Paulette Bernd, PhD

  • Professor of Pathology & Cell Biology at CUMC
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Overview

Dr. Paulette Bernd was recruited in 2008 as a Professor by Columbia’s Department of Pathology and Cell Biology to lead and transform the Gross Anatomy course and integrate it into the new curriculum. She has a long history with and affection for Columbia since earning her PhD here. Before leaving her prior position after 21 years at Downstate Medical Center, she was honored by the State University of New York as a Distinguished Teaching Professor for her innovative teaching and curriculum for gross anatomy at the medical school.

Since arriving at Columbia, Dr. Bernd has transformed the Gross Anatomy course, making it one of the most popular courses at the medical school. The new course stresses teamwork and problem based active learning, while focusing on integrating multimodal clinical imaging with anatomical dissection. The centerpiece of the course is a media rich interactive electronic dissection manual created by Dr. Bernd for the Columbia course; it includes student friendly instructions, step-wise images of real dissections, an integrated hypertext glossary and visual quizzes. The dissection manual was featured in the Wall Street Journal and our memorial service for the anatomical donors was featured in the New York Times.

Dr. Bernd has also introduced interactive computer modules for small group problem based clinical correlation sessions. These sessions utilize real cases that include patient videos and relevant imaging to highlight anatomical principles and objectives. She also added hands on ultrasound training to reinforce, three-dimensional imaging, the anatomical structures and relationships in a live patient.

The Gross Anatomy student experience has improved by orders of magnitude in the new Vagelos Education Center. Dr. Bernd was a key member of the design team and personally oversaw the design and outfitting of the high tech and state-of-the-art anatomy and surgical skills laboratories.

Dr. Bernd is an active member of the American Association of Anatomists and co-hosted its 2016 regional meeting in New York at Columbia University. She is also a member of the Anatomical Committee of the Associated Medical Schools of New York and the American Association of Clinical Anatomists.

Dr. Bernd earned an undergraduate degree in Biology from Colgate University and a Ph.D. in Anatomy and Cell Biology from Columbia University. Dr. Bernd has researched the role of neurotrophins during development for over twenty years, publishing more than 30 peer-reviewed papers and contributing chapters to five books. She has mentored five doctoral students.

Email: pb106@cumc.columbia.edu

Academic Appointments

  • Professor of Pathology & Cell Biology at CUMC

Administrative Titles

  • Course Director, Clinical Gross Anatomy
  • Director, Anatomical Donor Program

Credentials & Experience

Education & Training

  • AB, 1975 Biology, Colgate University
  • PhD, 1980 Anatomy/Pharmacology, Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, NY

Committees, Societies, Councils

SOCIETIES:

  • American Association of Anatomists
  • American Association of Clinical Anatomists

 

COMMITTEES AT COLUMBIA:

  • 2008-present: Fundamentals Curriculum Committee
  • 2008-present: Fundamentals Directors and Support Committee
  • 2008-present: Fundamentals Faculty Committee
  • 2010-2016: Faculty Committee for the Design of the New Medical School Building
  • 2011-present: Professionalism Task Force
  • 2015-2016: Surgical Skills Center Planning Committee
  • 2016-2018: LCME Committee on Education
  • 2018-present: Faculty Council of Medicine

Honors & Awards

  • 2002-2003: Outstanding Educator of the Year of the Pre-Clinical Faculty (SUNY Downstate)
  • 2007: Distinguished Teaching Professorship (conferred by the SUNY Board of Trustees)
  • 2010: Distinguished Lecturer of the Year awarded by the P&S Class of 2013
  • 2011: Finalist, Columbia Presidential Teaching Award (school-wide)
  • 2013: Excellence in Medical Education Award; Best Short Communication in Pre-Clerkship Undergraduate Medical Education; Northeast Group of Educational Affairs (AAMC subgroup)
  • 2013: Admitted to the Virginia Apgar Academy of Medical Educators of Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons
  • 2015: Finalist, Columbia Presidential Teaching Award (school-wide)
  • 2016: Inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the national dental honor society, by the College of Dental Medicine
  • 2018: Charles W. Bohmfalk Award for Excellence in Teaching
  • 2019: Stanley Baum Outstanding Poster Award; Association of University Radiologists

