Laura Delbridge Bauler, PhD

Laura Delbridge Bauler, PhD photo

Laura Delbridge Bauler, PhD

Co-Director, Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program

Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences

Associate Professor, Department of Medical Education

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Laura Bauler, PhD, is the Co-Director of the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and the Department of Medical Education at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine.  She  joined WMed and the Department of Biomedical Sciences in 2015.

Dr Bauler is a passionate educator who strives to understand the fairness, opportunity, and impact of various conditions on the ability of people to develop to their maximal potential, in both health and educational contexts. She directs her educational, research and service efforts towards supporting programs, organizations, educational content, and pedagogy that upholds these conditions. Her research encompasses two primary themes: 1) exploring the fairness of educational programs and activities in supporting student’s ability to effectively learn in a variety of contexts including pathways to education, classroom learning, peer-evaluation, and faculty development programs; and 2) examining the disparities in health outcomes for individuals with sexually transmitted infections. 

Currently, she co-directs the Masters Program in Biomedical Sciences, a one-year pipeline to the MD program, which supports learners in building their foundational knowledge in biomedical sciences. Her teaching effort focuses on health system sciences (course developer and thread director for the MD curriculum), scientific literacy and research discovery (course director, of the MBS Capstone course), as well as basic science including molecular biology and microbiology. Dr Bauler facilitates a peer-feedback program in the curriculum. She serves on numerous committees at the institution and nationally, including serving as a mentor for the IAMSE Educational Scholarship Fellowship between 2022-2026, and currently as the Chair for the Membership Recruitment and Retention Committee for the Association of STEMM Pathway and Bridge Programs (ASPBP).

Between 2015-2023, Dr. Bauler was a medical editor and scientific writer at WMed, where she served as a research catalyst to promote scholarship and discovery at the institution. She developed an elective for medical students on case report writing, led faculty workshops on writing and publishing, supported resident quality improvement initiatives, and edited faculty manuscripts, grants, and scholarly products; co-authoring numerous publications and abstracts.

