RYAN VAN OTTEN
UNM Emergency Medicine
Gillian Baty, MD, MPH
Residency Program Director 2018-2024, Professor in Emergency Medicine, ands Assistant Dean, Graduate Medical Education, UNM Health Sciences Center
"Mr. Van Otten served as my Program Manager throughout my entire directorship, and I could not have asked for a more capable partner. We began our respective roles simultaneously, which allowed me to witness firsthand his navigation of the steep learning curve inherent in complex GME coordination. His transformation from a newcomer to a Program Manager par excellence has been remarkable to observe.
Mr. Van Otten possesses several qualities that make him ideally suited for any leadership position, especially in the UNM Health Sciences:
Exceptional Learning and Integration Abilities: His capacity to rapidly absorb, retain, and synthesize new information—whether regulatory updates, accreditation requirements, or institutional policies—is outstanding. He has become one of our institution's go-to experts on all matters related to graduate medical education.
Adaptive Leadership and Crisis Management: His ability to "pivot on a dime"—a skill particularly valued in Emergency Medicine—has proven invaluable during challenging periods. He successfully guided our program through the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple institutional transitions, and several program citations, adapting strategies and maintaining program quality throughout.
Interpersonal Excellence and Stakeholder Management: Mr. Van Otten demonstrates remarkable ability to read and effectively communicate with diverse audiences, from medical students and residents to department chairs and institutional administrators. His judgment in navigating sensitive learning environment issues has been consistently sound, handled with utmost professionalism, tact, and discretion.
Nicholas Parchim, MD, PhD
Resident Alumni 2019 and current Faculty in Emergency/Critical Care Medicine, UNM Health Sciences Center
"I have known Mr. Van Otten for the last five years where he has worked as an administrator and subsequent program manager for the Emergency Medicine residency program at UNM. In that time, I have seen him work diligently as a liaison and mentor to hundreds of residents. He also is involved in organization of educational endeavors, meetings, and work schedules.
Mr. Van Otten brings a unique mix of organizational expertise, professionalism, and humanism to the resident training environment. He always has an open door to listen to faculty and residents alike to listen and help resolve both work and personal issues. Mr. Van Otten’s colleague’s consistently remark on his ability to provide an efficient work environment while managing a large department such as the Department of Emergency Medicine.
His previous training and work in administration in a dynamic department give him the skills to perform stupendously in the most challenging and distinctive environments. I know, if accepted for the position of Operations Manager, that he would perform well and be an asset to your group. I give him my highest regards and highest recommendations!
Jackson Vane, MD
Fellow Alumni 2017, UNM Department of Emergency Medicine
"Ryan was an exceptional resource during my time at UNM. He was the one constant in an ever-changing department and I relied on him heavily to be able to graduate fellowship successfully. Even after graduation, he was a great point of contact and kept me connected to the UNM community. He had the hard task of dealing with numerous doctors in various stages of their career, and he did so with great competence and ease. He will excel if given the opportunity to lead, and has demonstrated this ability on numerous occasions."
Christian M. Garcia, MD
Resident Physician 2021 and current Faculty, UNM Department of Emergency Medicine
"Ryan Van Otten is a truly exceptional leader, manager, team player, collaborator and communicator. He is the most accountable and entrust-able Manager I have ever encountered in my 20 plus years of work experience which includes local, state and federal government work, international experience, as well as running my own company of 65+ employees. I would have given anything to have someone like him to help run my company. Every individual in our program knows that if something needs to happen or if you need help or answers to an issue, that Ryan makes it happen. Beyond this he does it all with a smile and willingness that is unrivaled. He’s the type of leader that leads from the front, is proactive in making sure whatever task no matter how big or small, gets taken care of in an efficient and timely manner. It is without hesitation or reservations that I would consider him one of the best leaders I’ve have the opportunity to work with and the best part is I’m pretty sure he does not even know how good he is.”
Bianca Alvarez, MD
Resident Physician 2021, and current Faculty, UNM Department of Emergency Medicine
Mr. Van Otten takes incredible pride in his work & has consistently been a reliable leader. His skills are multi-faceted and he has proven his ability to manage a large group of medical professionals. He continues to streamline efforts and unify the education office’s endeavors into a seamless process and has been an asset to the UNM Emergency Medicine Department since day one.
