Curriculum Vitae - Return on Education Model

Eric (Rick) M. Mills, DVM, PhD, LMSW

DEGREES
2009 Master of Social Work, The University of Iowa School of Social Work
1998 PhD, Veterinary Sciences – Veterinary Informatics, Virginia Tech
1979 DVM, The Ohio State University

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1979 – 1983 Associate Small Animal Practitioner
1983 – 2000 Owned and operated two small animal hospitals
1997 – 1999 Instructor Electrical and Computer Engineering
2000 – 2002 Research Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech
1998 – 2007 Member of the Biomedical Informatics Research Group
2002 – 2007 Lecturer, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine
2009 – Present Independent Software Developer

TEACHING
DVM Courses
Management Pathways in Veterinary Medicine (VDPAM 409)
Applied Laboratory Medicine (VM8664)
People in Practice (course leader) (VM8984)
Practice Management (VM9104)

Undergraduate Course:
ECPE 4974 Distributed Information Systems Corporation (coordinator) 1997-1999

MEMBERSHIPS
Past-President of the Association for Veterinary Informatics
National Association of Social Workers
American Veterinary Medical Association

HONORS AND AWARDS
2009 Phi Alpha Honor Society, Social Work
2002 XCaliber Award for Excellence in Teaching with Technology at Virginia Tech
1996 Merck-AgVet Award for Creativity in Teaching
1995 Phi Zeta Honor Society, Veterinary Medicine

NARRATIVE

I earned my Master of Social Work degree with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Counseling from The University of Iowa School of Social Work, and am licensed at the LMSW level. I also have a PhD in veterinary informatics and a DVM degree.

I am currently developing educational software with a focus on evidence-based assessment and critical thinking, which is available at http://www.WhenKnowingMatters.com . Prior to this effort, I developed an interactive model for determining the relative financial value of additional education. The model is found at http://www.ReturnOnEducationModel.com .

I have practiced as a veterinarian with an emphasis in small animal medicine and surgery, and have owned two veterinary hospitals in Virginia Beach Virginia. I have taught in the business/practice management curriculum at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. While at Virginia Tech, I coordinated a student-run virtual corporation in which students developed software as part of an interdisciplinary learning experience.

GRANTS RECEIVED
JA Danielson, A Fales-Williams, R Myers, EM Mills, S Sorden, HS Bender, CB Andreasen. Problem Solving, Communication, Critical Thinking and Peer Assessment: Integrating Continuous Improvement Planning into the Veterinary Pathology Curriculum. ISU Miller Faculty Fellowship ($25,000, 2003-2004).

HS Bender, EM Mills, PJ Vermeer, JA Danielson, M M Christopher, KM Young. DA Smith, JW George, PA Pion. Creating and Distributing a Comprehensive On-line Learning System for Diagnostic Reasoning. Department of Education, Learning Anywhere, Anytime Partnership (LAAP) Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education. ($1,242,846, October 2001-2004).

EM Mills, HS Bender, PJ Vermeer, G. Daniel Boon, B Purswell, M. Reardon, Teaching Food Animal Diagnostic Skills: A Multi-Institutional Web-Based Approach. USDA Higher Ed Challenge Grant ($99,873-September 2001-2003).

HS Bender, EM Mills, PJ Vermeer. Dr. Tracy Wilkins Gift to the Biomedical Informatics Research Group. 2001, $25,000.

HS Bender, EM Mills, PJ Vermeer, BB Lockee, GD Boon, JK Burton, JA Danielson Provost’s Bridge Funding to Support the Development of the Biomedical Informatics Research Group, 2000, $94,375.

HS Bender, BB Lockee, EM Mills, GD Boon, JK Burton, GA Holmes, JA Danielson and DS Hix, Becoming an Expert: Developing Food Animal Veterinary Clinical Diagnostic Skills. USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant 1999-2001 $88,248.

