Theresa A. Davies-Heerema, PhD

Clinical Associate Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Davies began her tenure at BUSM in the Department of Biochemistry over 30 years ago. After receiving her PhD, she was very active in the Department and went on to do research in the field of Alzheimer’s disease investigating the role of platelets and the blood brain barrier in amyloid deposition. More recently she has served as Assistant Director of the MA in Medical Sciences program, and now Director of the Oral Health Sciences program. In 2018, Dr. Davies assumed a new role in Graduate Medical Sciences, the graduate arm of the medical school first as Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs  and more recently expanding her role to include oversight of all Master's programs.  She oversees Marketing & Recruitment, and Student Affairs along with directing the MS in Oral Health Sciences program.  

Dr. Davies has been teaching in the Biochemistry course MD512/OH751 Dental Biochemistry for more than 18 years, is Co-Course Manager for GMS MS 640, Introduction to Biomedical Information and recently developed three new courses Evidence Based Dentistry, Infectious Diseases: Pathogens & Clinical Manifestations and Fundamentals of Head and Neck Anatomy.

Dr. Davies has helped to develop a novel mobile application in collaboration with the Department of Family Medicine, the Alumni Medical Library, and the Virtual Integration Group on Evidence Based Medicine. The BUSM Finding Information Framework (BUSM FIF) app can be found in the app store.

Two recent publications demonstrate the success of the OHS pipeline program. First in 2019 - We show the success of the OHS program in increasing the preparedness and diversity of dental school applicants from under-represented groups to dental school and in 2020 - How alternative predictors of success may help to reduce intrinsic bias among applicants from underrepresented groups during the admissions process.

Publications

  • Published 5/21/2024

    Bottenfield KR, Kelley MA, Ferebee S, Best AN, Flynn D, Davies TA. Effectively teaching cultural competence in a pre-professional healthcare curriculum. BMC Med Educ. 2024 May 21; 24(1):553. PMID: 38773591.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 5/26/2021

    Cohen-Osher M, Davies TA, Flynn DB, Young ME, Hoffman M. Finding Information Framework: A Tool to Teach Life-Long Learning Skills. PRiMER. 2021; 5:16. PMID: 34286219.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 1/15/2020

    Davies TA, Miller MB, Moore VA, Kaye EA. Predicting professional school performance with a unique lens: are there other cognitive predictors? BMC Med Educ. 2020 Jan 15; 20(1):14. PMID: 31941519.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 1/28/2019

    Davies TA, Kaye E, Stahlberger M, Abbas M, Sarkis C, Reed L, Dunham L, Schreiber BM, Leone C, Mascarenhas AK. Improving Diversity of Dental Students Through the Boston University Master's of Oral Health Sciences Postbaccalaureate Program. J Dent Educ. 2019 Mar; 83(3):287-295. PMID: 30692183.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 1/11/2015

    Lui A, Davies TA*, Liu A, Flynn DB, Wiecha JM, Cohen-Osher M, Hoffman-Kleiner M* (*shared senior author). Novel Mobile Application to Promote Evidence-Based Medicine Decision-Making in Medical Education. Medical Science Educator. 2015; (1-2).

    Read at: Custom

Other Positions

  • Director, M.S. in Oral Health Sciences Program, Dean’s Office
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences
  • Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences

Education

  • Boston University School of Medicine, PhD
  • University of Virginia, BS