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DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE NEWSLETTER

Spring 2025

The Department of Emergency Medicine looks forward to another exciting year ahead! Several milestones to celebrate: Graduating our first class of 12 residents, completion of a large animal resuscitation research space in research park, approval to move forward with much needed ED renovations at the main ED and partnering with Common Spirit to staff the Holy Cross Salt Lake City hospital starting in July!  We are also excited about the arrival of several new academic faculty who will help further our endeavors in Ultrasound, EMS, and Research – their hard work and dedication is already evident in their accomplishments thus far. 

As well, we recognize the ongoing efforts of all our faculty and staff that ensure we attract top candidates for our EM Residency, fellowships, and our teams who continue to highlight our specialty to medical students both locally and nationally!

Our wins are the result of a strong spirit of collaboration, intentional focus, some trial and error, and your unwavering commitment to excellence. Please enjoy, and help celebrate, our team’s highlights below!

Dr. Christy Hopkins

West Valley City: 24-bed Emergency Department, expected groundbreaking summer -2025, with anticipated opening in 2028.

Faculty Sim Procedure Day: May 6, 2025, 8 am - Noon – College of Nursing Sim Lab

Future Faculty Meeting Dates:

April 21st, 10 am – 11:30 am

May 19th, 10 am - 11:30 am

June 16th, 10 am - 11:30 am

Fellow Graduation:

 June 17th, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

 Resident Graduation:

June 26th, 5 pm - 9 pm

Dr. Susan Stroud: 

New Department of Emergency Medicine Emeritus Faculty!

Dr. Allison Beaulieu:

Congratulations to Dr. Beaulieu: Recipient of the Academy of Health Science Educators Awards and Recognition Committee 2025 Early Career Educator Award in Health Sciences!

Dr. Guillaume Hoareau, PhD: 

Congratulations to Dr. Hoareau on being honored by the Health Sciences Research Forum (HSRF) and the Office of the Associate Vice President for Research in Health Sciences. This recognition celebrates research faculty at the University who have earned acclaim for their outstanding contributions, whether through significant grant funding, high-impact publications, prestigious national or international awards, or media recognition. 

Dr. Jeff Druck: 

Congrations to Dr. Druck, elected to the SAEM Board of Directors 2025-2026

Congratulations to Dr. Ethan Grant! Elected to the SAEM RAMS Board of Directors 2025-2026

Congratulations to Dr. Jason 'JR' Pickett! Elected to Special Operations Medical Association 2025 Board of Directors, Non-Military Vice President 

Congratulations to Dr. Cara Lembo on award of the Department of Emergency Medicine Resident Research Grant for: Addressing Emergency Medicine Residents' Knowledge Gaps in Pediatric Emergency Medicine with Targeted Curriculum Enhancements. 

Congratulations to Dr. Patrick Hughes: UCEP’s Educator of the Year Award!

Dr. Josh Berko

Dr. Rachel Brehm

Dr. Brennan Enright

Dr. Sofia Tuttle

We’re honored to step into the chief roles this year, following in the footsteps of Julia, Alex, Morgan, and Chris, who set a high standard for leadership. Our goal is to uphold the clinical and academic excellence of our program while continuing to foster the strong, supportive culture that makes Utah EM unique.  

We have three years to train not only outstanding emergency physicians, but outstanding doctors and people, and our commitment is to prioritize this while maintaining the work-hard, play-hard mindset that defines our residency—emphasizing integrity, teamwork, and a positive learning environment. Our focus is on strengthening relationships between leadership and residents, advocating for what’s right, and ensuring that everyone feels valued and supported. Most importantly, we want to continue embracing the privilege of emergency medicine—helping sick people, making a difference, and doing it all alongside our closest friends.  

At the end of the day, what matters most is simple: **Work hard. Be kind. Be honest.**

Drs. Berko, Brehm, Enright, and Tuttle

Dr. Patrick Hughes:  EM Clinical Educator of the Quarter!

"Patrick is the perfect balance of meeting you where you’re at and inspiring positivity to pull you out of the tough times. I’ve always felt supported by him and had my hard experiences validated. Patrick truly wants residents to have a positive residency experience and says so often.