HS Bender, BB Lockee, EM Mills, DS Hix, GD Boon, JA Danielson. Breaking Through Cognitive Barriers Using Technology. 1999 CIL, Virginia Tech $27,000.

HS Bender, BB Lockee, EM Mills, DS Hix. Continuing Education for Veterinary Practitioners Using the World Wide Web ReachOUT Grant,1999 Virginia Tech $7,500.

HS Bender, BB Lockee, EM Mills. Using Educational Technologies to Promote Active-Learning and Development of Skills in Clinical Problem-Solving and the Diagnostic Process. CIL, 1999 (continuation). $9,460.

HS Bender, BB Lockee, EM Mills, SD Forrester. Reaching Out to Veterinary Practitioners through Diagnostic Pathology Imaging: A Program for Continuing Education, ReachOUT Grant,1998 $7,500.

HS Bender, BB Lockee, EM Mills Using Educational Technologies to Promote Active-Learning and Development of Skills in Clinical Problem-Solving and the Diagnostic Process. Center for Innovation in Learning (CIL), 1998. $74,000.

HS Bender, BB Lockee, EM Mills, DS Hix An Interdisciplinary Partnership in Biomedical Informatics. ASPIRES, 1998. $90,470.

HS Bender, BB Lockee, EM Mills, DS Hix An Interdisciplinary Partnership in Biomedical Informatics. Eli Lilly Company, 1998. $5,000.

HS Bender, J Burton, WR Chickering, EM Mills Development of Deductive Reasoning Skills Using Interactive, Multimedia Programs in Veterinary Clinical Pathology. Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (CEUT) Teaching-Learning Grant; 1996, $7,500.

HS Bender, J Burton, WR Chickering, EM Mills Development of Deductive Reasoning Skills Using Interactive, Multimedia Programs in Veterinary Clinical Pathology. Grant chosen for the Merck-AgVet Award for Creativity in Teaching-1996. $1000.

Smith BJ, Holladay SD, Mills EM, Klein BG, Jones, J. A computerized teaching aid for instruction in transverse-sectional anatomy of the sheep brain. Computer Alternatives to Animal Use Fund, 1996 $5,675.

HS Bender, WR Chickering, J Burton, EM Mills. Case-Based, Interactive, Multimedia Programs for Teaching Clinical Pathology Using Naturally Occurring Diseases in Hospital Patients. Computer Alternatives to Animal Use Fund. 1996 $4,933.

Jones JC, Moon ML, Holladay SD, Smith BJ, Mills EM. A workstation providing access to computed tomographic images in a cross-platform, internet-transferable format. 1996 $113,000.

Holladay SD, Mills EM, Jones JC, Smith BJ, Moon ML. A computer-based teaching aid for instruction in canine transverse-sectional anatomy and computed tomography. CEUT Teaching-learning grant. 1995; $4,180.

PUBLICATIONS
Journal articles (Refereed)

Danielson JA, Fales-Williams AJ, Sorden SD, Myers RK, Bender HS, Mills EM. Peer Assessment of a Senior Year Capstone Experience for Formative Evaluation of a Pathology Curriculum (Accepted pending revisions) Journal of Veterinary Medical Education.

Danielson J.A., Mills, E.M, Vermeer, P.J., Preast, V.A., Young, K.M., Christopher, M.M., George, J.W., Wood, D.R. and Bender, H.S. (2007). Characteristics of a Cognitive Tool that Helps Students Learn Diagnostic Problem Solving. Educational Technology Research and Development 55, 499-520.

Danielson, J. A., Bender, H.S., Mills, E.M., Vermeer, P.J., Preast, V.A. (submitted for publication). Helping Learners Gain Diagnostic Problem Solving Skills: Specific Aspects of the Diagnostic Pathfinder Software Tied to Learning Outcomes. In Proceedings of Selected Research and Development Papers Presented at the National Convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology [AECT] (25th, Chicago, IL, October 19-23, 2004).

