March 2025 Exceptional Teachers
We are interested in collecting your stories about faculty members, residents, nurses, or anyone else, who have impacted or influenced you in a significant way. Please tell us about what those teachers did that resulted in an exceptional educational experience and how it changed you.
This Month's Submissions
Below are the exceptional teacher recognitions shared with the Learning Environment Advocacy Committee this rotation. Thank you to these faculty for providing a great experience for our students.
March 2025 Clerkship Submissions
Emergency Medicine
- N/A
Family and Community Medicine
- (Attending) Jonathan M. Barrett. MD – I worked mostly with Dr Barrett on this rotation, and I cannot praise his mentorship enough! He is such a wonderful teacher, and I really appreciated how he progressed from week 1 focusing on HPI, then building on new skills each week (e.g. physical exam, then assessment, then plan). It helped me visualize my progress throughout the rotation, and it also allowed me to become more efficient and see more patients on my own. He encouraged me to create an assessment and plan for every patient, even if I was wrong. And practicing A/P formulation repeatedly for every patient helped me learn a lot more than what I would have if I were just listening to it or reading it. I also appreciated how he went over every patient we saw and provided feedback at the end of every half day in order to cement my learning.
Internal Medicine
- (Attending) Yunan D. Wang, MD – Dr. Wang consistently prioritized student learning and created learning opportunities whenever possible. He consistently took the time to teach on rounds and always found time to teach students!
- (Attending) Vishal D. Patel, MBBS – Dr. Vishal Patel was one of the best teachers I had on this clerkship. He always encouraged something to learn or teach about each patient we had, and treated students as valued members of the team. I appreciated when he would take students on rounds with him and ask "what would you like to do next?" He challenged us to take the most responsibility and encouraged our thought processes. I feel like I experienced the most growth and development of my clinical judgement after working with Dr. Patel on this clerkship.
Neurology
- N/A
OB-GYN
- (Resident) Cynthia Matos Molina, MD – I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Matos Molina across multiple services, and she was a fantastic teacher. She put in a lot of effort to teach and always created a kind, positive environment for learning. Cynthia made sure I was involved in every patient interaction she could, and I never felt left out. She always gave me opportunities whenever possible.
- (Resident) Falen Yohannes DO – While all of the residents were phenomenal and it was a distinct privilege to work with them, Dr. Yohannes stood out as an amazing teacher. They seamlessly integrated education into clinical practice, turning even the busiest moments into valuable learning opportunities. Their enthusiasm for education was contagious, and they encouraged active participation, often asking thought-provoking questions that deepened my understanding of the field. They consistently tailored teaching moments to my level of knowledge, ensuring I felt both challenged and supported. Their patience and ability to break down difficult procedures or concepts made them an exceptional teacher. Their approachable demeanor and clear explanations made complex concepts accessible and easy to retain. It was evident that they genuinely cared about my growth as a future physician, and their passion for education was both inspiring and motivating.
- (Resident) Shannon Howard, MD – Dr. Shannon Howard was an incredible chief resident. Working with her during night shifts was a great experience. She fostered a positive atmosphere and involved me as much as possible. Her guidance on presenting to attendings significantly improved my efficiency, and I truly valued the times we saw patients together.
Pediatrics
- (Resident) Colleen Brown, DO – Dr. Colleen Brown was one of the most incredible residents to work with. She was very inclusive with patient care and involving students in assessment and plan discussions. I felt like I was trusted and my opinions were valued. She took a lot of time teaching about each patient and what their management looks like. Overall, a great person to be around as well, very fun and welcoming!
Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine
- (Attending) Abhishek Reddy, MBBS – Dr. Reddy was a wonderful attending. He not only spent time teaching and making sure the residents and I were aware of what was going on, he provided us with a plethora of materials to use as future physicians. I truly appreciated his time with me and it critically shaped my psych experience.
- (Attending) Sooraj John, MD – Dr. John was an incredible teacher and you could tell he really cared about teaching the students and residents. Dr. John was really efficient during rounds and showed me how to politely redirect patient conversations. He also taught a lot of lectures that were really high yield on the shelf exam. Appreciated his mentorship.
Radiology
- (Attending) David E. Johnsen, MD – Dr. Johnsen was really helpful in my learning. He took the time to meet with me outside of the morning session he was assigned to teach. He went over all my questions and helped me prepare for the hot seat exam by covering relevant chest imaging.
Surgery
- (Resident) Kristian Calderon Garcia, MD – Dr. Kristian Calderon Garcia went out of his way to include students and offer teaching points. He was an excellent mentor and made me feel very involved in the team.
- (Attending) James G. Drougas Dr, MD, FACS – Dr. Drougas was wonderful to work with. He always engaged with me directly even during long and difficult cases. He seemed to love having learners and always treated me as a member of the team.
- (Attending) Elaina B. Graham, DO – Dr. Graham did a fantastic job of going out of her way to explain various concepts and thought processes even when not prompted. She also did her best to have me engaged in the operations as much as she could.