One Clinician’s Journey Reimagining Teaching Using Technology

After 25 years in clinical practice and teaching at Duke Primary Care Heritage Internal Medicine, Karl Bernat, MD, FACP, reached a point where education began to take on new meaning. Classroom interactions and one-on-one mentorship had long been a source of energy for him. While envisioning the next chapter of his career, he felt a strong calling to make teaching his focus. Still deeply engaged in patient care, he is increasingly motivated by the fulfillment that comes from training the next generation of clinicians. 

Dr. Bernat first took Harvard Medical School’s 3-day virtual course Principles of Medical Education: Maximizing Your Teaching Skills course—not once, but twice. However, it wasn’t until David H. Roberts, MD, dean for External Education and course director, highly recommended the Harvard Macy Institute Technology and AI: Transforming Health Professions Education program that things really shifted. What caught Bernat’s attention? 

“The course focuses on how to integrate technology and educational theory to improve how adults learn,” he explains. “It also provides a clinical advantage that can help advance your career in medical education.”  

Despite being an early tech adopter, most of his experience with AI was limited to simple tasks like drafting emails with ChatGPT, but Transforming Your Teaching Using Technology changed that. As Bernat learned to master platforms like OpenEvidence, Google NotebookLM, and Microsoft Copilot, he began to see the robust potential of AI in medical education. 

One immediate impact: he was invited to write a blog post for Duke Primary Care Heritage Internal Medicine on large language models. This time, instead of just writing an article, he added a narrated video walkthrough—built in Microsoft PowerPoint and enriched with what he had learned. “I never would have done that before this course,” he shares. “It completely changed how I approach teaching.” 

Another big takeaway? Designing more interactive learning experiences. Before this program, most of his sessions were largely lectures. Now, he’s planning an AI in medicine workshop where participants will split into small groups, explore tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, and write prompts in real time to compare results. 

“The HMI program didn’t just teach us the tech—it showed us how to teach better, using the tech,” he says. 

The program modeled best practices in adult learning at every step. Faculty walked through their planning process, shared breakout room strategies, and used real-time tools like polls and waterfall chats to keep everyone engaged. Participants did not just hear about effective teaching—they experienced it. 

The longitudinal virtual eight-week format allowed a strong global community to form. Small group discussions led to trust, idea sharing, and even inside jokes. “By the end, we were giving each other nicknames,” he laughs. The course went beyond tools and tactics. It sparked deeper reflection on how and why we use technology in teaching. Discussions about algorithmic bias, digital equity, and environmental impact pushed participants to think critically and ethically. 

“It made me realize that if I am going to use these tools, I need to understand their implications—and model that awareness for my learners,” he notes. 

His advice for future participants? If you are thinking about it, do it. Yes, it takes time, but the payoff is real. “This is the kind of investment we make in our children's education,” he says. “We should absolutely do the same for ourselves?” 

A mentor once told him, “You have to do this program.” Now, he tells others the same thing. 

“If you want to transform your teaching—and yourself as an educator—this course shows you how.”