JA Danielson, HS Bender, PJ Vermeer, EM Mills, BB Lockee. A Tool for Helping Veterinary Students Learn Diagnostic Problem Solving” Educational Technology Research and Development, 51(3), 63-81, 2003.

HS Bender, BB Lockee, JA Danielson, E M Mills, GD Boon, JK Burton, PJ Vermeer, KL Zimmerman, KM Hilmer. Mechanism-Based Diagnostic Reasoning: Thoughts on Teaching Introductory Clinical Pathology. Veterinary Clinical Pathology 29(3) 77-83, 2000.

Book Chapters

Danielson, JA, Mills, EM, Vermeer, PJ, and Bender, HS (2008). The Diagnostic Pathfinder: Ten years of using technology to teach diagnostic problem solving In F. Columbus (Ed.), Educational Technology Research Advances: Nova Science Publishers.

Proceedings

Bender, H.S., Young, K. M., Danielson, J. A., Mills, E.M., Vermeer, P.J., Development and Implementation of the Diagnostic Pathfinder, A Mind Tool Used to Teach Clinical Pathology. Association of American Medical Colleges Central Group on Educational Affairs 2005 Spring Conference Program. University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, Wisconsin, April 8, 2005.

Bender, H.S., Young, K. M., Danielson, J. A., Mills, E.M., Vermeer, P.J., Development and Implementation of the Diagnostic Pathfinder, A Mind Tool Used to Teach Clinical Pathology. Conference Proceedings of the Association of American Medical Colleges Central Group on Educational Affairs. University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, Wisconsin, April 8, 2005.

HS Bender, KM Young, JW George, MM Christopher, JA Danielson, PJ Vermeer, EM Mills, RD Wood, PD Pion, VA Preast, CB Andreasen. Implementation of the Diagnostic Pathfinder, an Internet-Based Tool to Teach Clinical Pathology in Diverse Educational Settings. Conference Proceedings of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology 346-359, 2003.

HS Bender, PJ Vermeer, GD Boon, ER Mills, JA Danielson, BB Lockee, J Burton, G Sherman, D Hix. Mechanism-Based Diagnosis: Design and Implementation of a Web-Based Tool to Enhance Diagnostic Reasoning. Proceedings-American Association Clinical Chemistry: DACC Spring 2000 Symposium.

Abstracts
George, J.W., J. A. Danielson, P. Pion, E. M Mills, P. J. Vermeer, and H. S. Bender. Pilot study of internet based continuing education on laboratory data interpretation using the veterinary information networks online classroom and the diagnostic pathfinder. Vet Pathol 42:702, 2005 (abstract #89).

J.A. Danielson, E.M. Mills, P.A. Vermeer, V.A. Preast, K.M. Young, M. Christopher, J. George, D. Wood, and H.S. Bender. Learning Benefits Tied to Specific Characteristics of the Diagnostic Pathfinder Software. Veterinary Pathology vol 41, no. 5, Abstract #65, 2004.

J.A. Danielson, A.J. Fales-Williams, R.K. Myers, S.D. Sorden, H.S. Bender, and E.M. Mills. Student Response to a Case Report Based Peer Assessment Assignment. Veterinary Pathology vol 41 Abstract # 68, 2004.

A Fales-Williams, J Danielson, R Meyers, E Mills, S Sorden, H Bender, C Andreasen Multiple uses of a Senior Year Assignment by Assessment of the Pathology Curriculum. Veterinary Pathology vol 40, no. 5, abstract #25, pg. 599, 2003.

J. Danielson, H. Bender, P. Vermeer, E. Mills. Enhancing Problem Solving Skills for Clinical Pathology Students. Veterinary Pathology Abs 139 vol 39, no. 5, abstract #139, pg. 647, 2002.

HS Bender, JA Danielson, EM Mills, PJ Vermeer, and DS Hix. A Formalized Process for Developing Successful User Interfaces for the Problem List Generator. Veterinary Pathology vol 38, no. 5, abstract #6, pg.571, 2001.