Research

Selected Publications

MEDIA COVERAGE:

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

  • Wu, A., Xiao, Q.Y., McWatt, S., Utomo, R., Talis, A., Brassett, C., Sagoo, M.G, Wingate, R, Chien, C-L, Traxler, H., Waschke, J., Vielmuth, F., Yamada, Y., Sakurai, T., Zeroual, M., Olsen, J., El Batti, S., Viranta-Kovanen, S., Keay, K., Stewart, W., Kunzel, C., Bernd, P., Kielstein, H., Noel, G.P.J.C., The Anatomy Course During COVID-19: The Impact of Cadaver-Based Learning on the Initiation of Reflection on Death. Med. Sci. Educator. 2022, 32: 1033-1044; https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-022-01609-7
  • Wu, A., McWatt, S.C., Utomo, R., Talis, A., Xiao, Q.Y., Saraci, K., Brassett, C., Sagoo, M.G, Wingate, R, Chien, C-L, Traxler, H., Waschke, J., Vielmuth, F., Sigmund, A., Yamada, Y., Sakurai, T., Zeroual, M., Olsen, J., El Batti, S., Viranta-Kovanen, S., Keay, K., Stewart, W., Mao, Y., Lang, A., Kunzel, C., Bernd, P., Kielstein, H., Noel, G.P.J.C., A thematic analysis of students’ discussions on death and body donation in international online focus groups. Anat. Sci. Ed. 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.2265
  • Utomo, R., McWatt, S.C., Talis, A., Xiao, Q.Y., Saraci, K., Waschke, J., Sigmund, A., Sagoo, M.G, Wingate, Brassett, C., R, Chien, C-L, Traxler, H., Sakurai, T., Zeroual, M., Olsen, J., El Batti, S., Viranta-Kovanen, S., Yamada, Y., Keay, K., Kitahara, S., Stewart, W., Mao, Y., Lang, A., Kunzel, C., Bernd, P., Patel, S., Buehler, L., Kielstein, H., Preker, A., Hardy, M.A., Noel, G.P.J.C., Wu, A., Health profession students’ outlooks on the medical profession during the COVID-19 pandemic: a global perspective Journal of Communication in Healthcare: Strategies, Media and Engagement in Global Health; 2023, https://doi.org/10.1080/17538068.2023.2214391
  • Brumwell, C.L., Hossain, W.A., Morest, D.K., and Bernd, P.; Role for basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) in tyrosine kinase (TrkB) expression in the early development and innervation of the auditory receptor: in vitro and in situ studies; Exp. Neurol.; 2000; 162:121-145.
  • Bernd, P., Miles, K., Rozenberg, I., Borghjid, S. and Kirby, M.L; Neurotrophin-3 and TrkC are expressed in the outflow tract of the developing chicken heart; Dev. Dynam.; 2004; 230:767-772.
  • Bernd, P. and Jakway, J.; A simplified approach to teaching medical students ocular movements and the rationale in testing the oculomotor, trochlear and abducent nerves; Anat. Sci. Ed.; 2008; 1:126-129.
  • Aime, P., Sun,, X., Zareen, N., Rao, A., Berman, Z., Volpicelli-Daley, L., Bernd, P., Crary, J.F., Levy, O.A. and Greene, L.A.; Trib3 is elevated in Parkinson's disease and mediates death in Parkinson's disease models; J. Neurosci.; 2015; 29:10731-10749.
  • Wu, A., Kielstein, H., Sakurai, T., Noel, G., Viranta-Kovanen, S., Chien, C., and Bernd, P.; Internationalization of Medical Education - Building a Program to Prepare Future Leaders in Healthcare; Med. Sci. Educator; 2019; https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-019-00695-4
  • Gölkel C., Wu, A., Chiuzan C., Duong J., Bernd P., Kielstein H.; Early internationalization of students in a German medical school in the former GDR via the Clinical Anatomy course. Annals Anat.; 2019; 225:42-47; DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2019.03.004
  • Wu, A., Noel, G.P.J.C., Wingate, R., Kielstein, H., Sakurai, T., Viranta-Kovanen, S, Chien, C.L., Traxler, H., Waschke, J., Vielmuth, F., Sagoo, M.G., Kitahara, S., Kato, Y., Keay, K.A., Olsen, J., Bernd, P.; An International Partnership of 12 Anatomy Departments – Improving Global Health through Internationalization of Medical Education. Annals of Global Health; 2020, 86:27, 1-14; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.2665
  • Utukuri, P.S., Lefkowitch, J.H., Erde, S.M., Smithgall, M.C., Makkar, J., Weintraub, J.L., Bernd, P.; Student-Authored Autopsy Reports of Anatomical Donors, Their First Patients. Med. Sci. Educator. 2020; 30:1405-1411; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-020-01054-4
  • Wu, A., Singh, V.M.J., Sagoo, M-G, Chien, C-L, Wingate, R, Kielstein, H., Traxler, H., Brassett, C., Waschke, J., Vielmuth, F., Sakurai, T, Zeroual, M., Olsen, J., El Batti, S., Viranta-Kovanen, S., Kitahara, S., Keay, K., Kunzel, C., Bernd, P., Noel, G.P.J.C., An Observation of Healthcare Professions Students’ Perceptions during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Med. Sci. Educator. 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-021-01240-y
  • Wu, A., Yu, A.C.X, Chang, C.S., Goel, R., Sagoo, M-G, Sakurai, T., Viranta-Kovanen, S., Chien, C-L, Traxler, H., Waschke, J., Kitahara, S., Keay, K., Olsen, J., Brassett, C., El Batti, S., Vielmuth, F., Sigmund, A., Zeroual, M., Kunzel, C., Bernd, Wingate, R, Kielstein, H., Noel, G.P.J.C., Initiating Students’ Reflections on Life’s Passing in the Anatomy Course – An International Observation at 14 Universities. Ann. Anat. 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aanat.2021.151741
  • Wu, A., Maddula, V., Singh, J., Sagoo, M.G., Chien, C-L, Wingate, R., Kielstein, H., Traxler, H., Brassett, C., Waschke, J., Vielmuth, F., Sakurai, T., Zeroual, M., Olsen, J., El Batti, S., Viranta-Kovanen, S., Kitahara, S., Keay, K., Kunzel, C., Bernd, Noel, G.P.J.C., Alternatives to Student Outbound Mobility - Improving Students’ Cultural Competency Skills Online to Improve Global Health without Travel. Med. Sci. Educator. 2021; https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-021-01332-9

