Jacob is originally from Wisconsin, in the United States of America. He has always had a strong interest in languages, linguistics, and world cultures, which has propelled him over the years to travel extensively and to live and work abroad in many countries. He has been an educator, curriculum designer, and programme lead in a variety of educational settings worldwide for over 20 years.
Jacob enjoys the arts; he is a pianist and has participated in a variety of musical ensembles throughout his life. He has also enjoyed theatre and drama since childhood, performing in school, community and college theatre productions as an actor, singer, dancer, and as an accompanist and musician for many soloists, ensembles and musical theatre productions. His interest in the field of clinical communication, healthcare professionalism, and simulation-based education naturally came out of this love of the arts and humanities, as he became increasingly aware of the need for more humanism, compassion, and professionalism in healthcare. Through simulated learning activities and role-play, healthcare professionals can develop more effective social skills, contributing to improved health outcomes and satisfaction.
Jacob has spent most of his career teaching in Istanbul, Turkey, where he taught English for Academic and Professional Purposes for many years. He designed and coordinated the English-language program for the Koç University School of Nursing. He was then offered the opportunity to design a clinical communication programme and longitudinal curriculum, the first of its kind, for the KU School of Medicine, where he led a team of clinical educators from the Koç University Hospital in the program’s development and delivery, from small-group skills teaching and simulated learning activities to formative and summative assessments. Jacob also recruited and managed a small but dedicated team of professional role-players who worked with the students as simulated patients, relatives, and colleagues in small and large group teaching activities, as well as in OSCE assessments.