    • Postdoctoral Research Fellowship 2015, Microbiology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, National Institute of Health
    • PhD 2009, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan
    • BS 2003, Microbiology, University of New Hampshire
    • Student Scholarship
    • Psychological safety
    • Microbiology, sexually transmitted infections
    • Innovative teaching methods
    • Educational outcome fairness
    • Focus Session: AI-Enhanced Assessment and Clinical Reasoning in Health Sciences: Designing Questions and Bots for Deep Learning.. Zakay HA, Restini C, Bauler L, Reuben JS., International Association of Medical Science Educators annual meeting, Augusta, GA, 06/2026
    • Climbing the Rungs of Psychological Safety: Investigating Clark’s Theory of Psychological Safety within Academic Medicine. . Patel CM, Horneffer-Ginter K, Gibson K, Haymaker C, Bauler LD, & Porter-Stransky KA., International Association of Medical Science Educators annual meeting, Augusta, GA, 06/2026
    • A Novel Lens on Psychological Safety: Examining Clark’s Theory in Medical Academia. Patel CM, Bauler LD, Porter-Stransky KA, 7th Annual Student Research Symposium, USCSOMG, Greenville, SC, 11/2025
    • Failing Forward: A Brief Health Literacy Curriculum Improves Pre-Clinical Communication Skills. . Cramer P, Vollbrecht P, Bauler L., 4th International Association of Medical Science Educators Virtual Meeting, virtual, virtual, 10/2025
    • Hal B Jenson Masters of Biomedical Sciences Degree Program: Evaluation of a “Learning to Learn” Course. Program, Highlights and Innovations. . Bauler L, Vollbrecht P., Association for STEMM Pathways and Bridge Programs (ASPBP) Conference, virtual, virtual, 10/2025
    • Panel: Owning the Process: How Active Learning and the Power of Learner Agency Shape Medical Student Success. Wheeler M, Nagel J, Lopez A, Sotomayor F, Testamark S, Bauler L. , Association for STEMM Pathways and Bridge Programs (ASPBP) Conference, virtual, virtual, 10/2025
    • Prenatal Chlamydia Infection Impacts Both Prematurity and Birthweight of Infants. Riordan R, Solis-Sanchez A, Kothari C, Bauler L. , The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Districts V and XII Annual District Meeting, Orlando, FL, 08/2025
    • Increased Use of Effective Contraception Options Following Postpartum Visit Attendance. Solis-Sanchez A, Riordan R, Kothari C, Bauler L., The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Districts V and XII Annual District Meeting, Orlando, FL, 08/2025
    • An Educational Intervention on Women’s Reproductive Justice Improves Knowledge and Attitudes about Gender Inequity. Issack W, Bauler L., International Association of Medical Science Educators Annual Meeting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 06/2025
    • Impact of a Brief Health-Literacy Focused Communication Curriculum on Pre-Clinical Medical Student Communication Skills.. Cramer P, Vollbrecht P, Bauler L., 43rd Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, MI, 04/2025
    • Curriculum Refresh for the Hal B Jenson Biomedical Sciences One-Year Masters Degree at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine. Bauler L, Vollbrecht P., Association for STEMM Pathways and Bridge Programs (ASPBP) Conference, virtual, virtual, 10/2024
    • Focus Session: AI in Health Professions Education: Friend or Foe?. Restini C, Zakay HA, Bauler L, Reuben JS., International Association of Medical Science Educators Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, 06/2024
    • Focus Session: Ideal versus Practical: Strategies to Provide medical Education Pedagogy to Transform Medical Students. Vollbrecht P, Temprine K, Bauler L. , International Association of Medical Science Educators Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, 06/2024
    • Psychological Safety in Academic Medicine: A School-Wide Initiative. . Porter-Stransky K, Bauler L, Gibson K, Haymaker C, Horneffer-Ginter K, Rothney M., International Association of Medical Science Educators Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, 06/2024
    • Panel: Student Perspectives on the Best Attributes of Post-Baccalaureate or Master’s Programs. . Bezerra L, Willner J, Prieto W, Figueroa L, Pinto-Payares D, Issack W, Bauler L, Association for STEMM Pathways and Bridge Programs (ASPBP) Conference, virtual, virtual, 10/2023
    • The Masters in Biomedical Sciences Program: A Pathway to a Medical Degree at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine. Bauler L, Vollbrecht P., Association for STEMM Pathways and Bridge Programs (ASPBP) Conference, virtual, virtual, 10/2023
    • Characteristics of Meaningful Feedback During Clerkships: A Student Perspective.. Bauler L, Allison S, Giedman B., International Association of Medical Science Educators Annual Meeting, Cancun, Mexico, 06/2023
    • Characteristics of Independent Learning Materials that Correlate with High Student Evaluations. . Gyorkos A, Bauler L, Allison S., International Association of Medical Science Educators Annual Meeting, Cancun, Mexico, 06/2023
    • Michigan Medical Schools Peer-Coaching Program: A Collaborative and Connection Opportunity for Women. . Voorheis-Sargent A, Weyand K, Arnold V, Bauler L, Restini C, Wright N, Lackey-Cornelison W, Faner M, Pylman S, van de Ridder M., Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS), Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), Nashville, TN, 11/2022
    • Michigan Medical Schools Peer-Coaching Program: A Six-Year Evolution. Voorheis-Sargent A, Weyand K, Arnold V, Bauler L, Restini C, Wright N, Lackey-Cornelison W, Faner M, Pylman S, van de Ridder M, Association of Medical Educators Europe (AMEE), Lyon, France, 08/2022
    • Chlamydia trachomatis secretes effectors which localize to the mitochondria and induce changes in mitochondrial function. Dimond Z, Bauler L, Zhang Y, Carmody A, Hackstadt T, International Intracellular Bacterial Meeting, Lausanne, Switzerland, 08/2022
    • Panel: The PPB Student Experience: Perspectives of Post-Baccalaureate or Masters Programs. Bezerra L, Figueroa L, Pinto-Payares D, Vergara R, Willner J, Bauler L, Pathway Programs and Bridges (PPB) First Annual Conference, virtual, virtual, 07/2022
    • The Masters in Biomedical Sciences Program: A Pathway to a Medical Degree at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine. Bauler L, Garrow T, Vollbrecht P, Riddle D, Vanden Heuvel G, Pathway and Bridge Programs First Annual Meeting, virtual, virtual, 07/2022
    • Chlamydia trachomatis effector proteins localize to host mitochondria.. Dimond Z, Bauler L, Zhang Y, Hackstadt T, Julius Schacter International Symposium on Human Chlamydia Infections Meeting, San Antonio, TX, 06/2022
    • Chlamydia trachomatis effector proteins localize to host mitochondria. Dimond Z, Bauler L, Zhang Y, Hackstadt T. , American Society of Microbiology Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, 06/2022
