The George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) has established the Office of Professional and Respectful Learning to help foster an inclusive learning environment where faculty and learners thrive and to encourage growth of mutually respectful relationships across the GW SMHS academic medical enterprise. The new office will be led by Jennifer Keller, MD, MPH ’07, RESD ’07, FACOG, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology.
“As a GW alumna and a member of the faculty since 2007, Dr. Keller is very familiar with our culture and the learning environment at GW SMHS. Her high-level of professionalism, her connection with both learners and faculty, and her calm temperament will enable her to be successful in this new role. We are thrilled that she has agreed to serve in this position, and we are confident that Dr. Keller is the right person to establish this office and build it into the resource that our school and leadership envision,” said Richard Simons, MD, senior associate dean for MD programs.
The office will be the home to problem-solving initiatives related to the learning environment. Under Keller’s leadership, the new office will promote institutional professionalism goals, including:
- recognizing those who create a positive, inclusive learning environment;
- promoting best practices for strategies to foster a positive learning environment;
- serving as a central repository for learner reports related to the learning environment;
- assisting learners in reporting and coping with mistreatment events;
- facilitating the inquiry into and resolution of complaints within the learning environment; and
- providing reports on mistreatment and actions taken to resolve the issues to students, residents, faculty and administration.
The office will recognize faculty and residents for exceptional teaching that enriches the learning environment, address any incidents of learner mistreatment in a proactive and unbiased effective manner, and focus on the advancement of professionalism with GW SMHS.
“The establishment of this office is an essential step in the growth and development of our community. I am looking forward to working with students, residents, faculty and staff across the medical enterprise to improve the experience of our learners at all levels of training. It is essential that people learn and work in a place they feel respected, cared for and supported and I look forward to helping to develop a culture of professionalism and respect at GW.
Keller attended Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine before coming to GW for her residency training. She also earned her Master of Public Health degree from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at GW.
She has served as the director of the residency program in the Department of OB-GYN, as the director of the division of education in the Department of OB-GYN, and the vice-chair of the Graduate Medical Education Committee at GW. Keller is an examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a member of the national Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Keller began serving in this role in October 2022.
