Not only does she provide guidance and direction to residents and medical students as part of her responsibilities as chief resident, she also serves as a voice on several committees dedicated to constant improvement at Loyola-MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, IL.
That’s just one reason why Dr. Bunyan was selected to receive the 2018 Herbert S. Waxman Chief Resident Teaching Scholarship earlier this year. Established by the American College of Physicians (ACP), the scholarship recognizes outstanding chief medical residents and provides an opportunity to assist teaching workshops at the ACP’s 2018 Internal Medicine Meeting. Dr. Bunyan was one of just six chief residents to receive the honor.
During the conference, which took place April 19-21 in New Orleans, Dr. Bunyan taught students, residents, and other physicians about ultrasound guided central lines, paracentesis, and thoracentesis. Held in the Herbert S. Waxman Clinical Skills Center, these workshops offer a chance for conference attendees to learn how to safely perform common procedures, refine interpretive skills, and update physical examination skills in a small-group learning environment.
Dr. Bunyan said her experience teaching resident procedural workshops and code blue simulations came in handy for this opportunity.
“I’m really passionate about internal medicine; the diversity of disease conditions and being able to take care of all patients regardless of their presentation to the hospital are a big draw to me,” she said. “During my residency, I really fell in love with taking care of the patient population—especially educating them about their disease and creating safe transitions of care.”
Dr. Bunyan also posited some advice: “It’s really important to be involved in hospital committees. As a resident, day in and day out, you’re learning a lot about clinical medicine as you take care of patients, but working on committees is a great way to see bigger picture of the way your hospital operates.”
She’s looking forward to beginning a hospitalist role at Rush Oak Park Hospital in Illinois this July. While there, she’s sure to be active in resident/student teaching and in hospital operations.