    • Student Learning from Multiple Rounds of Self- and Peer- Evaluation Decreases Initial Bias Seen Due to Gender. Bauler L, Allison S, Singh S, Sheakley M., International Association of Medical Science Educators Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, 06/2022
    • The Relationship Between Demographics and Peer-Evaluation Scores in Medical Student Team-Based Learning Groups. Allison S, Bauler L, Singh S, Sheakley M., International Association of Medical Science Educators Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, 06/2022
    • A Cautionary Tale of Costochondritis Mimicking a STEMI. Zamihovsky R, Bauler L, Redinger K, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Non-Emphysematous Pulmonary Manifestations of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency in Heterozygous Carrier Pediatric Patients. Bradtke J, Gongolli J, Bauler L, Ischander M, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Encouraging Pre-clinical Scholarship through a Case Report Writing Elective. Jones S, Bauler L, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Dural Arteriovenous Fistula in a Patient Presenting with Headache. Lin A, Bauler L, Recknagel J, Trichler T, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • A Case of 36 Cardiac Stents from Recurrent STEMI: Re-examining the Algorithm for Emergent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. Mak J, Bauler L, Jain K, Redinger K, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Gonococcal Meningitis caused by Neisseria gonorrhea in an Immunocompromised Patient. Mannix J, Bauler L, Turner W, Mastenbrook J, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Amiodarone-Induced Thyrotoxicosis in an Athyroid Patient. Steiner A, Bauler L, Schauer M, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Increased NICU Admission Rate for Infants of Chlamydia-Infected Mothers. Issack W, Bauler L, Kothari C, Loveland J, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Repeated Self- and Peer-Evaluation Reduces Gender Disparity Seen in Self-Evaluations. Singh S, Bauler L, Allison S, Sheakley M, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • A rare case of cholecystocolonic fistula. Woolery S, Bauler L, Miller L, Nava K, 40th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2022
    • Response to COVID-19 in Preclinical Assessment Practices Across Three Medical Schools in Michigan. Bauler L, Song X, Rivest R., Association for Medical Education Europe (AMEE), Virtual Conference, virtual, virtual, 08/2021
    • Factors Impacting the Rapid Transition of Anatomy Curricula to a Virtual Learning Environment. . Bauler L, Lesciotto K, Lackey-Cornelison W, International Association of Medical Science Educators Annual Meeting, virtual, virtual, 06/2021
    • Impact of Patient Provider Relationship on Post-Partum Contraception Choice. Hillier L, Smith S, Bauler L, Kothari C, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Ebolavirus Pathogenesis: Could Protease-Activated Receptors Be the Potential Link Between the Immune Response and Coagulopathy?. Lujan K, Bauler L, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Incidental Diagnosis of an Asymptomatic Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma. Jones S, Bauler L, Baumgartner, Schauer M, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Virtual Reality Use for Symptom Management in Palliative Care: A Pilot Study to Assess User Perceptions. Johnson T, Bauler L, Vos D, Hifko A, Ahmed M, Garg P, Raphelson M, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Short Interpregnancy Intervals Are Associated with Poor Birth Outcomes for Women of Kalamazoo County. Parr R, Vos D, Sherfield M, Kothari C, Bauler L, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Emotional Lability in an Atypical Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patient With Methotrexate-Induced Leukoencephalopathy. Boulnemour K, Bauler L, Erskine A, Schauer M, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Successful Desensitization in a Patient With Adalimumab Hypersensitivity. Woolery S, Bauler L, Azmeh R, Jones P, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Papillary Fibroelastoma in a Patient Presenting With Multifocal Stroke. Vasseur C, Bauler L, Patel P, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Occult Cervical Leiomyosarcoma Found On Hysterectomy for Vaginal Prolapse. Nuler A, Abernethy M, Bauler L, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Navigating Difficult Conversations of Cancer Suspicion in the Emergency Department. Ekpo M, Bauler L, Redinger K, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • The Importance of Patient Advocacy in Foreign Body Identification and Management: A Case Series. Ziccarello J, Bauler L, Mastenbrook J, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • A Novel Presentation of Childhood Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a 6-Year-Old Child. Wurster A, Bauler L, Howing C, Ford M, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Use Of a Bang Stick For Suicide: A Rarely Used Weapon. Welch R, Bauler L, Shattuck B, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Two Sisters With a Unique CFTR Mutation, P.I1328T, Resulting In Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator-Related Metabolic Syndrome. Sila M, Bauler L, Ischander M, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Neck: An Unlikely Stroke Mimic. Obinwanne V, Bauler L, Bergeon D, Trichler T, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • An Unsuspected Case of Pediatric Myocarditis. Mehta A, Mastenbrook J, Pixley E, Bauler L, 38th Annual Kalamazoo Community Medical and Health Sciences Virtual Research Day, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 04/2021
    • Drilling down school practices in preclinical education during the pandemic: Similarities and uniqueness of three newer medical schools in Michigan. Song X, Bauler L, Rivest, R, Health Professions Education Day University of Michigan, virtual, virtual, 04/2021
    • Health Burden of Chlamydia Linked to Risk-Exposure Rather than Risk-Response among African Americans in a High Infant-Mortality Community. Bauler L, Vos D, Bautista T, Kothari C, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo, Philadelphia, PA, 11/2019
    • Health Burden of Chlamydia Linked to Risk-Exposure Rather than Risk-Response among African Americans in a High Infant-Mortality Community. Bauler L, Vos D, Bautista T, Kothari C. , CityMatCH Maternal and Child Health Leadership Conference, Providence, RI, 09/2019
    • Postpartum Reproductive Health Choices Vary by Race. Jones K, Bauler L, Kuo K, Bautistia T, Kothari C., North American Primary Care Research Group Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 11/2018