JA Danielson, JK Burton, HS Bender, BB Lockee, GD Boon, EM Mills, “The formative evaluation of a Web-based instructional tool for helping clinical pathology students learn to classify and synthesize clinical laboratory data.” Veterinary Pathology vol 36, no. 5, abstract #50, p.493, 1999.

MR Prater, BB Lockee, EM Mills and HS Bender, “Reaching Out to Veterinary Practitioners Through Diagnostic Pathology Imaging: A Program for Clinical Service and Continuing Education.” Veterinary Pathology, Vol 35, No. 5, Abstract 59, pp 430 1998.
JA Danielson, BB Lockee, D. Hix, EM Mills and HS Bender, “A Computer-based Tool for Clinical Pathology Students to Accurately Classify and Synthesize Lab Data.” Veterinary Pathology, vol 35, no. 5, abstract #57, pp. 430, 1998.

JC Jones, ML moon, SD Holladay, BJ Smith, EM Mills. (1997) A Workstation Providing Access to CT Images in a Cross-Platformed, Internet-Transferable Format. Abstract of American College of Veterinary Radiology.

Talbot RB and Mills EM. SNOMED International for veterinary medicine. JAVMA 205:1445-1446, 1994.

Veterinary Microglossary of SNOMED International 1995 Mills EM.

Posters
Bender, H.S., Danielson, J. A., Mills, E.M., Vermeer, P.J., Preast, V.A. (2004). The Diagnostic Pathfinder: How it works and Year 4 evaluation data. FIPSE Project Directors’ National Meeting, Washington D.C., November 4, 2004.

JA Danielson, HS Bender, RM Mills and PJ Vermeer. Creating and Distributing a Comprehensive On-line Learning System for Diagnostic Reasoning: Preliminary Report2003 FIPSE Project Directors’ National Meeting, Marriott Denver City Center, Denver, Colorado. Thursday, December 4, 2003.

J. Danielson, H. Bender, P. Vermeer, E. Mills, V. Preast, K. Young, M. Christopher, J. George, P Pion. The Diagnostic Pathfinder, What it is, How it Works; Evaluation Results; Partnership and Pilot Implementation. Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, Fairmont Hotel and Conference Center, New Orleans, LA, December 6-10, 2002.

J. Danielson, H. Bender, P. Vermeer, E. Mills, V. Preast, K. Young, M. Christopher, J. George, P Pion. The Diagnostic Pathfinder, What it is, How it Works; Evaluation Results; Partnership and Pilot Implementation. 30th Anniversary Project Director’s Meeting. Fund for the Improvement of Higher Education, US Department of Education, Washington Hilton and Towers, Washington DC November 22-24, 2002.

An interactive CT atlas of the canine brain. Woods A, Jones J, Holladay S, Kline B, Mills E, Inzana K, Chadwick L August 3, 2000 Sponsor: Minorities Academic
Opportunities Program, Poster Session, Blacksburg, VA.

PRESENTATIONS

Mills, E. M. Identifying Concepts in Free-text. Work in Progress Series Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine August, 2006.

Mills, E. M. Developing a Site-Specific Microglossary. Work in Progress Series Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine November, 2006.

George, J.W., J. A. Danielson, P. Pion, E. M Mills, P. J. Vermeer, and H. S. Bender. Pilot study of internet based continuing education on laboratory data interpretation using the veterinary information networks online classroom and the diagnostic pathfinder. Education Session of the National Meeting of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Boston, MA, Dec, 2005.

Danielson, J., Mills, E., Vermeer, P., Preast, V. and Bender, H. Problem Solving Research with the Diagnostic Pathfinder to Date. Dept. Work in Progress seminar. Vet Pathology Conference Room, Nov 30, 2005.

Preast, V., Danielson, J., Vermeer, P., Mills, E., and Bender, H. Assessment results Blood Smear Tutorial. Dept. Work in Progress seminar. Vet Pathology Conference Room, June 15, 2005.