He checks on us, is in tune with the needs of residents, and is constantly giving education pearls on shift. I’ve never felt my autonomy encroached upon nor left to the wolves when working with him. Additionally, Patrick volunteers his prior residency leadership experience in a humble way at every opportunity to build up our residency. He’s at (dare I say at every?) conference and contributing to our learning from his clinical experience. He is a beacon of positivity and I’m so grateful to have him on our team! We love you Dr. Hughes! Stay excellent" - PGY-2

“Patrick is one of my favorite attendings to work with in the department. He is an amazing educator and always happy and supportive on shift. He goes out of his way to help the residents he is working with succeed while still giving them autonomy. I am so impressed that he shows up to almost every Wednesday conference and so many residency events as well. We are so lucky to have him on our faculty!” - PGY-3 

"I had my first aortic dissection patient with Patrick, and he enabled me to feel empowered in my independent decision-making and patient care while also providing a calm, patient, available and supporting presence. You can tell he has a heart of gold within minutes of meeting him and I always feel supported in my growth as a resident when he’s on shift. He’s intelligent and humble which makes for such an impactful educator." - PGY-1

Patrick Hughes has been such a value-add team member to our all-star faculty line up! He brings so much experience and is always looking to teach and mentor students. He is an incredible clinician and a blast to work with on shift, always finding time for teaching or mentoring during busy shifts. He brings with him an unparalleled research pedigree and is always stoked to get our residents involved in projects. He is an outspoken advocate for our residents and has gone above and beyond to meet with residents outside of shifts for mentoring or project troubleshooting. Did I mention he is also HILARIOUS? He always manages to paint a smile on your face and elevates the group aura anytime he is around. In short, he’s the freaking man. - PGY-2

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Michael Morgan – Street Medicine!

Congratulations to Dr. Mike Morgan- Director for the University of Utah's Street Medicine program for medical students. Dr. Morgan, working in conjunction with the 4th Street, helps provide care to some of Utah’s most vulnerable patients. This elective gives our medical students the opportunity to participate in true community medicine, meeting our undomiciled patients where they are.

How impactful is this program? See what our medical students are saying:

“I feel changed. Maybe it's a new layer of empathy I didn’t know I was capable of feeling, seeing the rawness of these people’s lives and a human experience many don't even know exist. Maybe it’s a layer of naivety shaved away for the same reason. I am so grateful to have not only chosen this beautiful, messy career, but to have been placed at the fourth street clinic and have these experiences that will shape who I am as a physician.” 

“I was overwhelmed by this world I didn’t even know existed in my own city. I’ve never felt so out of place, but grateful to be experiencing and offering a small portion of aid what was in front of me at the same time.  It was a complicated mix of “how could this happen to so many people, how could the system fail so many people” to “I hope we can help someone here today and show them that people are here to support and care for them.”

“In three hours of street medicine, I learned more about what my patients experience day-to-day than almost six months in clinic. I’ve taken plenty of histories, but the words “cold in the morning”, “need to protect my stuff”, and “it’s tough”, sound different when you’ve felt some of that cold, seen one of their fights, and tried to care for them where they stand…”

The DOEM Education group showed up in full force for CORD 2025 in Seattle! From our incredible program leadership to our chief residents and medical education fellows, we had an amazing turnout, and engaging discussions that will help shape the future of EM education!

Dr. Julia Ruggieri took the stage at CORD 2025 to deliver a masterclass on vulnerability in medical education as part of the prestigious FIRST UP! Competition. Her talk, "Vulnerability in Medical Education: A Paradox," explored the critical role of safe spaces, open conversations, and emotional honesty in shaping the next generation of EM physicians. In a field that demands resilience, she reminded us that true strength comes from embracing and discussing our challenges.

Medical students Genae Christensen and Sarah Petelinsek presented their work on the Three Breaths Project as part of the 22nd Annual Innovations in Medical Education Conference. 

