SUNY Online Teaching Ambassador 2025: Hudson Valley – Hamish McMillan

Hamish McMillan is an Adjunct Faculty member in the Paramedic, and Community and Public Health programs where he teaches Healthcare Ethics and Introduction to US Healthcare. Hamish also continues to work as a Paramedic and EMS administrator. His background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Practice from Charles Sturt University in Australia and a Graduate Certificate in Public Health Fundamentals and Principles from the University at Albany. Additionally, Hamish has worked with the New York State Department of Health and the University at Albany School of Public Health on projects focused on bioterrorism, pandemic flu, and public health preparedness. 

I enjoy educating the next generation of healthcare providers, ensuring they are equipped with both theoretical knowledge and practical expertise that they will need in their careers. However, the rise of artificial intelligence has created significant new challenges in student engagement and academic integrity. While AI tools can enhance learning, they also risk reducing critical thinking and original problem-solving if students overly rely on them.

Ensuring meaningful student engagement in the era of AI requires innovative teaching strategies and I certainly do not have all the answers here, I have tried to make my lectures more engaging by recording them in “podcast style” with other instructors and I have also retooled my assignments to include more first-person narrative. 

Ensuring that students are actively participating in their education is a significant and ongoing challenge. My goal is to help students harness AI as a learning aid while still developing the essential analytical and decision-making skills they need to succeed in healthcare.