Academic title: Assistant professor of emergency medicine
Joined the USA College of Medicine faculty: August 2020
What does your position at the USA College of Medicine/USA Health entail?
I joined the Department of Emergency Medicine with a focus as a clinical educator. I am involved mainly in resident education; however, since we are a new department, I wear many hats. In addition to being a faculty moderator and curriculum designer, I am the trauma liaison for the emergency department and work closely with the Department of Surgery to enhance our patient care and protocols. I also develop new protocols and care pathways in the ED. Finally, I coordinate the social media and website updates for our department.
What is your favorite or most rewarding part of your position?
First, I love our patients. We are a critical access point for so many in this region. In particular I enjoy providing the most up-to-date care as possible for our patients, especially the most vulnerable populations who have difficulty accessing healthcare. In terms of academics, I always enjoy on-shift resident education. Seeing residents come back the next shift incorporating new, better ways of practice is always a source of enjoyment for me that keeps me going.
Are you involved in research or other initiatives in the College of Medicine?
Besides the above-mentioned initiatives and operations protocols I help develop for the ED, I am mainly interested in education research, especially asynchronous learning. I run my own podcast for emergency medicine education called EM Board Bombs and have been really into developing this more.
What is your advice for medical students?
If you can survive the worst day on a specialty and still enjoy it, that says a lot about your future career choice. Don’t pay much attention to what other specialties say about your field. You pick something because you derive joy and satisfaction from it, not from others’ approval of what you are doing.
What are your hobbies/interests outside of work?
Podcasting, audio editing, backpack trekking, kayaking, and, when COVID-19 isn’t around, traveling.
