Name: J.P. Haas, MD
Medical school attended: Creighton University School of Medicine, MD, 2007
Location of residency/fellowship training:
- Creighton University – preliminary internal medicine, 2008
- Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, Rochester, Minnesota, diagnostic radiology, 2012
- Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, musculoskeletal imaging fellowship, 2013
What residency program at UNMC are you serving as program director for?
Diagnostic radiology
Number of trainees: Currently 26.
How long have you been the program director? Four months. Before that, I was associate program director for about three years.
What made you choose to become the program director?
I had more jobs than I expected early in my career, largely due to a tight job market in 2012-2013. Before I came to UNMC, I worked in small-town private practice, larger city private practice and at the VA Hospital in Omaha. When I finally found my way to academics in 2018, I discovered what my true professional passion was: interacting with and teaching residents as they begin to launch their careers in radiology. It has been tremendously satisfying and sustainable to play a part in that process, and I believe that mindset has been one of the main reasons I now find myself program director.
What challenges do you foresee in graduate medical education in the future?
For our specialty, I see modern learning theory as a crucial concept in graduate medical education, as well as integrating that with rapidly evolving technology. Diagnostic radiology necessitates study of a wide breadth of medicine, and it can be overwhelming. The oral board certifying exam has been absent in our specialty for several years, but it is coming back soon. Adapting appropriate teaching strategies in our core curriculum, especially emphasizing active learner engagement, is something I see as a high priority moving forward.
What are the strengths of your training program?
I see many strengths in our program, but one that especially stands out is the culture of our residents. Collegiality is high, residents are proactive learners, and they support each other where needed.
List some accomplishments that you are proud of:
- I am a successful husband and father. I have four kids ranging in ages from 1 to 17 .
- I have completed a half-marathon.
- I had a moderately successful high school tennis career, though I was crushed mercilessly in the state tournament by one of my UNMC anesthesiology colleagues, Dr. Nick Heiser.
Tell us three things about you that others may not know:
- I am the eldest of six kids. I was 7 years old when my youngest sibling was born. The boy/girl order is the same as the Brady Bunch (I think).
- I attended college at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. My friends were mostly Red Sox fans. I have been to Fenway Park exactly one time in my life, and it was a no-hitter pitched by Derek Lowe on April 27, 2002.
- I love 1990s sports/pop culture: a few highlights include the music of 311, “The Big Lebowski” and the Chicago Bulls dynasty.