Gordin recognized for Exceptional Moments in Teaching

Dr. Vitaly Gordin, chief of the Chronic Pain Management Center at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, is featured for June in the “Exceptional Moments in Teaching” program. He is a professor of anesthesiology in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine.

“One of the best teachers I have ever met,” wrote a current student. “I am so grateful to learn from him what it means to teach and what it means to care for students and challenge them to new heights. Working with him, I felt like I wasn't just a shadow and I wasn't in the way. He took the time to sit down with a couple of us and explained with bone models how disease processes and treatments worked. He took the time, as well, when he was in the room with the patients to answer my questions and to explain his thinking processes, which was so enriching for me as a student, and so comforting, I'm sure, for his patients to hear.

“I didn't know anything about the Pain Center walking in (and never really enjoyed outpatient settings), but I walked away just thirsty for more knowledge and can't wait to go back. Dr. Gordin is truly a phenomenal teacher, and I am so grateful for his kindness, for sharing his wisdom, and for role modeling for me what it means to be an exceptional physician.”

Gordin graduated from Riga Medical School in Latvia in the former Soviet Union and before coming to the U.S., worked as an anesthesiologist in his native country. He completed an anesthesia residency and fellowship in pain management at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Gordin’s clinical interests include comprehensive evaluation and treatment of patients with various pain conditions. In his practice, he uses a broad range of interventional pain management procedures, including spinal cord stimulation.

Penn State College of Medicine’s Office for a Respectful Learning Environment recognizes exceptional faculty members with the monthly “Exceptional Moments in Teaching” program. 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.

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.