Phaeton recognized for Exceptional Moments in Teaching

Dr. Rebecca Phaeton, assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Penn State College of Medicine, is featured for November in the “Exceptional Moments in Teaching” program.

“Dr. Phaeton is a wonderful role model and physician,” the student wrote. “She maintains an awareness of all the learners she has under her care in the OR and makes sure to engage them in dialogue and questions during surgery. Over the course of my month-long OB/GYN clerkship, Dr. Phaeton stood out as someone who cared greatly about my education because of the time and attention she took in asking me questions.

“Her expectations for people she works with are high but only so that she can help them improve and get better. She asks hard but fair questions that really probe understanding. The concepts she quizzed me on took my knowledge to the next level. So where I once didn’t know the answer, now through her teaching I feel confident and proficient. I’m sure she is a crazy busy surgeon, so it means the world that she remembers I’m in the OR and tries to engage me in the experiences and help me learn.”

Phaeton was recruited to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in 2014 after completing her postdoctoral training as a reproductive scientist development program scholar in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, N.Y, where she also completed her fellowship.

As a graduate of Marshall University School of Medicine in Huntington, W.Va., Phaeton decided on a career in women’s health and completed her residency at the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia where her training spurred her interest in translational research to develop novel treatment alternatives for women with gynecological cancers.

Penn State College of Medicine’s Office for a Respectful Learning Environment recognizes exceptional faculty, residents and fellows with the monthly “Exceptional Moments in Teaching” program. Each month, one faculty member and one resident/fellow are highlighted for their contributions. College of Medicine students are invited to submit narratives about faculty members, residents, nurses or any other educators who challenge them and provide an exceptional learning experience using the online nomination form.

The Office for a Respectful Learning Environment fosters an educational community at Penn State College of Medicine in which all learners and educators feel supported, challenged, valued and respected. It serves all learners at the College of Medicine: medical students, graduate students, physician assistant students, residents and fellows.

See previous faculty and resident/fellow honorees here.

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