This interview is one in a series of interviews with the 2025 recipients of the ACGME Awards. These awardees join an outstanding group of previous honorees whose work and contributions to graduate medical education (GME) represent the best in the field. They will be honored at the 2025 ACGME Annual Educational Conference, taking place February 20-22, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee.
2025 Debra L. Dooley GME Program Coordinator Excellence Awardee Alyssa Schappe is GME program manager for the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health’s plastic surgery residency program.
ACGME: How did you become involved in academic medicine?
Ms. Schappe: I have always been interested in education, growing up as the daughter of a middle school teacher. I started in an administrative role in the Surgical Education Office when I started working in the Department of Surgery and was immediately interested in how residents learn and are evaluated. As soon as the program coordinator for plastic surgery position opened up, I knew I needed to apply and am so thankful that they gave me the opportunity.
ACGME: What does this award mean to you?
Schappe: I am so honored and humbled to receive this award. I’m very appreciative of those who took the time to nominate me, and I feel recognized for all the hard work that happens behind the scenes.
ACGME: What is the most rewarding part of being a coordinator?
Schappe: It is so rewarding to see residents go through the program and become better people because of you. You can be a great advocate for residents in this role, and getting to see them move through their careers and stay in touch has been incredibly rewarding.
ACGME: What is the most challenging part of being a coordinator?
Schappe: I think the most challenging part is the lack of understanding in terms of what all goes into the program coordinator role. There are so many moving parts and items coordinators are working on that often go unseen, and many don’t understand how much effort can go into something that seems so simple from the outside.
ACGME: What advice do you have for new coordinators who are just starting their careers?
Schappe: Get involved with other coordinators, at your local institutions and especially at the national level. Almost every specialty has a coordinator-specific organization, and they can really help you understand the specific rules or quirks of your specialty that other coordinators in your institution might not be aware of.
ACGME: Is there anything else you would like to add that we haven’t asked about?
Schappe: Program coordinators are often the glue that holds our programs together. We don’t always get the acknowledgement we deserve, but know that you are valued and you matter.
Learn more about the ACGME’s Debra L. Dooley GME Program Coordinator Excellence Award and nominate a deserving coordinator for the 2026 Award – nominations are due by March 12, 2025.