Stanford MSPA Program Recognizes Rustin Massoudi, MD, for Outstanding Clinical Teaching
We are proud to announce that Rustin Massoudi, MD, has been named the March recipient of the Stanford MSPA Monthly Outstanding Clinical Teaching Award.
Massoudi has been instrumental in building a thriving educational experience for MSPA students. Since joining the East Bay faculty in 2019, he has actively created new opportunities for learners by partnering with hospitalists to offer clinical shadowing days in both the clinic and the operating room, laying the foundation for what would become a formal elective rotation.
“I’ve always loved teaching, and when I joined Stanford Urology in the East Bay, I saw an opportunity to give students real, hands-on exposure to surgical care,” said Massoudi. “The Stanford Tri-Valley site had a strong connection with the MSPA program, so we worked with our colleagues to develop early shadowing experiences. It took off quickly, and within a year or so we had launched our elective rotation. Since then, we’ve expanded to welcome NP students, medical students, and even the occasional resident or fellow.”
Throughout the rotation, Massoudi emphasizes the importance of developing clinical reasoning skills and patient-centered care. He has seen firsthand how immersive, well-structured learning environments can shape a student’s career trajectory and confidence.
“Our goal is to teach students how to think through clinical conditions, build a differential diagnosis, and come up with a thoughtful treatment plan. Watching them gain that confidence over the course of the rotation is incredibly rewarding,” he said. “We certainly do not expect all our students to become urologists, but a few of our alumni have gone on to join urology departments. In fact, we hired our first student.”
With new training programs on the horizon, including a family medicine residency at Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley, Massoudi sees continued growth ahead.
“There’s a strong culture of education and collaboration here,” he added. “It’s exciting to be part of a team that’s investing in the next generation of healthcare professionals.”
Congratulations to Massoudi on this well-earned recognition.
Here are a few student comments that highlight Dr. Massoudi's exceptional clinical teaching and dedication:
“Dr. Massoudi is an excellent preceptor! He has high expectations for us and communicates very clearly. He took time to explain things to me and understood that I don't know everything related to the specialty but wanted me to use resources and know where to find answers. He helped me become faster in new patient visits and talked me through his thought process. He taught me the importance of being efficient while still being thorough and precise with decision-making. This was an amazing rotation full of learning opportunities, not only on medical knowledge but also work-style, efficiency, and high-quality care.”
“Dr. Massoudi is a great preceptor! He is incredibly approachable, knowledgeable, and passionate about teaching - he often asked questions that pushed me to think beyond the basics and build upon my clinical knowledge. I enjoyed the opportunity to see and present patients and appreciate his thoughtful feedback and support. Overall, very grateful to have had the opportunity to rotate with Dr. Massoudi and learned so much!”
“Dr. Massoudi was a pleasure to work with! His affable nature facilitated a supportive learning environment that was also appropriately challenging. Dr. Massoudi consistently made himself available to answer any questions and made time to go over important concepts pertaining to clinic. Additionally, his ability to compassionately explain diagnoses to patients and connect with them on a personal level was truly inspiring. Dr. Massoudi is a great provider, teacher, and mentor.”