May C. M. Pian-Smith, MD, MS
Rabkin Fellow in Medical Education, 2005-2006
Advanced Fellow in Medical Education, 2008-2009
Assistant Professor of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School
Rabkin Fellowship Project:
Teaching residents to question and challenge: An experiential approach
Dr. Pian-Smith received her AB in Biology from Harvard University in 1981 and a Master’s degree in Pharmacology and Physiology from Cornell University. She attended medical school at SUNY Stony Brook and completed her internship in Medicine and Surgery at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Upon graduating from her residency in Anesthesiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, she joined the staff at MGH in 1994. A founding member of the OB Anesthesia service at MGH, she has been instrumental in establishing clinical practice guidelines, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, and championing educational programs.
Her clinical research has focused on women's health issues; including pre-eclampsia, hemodynamic changes during cesarean delivery, the use of integrative therapy (acupuncture) for pelvic pain, hypertension and menopausal hot flashes, and simulation training for the management of obstetrical crises. For many of these projects, she has mentored residents and fellows such that they have co-authored abstracts, chapters or manuscripts and presented at national meetings. She is also Co-editor of Obstetric Anesthesia, a hands-on PDA-reference featuring chapters written by anesthesia residents with one-on-one faculty mentors.
As a Rabkin Fellow, and recipient of a Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER) grant, Dr. Pian-Smith developed and implemented innovative curriculum at the Center for Medical Simulation to teach residents the skills and language of "speaking up". Specifically the lessons foster collaborative questioning and challenging across hierarchical gradients, with the goal of improving resident education, enhancing the role and responsibility of residents in care teams, and supporting patient safety.