Bender, HS Danielson, J. A., Mills, E.M., Vermeer, P.J -Supporting a Broad Impact on
Veterinary Education with the Diagnostic Pathfinder: A Software Tool that Helps to Teach Problem Solving. Fort Dodge Animal Health (FDAH) Research Day ISU CVM June 2.

Vermeer, P., Bender, H, Danielson, J., and Mills, E. Using the Case Editor to Develop Cases for the Diagnostic Pathfinder. Dept. Work in Progress seminar. Vet Pathology Conference Room, April 13, 2005.

Danielson, J.A., Mills, E.M., Vermeer, P.J., Preast, V.A., Young, K.M., Christopher, M. George, J., Wood, D., Bender, H.S. Learning Benefits Tied to Specific Characteristics of the Diagnostic Pathfinder Software. Education Session of the National Meeting of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Orlando, Florida, November 16, 2004.

Danielson, J.A., Fales-Williams, A.J., Myers, R.K., Sorden, S.D., Bender, H.S., and Mills, E.M. Student Response to a Case-Report Based Peer Assessment Assignment. Education Session of the National Meeting of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Orlando, Florida, November 16, 2004.

Bender, H.S., Danielson, J. A., Mills, E.M., Vermeer, P.J., Preast, V.A. (2004). The Diagnostic Pathfinder: How it works and Year 4 evaluation data. FIPSE Project Directors’ National Meeting, Washington D.C., November 4, 2004.

Danielson, J. A., Bender, H.S., Mills, E.M., Vermeer, P.J., Preast, V.A. (2004). Helping Learners Gain Diagnostic Problem Solving Skills. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Educational Communications & Technology (AECT), Chicago, IL, October 21, 2004.

JA Danielson, HS Bender, RM Mills and PJ Vermeer. Creating and Distributing a Comprehensive On-line Learning System for Diagnostic Reasoning: Preliminary Report 2003 FIPSE Project Directors’ National Meeting, Marriott Denver City Center, Denver, Colorado. Thursday, December 4, 2003.

JA Danielson, HS Bender, RM Mills and PJ Vermeer. Using the Diagnostic Pathfinder Software to Learn Diagnostic Problem Solving. 2003 FIPSE Project Directors’ National Meeting, Marriott Denver City Center, Denver, Colorado. December 3, 2003.

JA Danielson, HS Bender, RM Mills and PJ Vermeer. Making the Evaluation Process Work for Your Project:Advice for Project Directors. 2003 FIPSE Project Directors’ National Meeting, Marriott Denver City Center, Denver, Colorado. December 3, 2003.

HS Bender, KM Young, MM Christopher, RD Wood, JA Danielson and EM Mills. Implementation of the Diagnostic Pathfinder, an Internet-based Tool to Teach Clinical Pathology in Diverse Educational Settings. Education Session of the National Meeting of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Banff Alberta Canada, November 18, 2003.

J. Danielson, H. Bender, P. Vermeer, E. Mills, V. Preast, K. Young, M. Christopher, J. George, P Pion. The Diagnostic Pathfinder, What it is, How it Works; Evaluation Results; Partnership and Pilot Implementation. 30th Anniversary Project Director’s Meeting. Fund for the Improvement of Higher Education, US Department of Education, Washington Hilton and Towers, Washington DC November 22-24, 2002.

HS Bender, BF Richards, JA Danielson, EM Mills, PJ Vermeer. High Tech and Low Tech Pedagogies in Medicine and the Health Sciences. 30th Anniversary Project Director’s Meeting. Fund for the Improvement of Higher Education, US Department of Education, Washington Hilton and Towers, Washington DC November 23, 2002.

HS Bender, JA Danielson, EM Mills, PJ Vermeer, and DS Hix. A Formalized Process for Developing Successful User Interfaces for the Problem List Generator. Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, Grand America Hotel and Conference Center, Salt Lake City Utah, December 5, 2001.

