Megan Dill Earns Didactic Instructor of the Year Award

For the second year in a row, a University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing faculty member has been named a Didactic Instructor of the Year by the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA).

Assistant Professor Megan Dill (BSN ’95, MSN ’00) is a 2026 co-recipient of this prestigious award, which commends educators who greatly advance “the art and science of anesthesia” while successfully preparing nurse anesthesia students for their future careers.

In addition to teaching, Dill advises students at all levels and serves as the interim program director and chair of Pitt Nursing’s Department of Nurse Anesthesia, which recently tied for No. 5 in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 list of Best Nursing Schools: Doctor of Nursing Practice.

Dill joins a growing group of Pitt Nursing faculty members who have earned a PANA Didactic Instructor of the Year award. Kerry Quisenberry received this distinction in 2025, and earlier recipients have included Bettina Dixon (MSN ’93, DNP ’17), Joseph Goode (BSN ’97, MSN ’00, PhD ’18) and Richard Henker (MSN ’02).

Upon receiving her award at PANA’s spring symposium on May 2, Dill said she feels “honored and humbled” to be recognized by her colleagues, students and nurse anesthetist peers.

“I'm passionate about this program and our students, and they are the reason that I'm here,” said Dill, who joined Pitt Nursing as an adjunct instructor in 2017 and as an assistant professor in 2019 after years of working for hospitals, anesthesia providers and ultimately her own business.

“If I could give back to this profession in any possible way, it’s through the students I teach,” she added.

Three of Dill’s past and present students wrote letters in support of her nomination, describing her as someone who challenges students in a safe, supportive learning environment. She was praised for her thought-provoking lesson plans, which prompt students to explore the history of the nurse anesthesia profession and think critically about their decision-making processes.

Dill teaches several courses but said she’s especially proud of her Nurse Anesthesia Role Seminar—the final course students take before embarking on their careers as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). In addition to helping students build a strong portfolio, Dill discusses topics that are becoming increasingly important to understand in the CRNA field, including malpractice, anesthesia billing and reimbursement.

Across several of her courses, she invites local CRNAs to speak with students about their careers and coordinates simulation activities to help students practice their interviewing and physical assessment skills in a comfortable environment.

She also invites students to experience independent practice firsthand—a rare learning opportunity. She maintains a practice in a private plastic surgery ambulatory center in Pittsburgh and has owned an anesthesia business since 2008. Her independent contracting company for CRNAs and anesthesiologists provides office-based anesthesia services for oral and maxillofacial surgery, plastic surgery, ophthalmology and dental implant practices across Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Dill also maintains an active research regimen that explores the use of simulations in office-based settings to prepare nurses and surgical teams for crisis events. Beyond Pitt, she is a member of PANA, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists and Sigma Theta Tau, as well as a reviewer for the Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing and Journal of Nurse Anesthesia Education.

Though Dill never expected to end up in higher education, she can’t picture herself anywhere else now. Watching her students learn and progress in their practice continues to inspire her every day.

“Their desire to learn makes me excited about this profession, and it’s rewarding to see them grow throughout their three years in this program,” Dill said. “When they first hit the simulation lab, they are extremely nervous. By the end of their program, they are teaching the first-year students. To see that growth is really phenomenal.”