Henao and O’Bryant recognized for Exceptional Moments in Teaching
Maria Paula Henao, MD, faculty member, and Michael O’Bryant, DO, resident, were recognized through the “Exceptional Moments in Teaching” program for the month of February.
Dr. Henao is an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine in the allergy, asthma and immunology section.
“Dr. Henao is an incredible facilitator who brings so much passion to class,” a student said. “She pushes us while keeping things light-hearted. She truly cares about each of us and fosters an atmosphere of respectful learning.”
Dr. Henao graduated from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and completed her internal medicine residency and fellowship in allergy and immunology at Penn State College of Medicine. Her main area of research interest is drug allergy with a particular focus on antimicrobial stewardship. She also has a significant interest in public and global health and is the faculty lead for the Ecuador site of the College of Medicine’s Global Health Scholars Program. She is particularly interested in the impact of language barriers and health outcomes.
In her spare time, Dr. Henao loves traveling with her 11-year-old son as well as playing violin and tennis, dancing salsa, kayaking and scuba diving.
Dr. O’Bryant, the resident awardee, is a fifth-year diagnostic radiology resident in the Department of Radiology.
“From my first day working with Dr. O’Bryant, he was warm and welcoming to the medical student. At every opportunity, he offered to go over imaging with students and challenge them to read the studies as if they were already radiology residents,” one student said. “Whether reading that day’s images together or going back to notable teaching cases, Dr. O’Bryant tailored his teaching to the student’s knowledge and took their opinion into account.”
Dr. O’Bryant is a transplant to Pennsylvania, having grown up in Seattle, Washington. His broad interests across multiple spheres of medicine are what ultimately drew him to radiology, allowing him to interpret imaging studies and perform procedures across a wide spectrum of organ systems and anatomy.
Most of his free time is spent with his wife and two young daughters, but he also enjoys taking advantage of the local fly-fishing opportunities when he is able. After residency, he will complete a musculoskeletal imaging and intervention fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
The College of Medicine’s Office for a Respectful Learning Environment recognizes exceptional faculty, residents and fellows with the monthly “Exceptional Moments in Teaching” program. One faculty member and one resident/fellow are highlighted each month 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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