Dr Janet Palmer Hafler
Dr Hafler received her master’s degree in education specializing in maternal and child health from Columbia University and her doctorate in education from Harvard University.
She created and directs the Center for Medical Education at Yale School of Medicine. In this role, she oversees Yale Continuing Medical Education (CME) and the Evaluation unit to meet the needs of educators in undergraduate, graduate and continuing medical education. As associate dean of teaching and learning, Dr Hafler oversees the Medical Education Fellowship for faculty educators, the Master of Health Science-Medical Education Track Degree, and a Medical Education Concentration for medical students. She collaborates with Yale New Haven Hospital Graduate Medical Education overseeing Resident-as-Teacher programs for all Yale residents.
Dr Hafler runs an active research program applying qualitative research methods in medical education. She collaborates with and mentors faculty on elements of qualitative research and educational scholarship. In turn, mentored faculty members have developed the tools necessary to effectively teach and lead others. She is widely published with book chapters, curriculum materials and articles in medical education and clinical journals. She frequently serves as a visiting professor internationally and has been invited to present regularly at regional and national professional meetings.
At Clare Hall, Dr Hafler is accompanied by her husband, David Hafler, Professor and Former Chair Yale Neurology. He is a world expert on autoimmune diseases, a member of the National Academy, and will be a visiting Fellow at Trinity College.
Select publications
- Morrison EH. Hafler JP. Yesterday a learner, today a teacher too: Residents as teachers in 2000. Pediatrics 2000, 105(1 Pt 3):238-241.
- Hafler JP, Lovejoy Jr FH. Scholarly activities recorded in the portfolios of teacher-clinician faculty. Academic Medicine 2000, 75(6):649-652.
- Simpson D, Fincher RM, Hafler JP, Irby DM, Richards BF, Rosenfeld GC, Viggiano TR. Advancing Educators and Education: Defining the Components and Evidence of Educational Scholarship. Medical Education 2007, 41(10):1002-1009.
- Hafler JP, Ownby AR, Thompson BM, Fasser CE, Grigsby K, Haidet P, Kahn MJ, Hafferty FW. Decoding the Learning Environment of Medical Education: A Hidden Curriculum Perspective for Faculty Development. Academic Medicine 2011, 86(4):440-444.
- Hafferty FW, Hafler JP. The Hidden Curriculum, Structural Disconnects, and the Socialization of New Professionals. In: Extraordinary Learning in the Workplace, ed. JP Hafler. Springer Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Netherlands, 2011.
- Hafler JP. Effective presentations: tips for success. Nature Immunology 2011, 12(11):1021-1023.
- Foty RG, Gibbs EM, Lips EH, Menon M, Hafler JP. Thinking Critically: How to Teach Translational Medicine. Frontiers in Public Health, October 2018, 6:284. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00284.
- Carr F, Hafler J. Mastering the Masters: The Impact of Yale School of Medicine’s Master of Health Science Medical Education Program on Alumni’s Career Advancement and Academic Productivity. Medical Science Educator 2025, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-025-02375-y
Select awards
- 2024 Surgical Educators and Mentors Wall of Honor; Association for Surgical Education Foundation, https://www.surgicaleducation.com/honoring-mentors/
- 2019 Northeast Group on Educational Affairs (NEGEA), Distinguished Educator Award
