need
for strategies to promote physician well-being and flourishing through
meaning and purpose, by relying on and developing character strengths for
clinical reasoning and the other complex scenarios in medicine.
METHODS
Developed through iterative, human-centered design methods and literature
reviews, the MCW Practical Wisdom Pathway is a deliberation and reflection
model developed in 2024 and introduced into the curriculum in 2025 to all
Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) medical students. It guides them through
five distinct steps of problem solving in complex scenarios: 1.)
acknowledging one’s reactions, 2.) setting a caring aim, 3.) gathering
diverse perspectives, 4.) formulating a plan, executing, and 5.) character
reflection and iteration. Integrated into their ethics course and learning
communities, the Pathway is accompanied by custom visual tools on character
strengths and an integrated model that illustrates the interplay between
character strengths, practical wisdom, and flourishing.
RESULTS
Our research and faculty/student feedback affirmed the Pathway's
usefulness, including the visual aids we provided them. There was also a desire
for more content on character strengths and their use in complex ethical
cases. Students engaged meaningfully, adeptly identifying character
strengths, articulating caring aims, and exploring diverse viewpoints.
CONCLUSION
The Pathway offers a structured methodology for cultivating practical
wisdom from implicit understanding to explicit action. Future modules will
deepen engagement with character strengths in each step of the Pathway. This
adaptable and replicable model provides a timely framework for other medical
educators to foster character development, ultimately contributing to the
flourishing of future physicians and the broader medical community.