iBOOKS:

  • Columbia University Clinical Gross Anatomy Dissection Manual: A Concise Student-Centric Dissector for a 21st Century Curriculum - Pectoral Region, Back & Upper Limb; P. Bernd, editor; 2015 through 2021, Apple Store, Upper Limb & Back ($6.99)
  • Columbia University Clinical Gross Anatomy Dissection Manual: A Concise Student-Centric Dissector for a 21st Century Curriculum - Lower Limb; P. Bernd, editor; 2015 through 2021; Apple Store, Lower Limb ($6.99)
  • Columbia University Clinical Gross Anatomy Dissection Manual: A Concise Student-Centric Dissector for a 21st Century Curriculum - Head & Neck; P. Bernd, editor; 2015 through 2021, Apple Store, Head & Neck ($12.99)
  • Columbia University Clinical Gross Anatomy Dissection Manual: A Concise Student-Centric Dissector for a 21st Century Curriculum - Thorax; P. Bernd, editor; 2015 through 2021, Apple Store, Thorax ($4.99)
  • Columbia University Clinical Gross Anatomy Dissection Manual: A Concise Student-Centric Dissector for a 21st Century Curriculum - Abdomen; P. Bernd, editor; 2015 through 2021, Apple Store, Abdomen ($4.99)
  • Columbia University Clinical Gross Anatomy Dissection Manual: A Concise Student-Centric Dissector for a 21st Century Curriculum - Pelvis & Perineum; P. Bernd, editor; 2015 through 2021, Apple Store, Pelvis & Perineum ($4.99)
  • Gross Anatomy Practice Practical Questions, P. Bernd; 2015 through 2021, Apple Store, Practice Practical Questions ($14.99)