Caring for children is both a critical mission and a gift. Those of us privileged to work at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital are stewards of systems of care that are vital to the health of our children and the sustainability of our communities. Part of that vitality and sustainability are the training of the next generation of practitioners.
Doernbecher partners with OHSU’s medical and nursing schools to train the doctors and nurses who will care for our children and their children in the future, long after our own work is done.
The presence of trainees in the hospitals enriches us. We think of new and improved ways to deliver care. There are additional doctors present in the hospital at night who can respond to a sudden change more quickly than in typical care settings. There are more people available to educate families and patients about their illness and their care.
Recently, I was honored for my work as director of the neurosurgical residency training program at both OHSU and OHSU Doernbecher Children’s hospitals. The Palmer J. Parker Courage to Teach Award is given to 10 residency or fellowship program directors in the United States each year to recognize the value and importance of medical and surgical training, and of educators. Mentorship, promotion of excellent patient care and safety, and educational innovation are core attributes for the award.
Although the honor is in my name, it is clearly a reflection of the quality and expertise of the faculty and residents with whom I work at OHSU and Doernbecher, their commitment to the highest quality education, to innovation and to world-class patient care.
I am proud of the young neurosurgeons training at OHSU Doernbecher. Mentoring them is one of the most fulfilling aspects of my job. They contribute directly to the safety and wonderful outcomes of patients we care for. I am honored and humbled that the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has recognized the work we do together.
Nathan Selden, M.D., Ph.D.
Mario and Edie Campagna Chair of Pediatric Neurosurgery
Director, OHSU Neurological Surgery Residency Program
OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
