DeWaters recognized for Exceptional Moments in Teaching

Dr. Ami DeWaters, assistant professor of medicine (Division of General Internal Medicine) and assistant director of Health Systems Sciences Education for Penn State College of Medicine, is featured for September in the “Exceptional Moments in Teaching” program.

“Dr. DeWaters is swamped working in the COVID unit, working long days and risking her own health to better the health of others,” the student wrote. “Despite the incredibly high demands of this job, she was still committed to being the director for the Principles of Medicine course that is used to prepare the new graduates for their intern year. She definitely could have passed this responsibility on to someone else due to the circumstances and her schedule, but she chose to stick to it. She was working in the unit, managing our class and then returning to the unit to provide care. She is a true star in medical education, an exemplary example of what true servant leadership is in the medical field. I am proud to have been trained by Dr. DeWaters. If I become even half of the quality of a physician as she is, I will consider my career a success.”

DeWaters completed her medical degree at Medical College of Georgia, her internal medicine residency at Penn State and a general internal medicine fellowship at UT Southwestern in Dallas. During her fellowship, she obtained a Master of Science degree, with a focus on medical education. She is clinically active as a hospitalist and her education interests are focused on curriculum development in health systems science spanning across the continuum of medical education.

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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