Featured News Obstetric Anesthesia

Three faculty members accepted into Teaching Scholars Program

Congratulations to Associate Professor Anand Lakshminarasimhachar, MD, Assistant Professor Amber Benhardt, MD, and Assistant Professor Ashley Weinhold, MD, on their acceptance to the 2020-21 cohort of the Academy of Educators at Washington University School of Medicine’s Teaching Scholar Program.

During the 12-month program, they will enhance their knowledge and skills and focus on core components of educational scholarship and curriculum development, including topics like curriculum and instructional design, educational program evaluation, educational research/scholarship of teaching & learning, and leadership/change management in education.

Benhardt is an Assistant Program Director for the OB Anesthesia Fellowship and the OB Anesthesia Resident Rotation Director. She completed her residency at UT Southwestern in Dallas, TX, and her fellowship in OB Anesthesia at Brigham and Woman’s Hospital – Harvard in Boston, MA.

“I’m excited to gain more experience as an educator,” said Benhardt. “I think the TSP will be a great opportunity for me to work with faculty in other specialties within the medical school.”

Lakshmiarasimhachar, with the department for more than a decade, is dedicated to resident curriculum development, serving as chairman of the resident education committee and contributing to national postgraduate medical education initiatives.

Weinhold is an assistant professor in the division of Pediatric Anesthesiology and a member of the pediatric pain team. Weinhold was recently accepted to the 2020 Academic Medical Leadership Program for Physicians and Scientists.

“I am thrilled to be able to participate in the Teaching Scholars Program (TSP),” said Weinhold. “As co-director of the pediatric anesthesiology fellowship education curriculum, I believe the TSP will help grow my career by expanding and honing my teaching and curriculum development skills.”

Wienhold looks forward to learning more about the theory of curriculum design and how best to identify efficient techniques to evaluate her fellowship curriculum. “It is imperative that we continually improve our fellows’ education to keep our program at the forefront of innovation,” said Weinhold.