Celebrating Innovation in Education: Dr. Marc L. Dickstein Receives the 2026 AUA Education Innovation Awardby Arna Banerjee, MD, MMHC, FCCM
The Association of University Anesthesiologists (AUA) is proud to honor Marc L. Dickstein, MD, Professor of Anesthesiology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, as the recipient of the 2026 AUA Education Advisory Board (EAB) Education Innovation Award. This award recognizes his transformative, decades-long impact on the teaching of cardiovascular physiology and his visionary creation of Harvi, a simulation platform that has reshaped how learners understand hemodynamics and cardiopulmonary physiology.
A Career Defined by Visionary Educational Innovation
Dr. Dickstein’s contributions to medical education began early in his career, when, as Director of Columbia’s foundational medical school course Science Basic to the Practice of Medicine, he secured competitive funding to modernize Harvi into a web-based platform—an advancement that set the stage for a global shift in physiology education.
Today, Harvi is used worldwide, translated into nine languages, and serves thousands of students, residents, fellows, and practicing clinicians. Its interactive modeling of hemodynamic and cardiopulmonary physiology lets learners manipulate parameters and observe real-time physiologic responses—an experience no static resource can replicate.
Transformational Impact Through the TEACH Program
Building on Harvi’s success, Dr. Dickstein co-developed TEACH (Training and Education in Advanced Cardiovascular Hemodynamics), a widely adopted educational workshop series that integrates Harvi-based simulation with focused expert instruction. TEACH workshops have been offered at national and international venues, including the AUA, the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, and ELSO.
At Columbia University, TEACH has become a core training experience for trainees in cardiothoracic anesthesia, cardiology, and critical care, fostering both conceptual mastery and clinical decision-making skills.
Recognized Excellence as an Educator and Scholar
Dr. Dickstein’s exemplary commitment to teaching has earned him numerous institutional honors, including:
His scholarly portfolio includes more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, numerous invited lectures worldwide, and leadership roles in international education initiatives, including ELSO’s ECMO Taskforce.
A Lasting Legacy in Cardiovascular Physiology Education
From the early Java-based versions of Harvi to its current robust online ecosystem of simulators and structured electronic textbooks, Dr. Dickstein has relentlessly pushed the boundaries of what physiology education can achieve. His innovations span cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, and membrane physiology simulations; CME-awarding digital curricula; and novel educational formats.
Through these contributions, Dr. Dickstein’s work has reached tens of thousands of learners, strengthened the scientific foundation of clinical practice, and established a model for technology-enhanced teaching that educators continue to emulate.
By recognizing Dr. Marc L. Dickstein with the 2026 AUA Education Innovation Award, the AUA celebrates an educator whose creativity, rigor, and dedication have profoundly influenced the specialty. His work shows how thoughtful innovation can transform understanding, improve patient care, and elevate the entire field of anesthesiology.
The AUA congratulates Dr. Dickstein on this well-deserved honor and expresses gratitude for his extraordinary contributions to academic anesthesiology and to the future of cardiovascular physiology education.
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