Danielson, J. A., Burton, J.K., Bender, H. S., Lockee, Boon, G. D., Mills, E. M. (2000). The Design, Development, and Evaluation of the Problem List Generator: A web-based tool for helping veterinary students learn to classify and synthesize clinical laboratory data. Presented at the Annual Meeting of The Association for Educational Communications & Technology (AECT), Long Beach, CA.

Danielson, J.A., Lockee, B.B., Burton, J.K., Mills, E.M., Boon, G.D., and Bender, H.S. (1999). The formative evaluation of a web-based instructional tool for helping clinical pathology students learn to classify and synthesize clinical laboratory data. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, Chicago, IL.

Danielson, J. A., Bender, H. S., Lockee, B. B., Burton, J.K., Mills, E. M., Boon, G. D. (1999). Evaluation of a Computer-Based Tool for Helping Clinical Pathology Students Learn how to Accurately Classify and Synthesize Lab Data. Presented at the 11th Annual Research Symposium of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA.

Danielson, J. A.; Lockee, B.; Hix, D.; Mills, E.; Bender, H. (1998). A computer-based tool for helping veterinary students learn to classify clinical laboratory data. Presentation at the annual meeting of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, St. Louis MO.

Mills, Eric M. (1998) The Patient Information Acquisition Model: A Framework for Identifying Causes of Missing or Inaccurate Information. Presented at the Richard B. Talbot Symposium for Veterinary Informatics, Baltimore, MD.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

Danielson, J., Preast, V., Vermeer, P., Mills, E., and Bender, H. Biomedical Informatics: In-house tool development for skill building and problem solving. Presentation for the e2 (Emerging Educational Technology Event) Seminar Series. ISU Parks Library, Room 31. Oct 25, 2005.

Danielson, J.A, Fales-Williams, A.J., Myers, R.K., Sorden, S.D., Bender, H.S., Mills, E.M., Andreasen, C.B. Report of Miller Findings. Miller Showcase Walkaround Session. Jan 19, 2005.

Danielson, J.A, Fales-Williams, A.J., Myers, R.K., Sorden, S.D., Bender, H.S., Mills, E.M., Andreasen, C.B. Report of Miller Findings. Miller Showcase “Walkaround” Session. Jan 19, 2005.
Danielson, J.A, Fales-Williams, A.J., Myers, R.K., Sorden, S.D., Bender, H.S., Mills, E.M., Andreasen, C.B. Report of Miller Findings. I.S.U. Miller Recognition Luncheon, Reiman Gardens. Nov 8, 2004.
Danielson, JA, Bender, HS, Mills, EM, Vermeer, PJ. Blood, Urine, and Diagnostic Problem Solving: A computer-based tool for helping veterinary students make sense of it all. Symposium: University of Missouri College of Education. Columbia, MO. Sept 10, 2004.

Danielson, J.A.; Fales-Williams, A.; Myers, R.; Mills, E.; Sorden, S.; Bender, H.; Andreasen, C. Assessment Plan for the Department of Veterinary Pathology. Presentation given for an Iowa State University university-wide assessment workshop, Ames, IA, Oct 14, 2003.

HS Bender, JA Danielson, RM Mills. Diagnostic Pathfinder: An Internet-based Tool that Helps Students Solve Problems. ISU Center for Teaching Excellence Workshop ISU Memorial Union Cardinal Room Sept 2003.

Danielson, J.A. Transforming a Clinical Pathology Course: Reports of CIL grant recipients. Presentation to be given at Virginia Tech’s IT 99 Conference. (Co-presenters, Bender, H.; Lockee, B.; Hix, D.; Mills, R.), Blacksburg, VA., Mar 23, 1999.

Development of the Diagnostic Pathfinder (Problem List Generator)
Co-development and disclosure of the Problem List Generator (now called the Diagnostic Pathfinder) in July 2000 to the Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties July 2000 and transferred to Iowa State University. A video demonstration can be found at http://cvmweb2.cvm.iastate.edu/pathfinder/movies/DP_Demo_Flash.html .