Omonele O. Nwokolo, MD

Distinguished Educator Professor
Vice Chair for Culture, Accountability, and Outreach
Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Email:  [email protected]
Phone:  713-500-6200

Educational Philosophy

“I am not a teacher, but an awakener.” Robert Frost

I was 8 years old when a physician who treated me as part of a mission trip, laughed at me for wanting to be a physician like him when I grew up. It sounds cruel now, but it was in fact funny at that time. I was an uneducated village girl, how could it be possible to become a physician? I took that laughter as a challenge, and started school where I met a teacher who incredibly enough believed in me. She encouraged me to excel, I recall her calling me a “shining star”, but also scolded me when I needed it. I saw the efforts she put in her students, in me. She was my mentor, she awakened me.

My sole purpose for being in an academic institution is to maintain that passion I have for teaching. While, I personally enjoy teaching and get a great sense of satisfaction from educating my residents, my goal is for each of them to graduate to be a better physician than I am. My goal is for my students and residents to develop an eternal curiosity and constantly seek knowledge expansion.

My other goal is to ensure my students and residents have someone who can counter balance voices similar to that of the physician I encountered at age 8. I strongly believe in mentorship and being available for my residents in all matters. It is imperative that females, minorities and people from a disadvantaged background see people with similar traits and background as them for it serves as an incentive and a beacon of hope to them that it can be done.

Hence, I have in the last six years at the Medical School, mentored medical students, student nurse anesthetists, anesthesia assistant students and most of all anesthesiology residents. Most of my teaching have been bedside and intraoperative teaching but also didactic lectures, problem based learning and small group sessions. As Assistant Program Director, I have created curriculums and assisted in mentorship programs for the residents. I have also extended teaching and mentorship to my peers and colleagues. Today as a physician, I want to be like that teacher from my childhood. I may not be a participant during the formative ages of my student’s lives, but I long and strive to be that awakener.

Area of expertise

Health care disparities
Diversity in medicine
Operating room management.

My vision and as a physician educator is developing the next generation of excellent Physicians in general and Anesthesiologists in particular. My goals include:

  • Ensuring my residents become board certified anesthesiologists
  • Ensuring myself and my residents stay abreast of clinical knowledge in order to ensure the best patient outcomes in our clinical practice
  • Impact a sense of appreciation of our profession and the need to give back to the community that helped get us to our goals

PAST AND CURRENT EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Assistant Residency Program Director 2013- Present: Assist the Program Director in managing teaching curriculum of one of the largest anesthesiology residency programs in the country

Course Director 2012- present: The Oral Board Review Weekly Series at LBJ Hospital (6:30 AM); more than 70 residents yearly in attendance, also a monthly presenter at this course

Course Director: CA1 Junior Lecture Seminar: 2013- Present:   Developed curriculum including lecture series and PBLD for junior anesthesia residents to prepare for the newly implemented American Board of Anesthesiology Basic Certification Examination which started in 2014

Managing the department’s electronic educational platform-Anesthesia Toolbox Project- a national bank of lectures, questions and PBLD

Active participant in the formal didactic programs in the Anesthesiology department.

Act as mentor and advisor for resident clinical research and quality improvement presentations and submission at regional and national meetings and subsequent submission for publication

Resident Education Liaison LBJ Hospital:  2014 – Present: Responsible for resident education and developing LBJ OR resident teaching curriculum.

Continuing Education for Harris Health EMTs: Coordinating orientation and logistics of training for emergency Medical Technicians in the operating rooms to maintain proficiency and continued education in advanced airway management.

Member of Curriculum Committee

Author of Book chapters in Anesthesia Basic Exam Review book and Essence of Anesthesia Practice

Coach/ mentor for multiple Anesthesiologists for Oral Board Preparation

HONORS/AWARDS/APPOINTMENTS

Multiple Deans teaching awards

Distinguished Teaching (Academy of master Educators)