Michael Wasserman, MD
Resident Physician 2021, UNM Department of Emergency Medicine
“Ryan Van Otten is a born leader and has consistently proven that he is the consummate professional through his demonstrated ability to lead diverse teams, effectively manage working professionals, and complete deliverables with tight-deadlines. He is held in the highest regard by his peers and his colleagues. A true team-player, Ryan goes above and beyond in his duties to foster a collaborative and productive working environment, and his managerial skill set is unmatched. He is empathetic, understanding, and highly effective in his ability to identify opportunities for improvement and capitalize on them. Beyond his successful ability to effectively manage complex teams, Ryan is a true joy to work with.”
Iluonose Amoni, MD
Fellow Alumni 2019, UNM Department of Emergency Medicine
"Ryan, thanks for being such an exceptional program coordinator. You provided excellent support for us as fellows, an extra voice for us. I in particular enjoyed your support sometimes being a little of an outsider. You are so organized and efficient, the program ran so smoothly- scheduling of our evaluation meetings and arranging our rotations. Scheduling rotations outside our department was sometimes difficult but you were able to get this done and create new partnerships with different departments. Making the fellow schedule and ensuring fairness - another of your excellent traits. You provided us with a yearly schedule for our Wednesday lectures which was always clear, succinct and color-coded. In my interactions with you in the office, I watched you lead your team with respect, hard work, and by example. You are an awesome leader. I always appreciated all you did, now even more so as I am away."
Risa Garcia, MD
Fellow and Resident Alumni 2019, UNM Department of Emergency Medicine
"I knew Ryan as the program coordinator during my part of my residency and my fellowship. He was always prompt at answering my emails, was great at reminding me of important requirements, and if he didn’t have the answer to my questions he would direct me to the right people. Overall I felt that Ryan made managing the requirements and administrative portions of residency easier. He is organized, helpful, and never let any of us forget to check our checkboxes.
Tamal Roy, MD
Resident Alumni 2019, UNM Department of Emergency Medicine
"I had the pleasure of working with Ryan for 3 years. He was an excellent leader. Task-oriented, punctual, and an effective communicator. I personally saw him transform the administrative leadership style in a way that continues to positively impact the emergency medicine residency. Any department or organization would be lucky to have him in a leadership position. I give him my highest recommendation possible."
Laura Zillen, MS, RD
Staff Member 2019, UNM Department of Emergency Medicine
"I was a temp the Department of Emergency Medicine when Ryan became the Program Manager. Even as a temp, he gave me the opportunity to learn and grow as a professional. Ryan fosters a work culture that encourages others to do their best. Now, as a manager myself, I can confidently endorse Ryan as a supervisor, particularly for this role which requires strong interpersonal skills and consistent leadership. Ryan is an asset and investment in him as Operations Manager will benefit your department, faculty, staff, and students."
Laren Jaramillo
Staff Member 2019, UNM Department of Emergency Medicine
"Thank you for everything Ryan! Your continued support and guidance throughout the time I spent working under you has been paramount in my growth as not only a professional but as a person overall. The unparalleled leadership consistently offered through action and honesty are the hallmarks of what I am continually seeking to achieve myself. I regard every moment of working under you was an education in professionalism and management of diverse peoples and personalities in a complex setting of circumstances. I have taken those lessons with me and mirrored them into my new environment, which has undoubtedly played an integral role in my success here as an emergency dispatcher.
Beatrice Rushing
Staff Member 2022, UNM Department of Emergency Medicine, currently UNM School of Medicine Office of Faculty Affairs
"I have been with UNM working in higher education for six years, and I have had the great pleasure of working closely with Ryan Van Otten for one of those years. In my six years working for UNM, I have never met anyone as impeccable as Ryan. His work ethic and poise is incredible! His communication with every individual is always professional and informative. If Ryan does not know a system or process, he applies himself to not only learn the process but also streamline it to make it better. Ryan has the “work smarter, not harder”, attitude, which has made and will continue to make a positive difference wherever he works. I was especially impressed to see how Ryan is given tasks with little to no information, and he goes over and above to complete the task at hand in a very impressive manner. Ryan is ingenious, always positive, and most of all very professional. So many people he works with admire Ryan because he is always willing to help with a smile on his face."