Smith and Taute recognized for Exceptional Moments in Teaching
Travis Smith, MD, faculty member, and Elana Taute, MD, resident, were recognized through the “Exceptional Moments in Teaching” program for the month of January.
Dr. Smith is assistant professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine.
“Dr. Smith is a wonderful physician and teacher. He is incredibly caring, always thoroughly explaining the next steps to patients and comforting them in times of hardship. I aspire to be like him in my future practice,” said a student. “On top of being an inspirational physician, he is also a great teacher – he made me think critically about my patients and their conditions, challenged me to investigate topics relating to their care and took the time to explain confusing concepts. He even asked about my career aspirations, so that he could tailor our discussions to be pertinent to my interests.”
Dr. Smith is a husband, father and lifelong Los Angeles Dodgers fan. He is an assistant professor who practices as an anesthesiologist and critical care physician, and he serves as the rotation director for the Surgical Anesthesia Intensive Care Unit rotation. Dr. Smith grew up in the desert of Palmdale, California, and received his undergraduate and graduate training on the beach at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He completed medical school, residency and fellowship training at Penn State.
His professional interests include medical education, critical care medicine, and subspecialty anesthesia care in obstetric, vascular, thoracic and neuroanesthesia.
The resident awardee, Dr. Taute, is a third-year general surgery resident in the Department of Surgery.
“Dr. Taute is an exceptional teacher and leader. As the most senior resident on our service, she deliberately sought out helpful learning opportunities for me, helping me to learn how to refine my skills in performing a primary and secondary trauma survey and interpreting imaging findings,” one student said. “Her positivity and overall demeanor set the tone for our team, which was able to adapt to challenging circumstances during several unpredictable days. I found that her example of resiliency set the tone and established an incredible learning and work environment for me.”
Dr. Taute’s passion for medicine was fostered while serving on active duty in the U.S. Army as a combat medic and licensed practical nurse. She earned her bachelor’s in nursing at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and completed medical school at Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. She is currently a captain in the U.S. Army and plans to continue her career in the Army as a general surgeon.
When not in the hospital, Dr. Taute can be found on an outdoor adventure or spending time with friends and family.
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. 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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