Bob Dylan once sang, “You go your own way and I’ll go mine.” When 2008 Great Teacher Award winner (and Dylan fan) Paul Lyons’ students go their own way after graduation, they’re often changed — for the better.

“Dr. Lyons has always provided me with a sense of empowerment,” said one student. “Not only did he teach me the scientific principles behind what we did for our patients, he set an example of how to really care for them,” said another.

Clearly, he leaves a lasting impression on his students. This year, he was also awarded the prestigious Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence by the American Medical Student Association. A 2004 winner of the Lindback Foundation Award, he is also the recipient of the Exemplary Teaching Award from the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians and the Resident Teacher Award from the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.

“Teaching is what gets me out of bed in the morning. It's the most important part of my job and the reason why I'm here," said Lyons.

Lyons received his medical degree from Ohio State University and completed his residency at the University of Minnesota‘s Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. He has been a faculty member at Temple University School of Medicine since 1998.

Lyons’ teaching approach relies on a blend of education and patient care.

“Dr. Lyons’ dedication to the students and residents at Temple University Hospital far exceeds expectation,” said colleague Trisha Acri, assistant professor of family and community medicine. “He always has students working with him when he sees patients in the family medicine or adolescent outpatient offices.”

Lyons, also an associate professor of family and community medicine, assisted in the development of the new Medical School curriculum, and is the course director for the department’s clerkship and sub-internship programs; teaches “Doctoring” 1 and 2; supervises obstetrics residents and students in labor and delivery; and instructs medicine residents and students on the Internal Medicine Inpatient teaching service.

In addition to his full load at the Medical School, Lyons continuously looks for interdisciplinary ways to teach his students: He has collaborated with the Department of Public Health at the College of Health Professions and the Department of English at the College of Liberal Arts to include challenging electives for both medical students and undergraduates.

“My mother used to tell me to leave a room better than when I found it: cleaner, neater brighter,” said Lyons. “This is my educational philosophy. I consider myself successful if every student is better off for having been in the clean, well-lighted room.”

Further illustrating his commitment to his students, Lyons is heavily involved in several student-run groups including the Family Medicine Interest Group, the Geriatrics Interest Group and Physicians for Social Responsibility. He also helped start Temple CARES, a student-run clinic that offers free health services to members of the North Philadelphia community.

In winter of 2005, Lyons accompanied his students to hurricane-ravaged parts of New Orleans to provide medical supplies and care.

“Dr. Lyons recognizes and encourages the passion that Temple medical students have for volunteering in our neediest communities, and our desire to help the underserved,” said fourth-year student Jenny Chiang.

“He is the type of doctor that I want to emulate,” she said.