William Pau: Emergency Medicine Services Fellow

Hey everyone! I’m Will! I grew up in Los Angeles, California. I went to undergrad at New York University. I was an EMT in New York City before completing medical school in Pittsburgh at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine – Seton Hill. I did my residency at Detroit Receiving Hospital. My husband Frank and I met in NYC, and we have two dogs named Charlie and Norbert. We are expecting a baby girl right after residency finishes!  Having lived in urban cities for so many years, we are excited to spend some time near the mountains. In my free time you can find me cooking new recipes, plane spotting, or listening to the fire/ems scanner. I am stoked to live and breathe EMS!

Seth Illu: Emergency Medicine Services Fellow

Hello to everyone who ventures to the bio sections! Seth here, last name is a little tricky. Your eyes may be playing tricks, It's not three "L's", its i-l-l-u, pronounced "E-U". Or if you want to remember it think "ewwwww....". 

I'm very excited to join the University of Utah Emergency Medicine team within the world of EMS! I'll be finishing up my last year in EM residency at Northeast Georgia Medical Center summer 2025. EMS has sort of been a never-ending passion starting in high school with eventual involvement in Utah, Georgia and even international EMS agencies. No, I'm not boring and only do EMS things. I like your typical Utah activities, Mountain Biking, Snowboarding, Camping, etc. On the flip side if I didn't do medicine, I'd like to think I'd go into mechanical engineering, carpentry, videography, or be a stay-at-home dad. While in Fellowship I hope to continue to push the innovation of EMS capabilities in Utah, make great friends in the process and leave a lasting impression. Thank you for having me! 

Julia Ruggieri: Medical Education Fellow

I'm from Honolulu, Hawaii and attended medical school at the University of Hawaii. I spent the next 3 years here at the University of Utah for residency, having followed my husband here after he matched into the internal medicine program. We will both be completing our dream fellowship programs in Utah and could not be more excited to continue our careers here. I feel extremely lucky that I get to continue working with the amazing faculty, residents, and staff here! 

In my free time I enjoy cooking, baking, reading, vegetable and flower gardening, mountain biking, skiing/snowboarding and being outside with my chocolate lab, Chip!

Marlijne Kruse: Hospics & Palliative Care Fellow

I grew up in the small rural town of Saranac Lake, NY, deep in the Adirondack mountains. The first part of my life was spent skiing through the Northeast, attending college at the University of New Hampshire where I obtained a degree in Mathematics and skied for the university.  Afterwards, I moved to Boulder, CO and pursued a master's in Bioengineering where I realized my love of medicine, but recognized I was missing the people I might care for. Thus, I changed my course and pursued a career in medicine. I went to medical school at the University of Vermont and was beyond happy to match into Emergency Medicine at the University of Utah. My time spent caring for patients in the ER with complex and life-altering medical conditions and wishing for more time to help patients navigate these challenges lead me to pursue a career in Hospice and Palliative Medicine.  I'm excited to stay at the University of Utah as I work towards a combined career in EM and HPM.  

Lovy Grewal: Sports Medicine Fellow

Born in Canada, my dream of becoming a doctor took root early in my life. Summers filled with recreational sports led to a passion for health and wellness as I got older. During my teenage years, my family moved to New Jersey, and this is where my aspiration of becoming a doctor became a reality. I’m excited to begin my sports medicine fellowship at the University of Utah, a renowned program where I can blend my love for emergency care with my commitment to help patients live their healthiest lives. I’m also looking forward to embracing Utah’s stunning landscapes, which perfectly complement my active lifestyle.

David Cabaniss: Wilderness Medicine Fellow

Dr. David Cabaniss is an emergency medicine resident wrapping up residency in Shreveport, Louisiana. A longtime lover of the outdoors, he has spent countless nights camping in the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia where he grew up. When not in the ER, you can find him scaling rock faces, carving through fresh powder on the slopes, or trekking through the backcountry. Now, Dr. Cabaniss is thrilled to take the next step as a wilderness medicine fellow here in Utah, combining his love for adventure with a passion for emergency care in austere environments.

Matthew Suzor: Ultrasound Fellow

Hi Everyone,

My name is Matt and I am the future Ultrasound Fellow. I am currently a third year resident at Stony Brook on Long Island and went to Medical School at Umass Medical School. I've only lived in the Northeast so I'm looking forward to a change of scenery and being able to explore. I love hiking, skiing, traveling and exploring new food scenes. I am interested in critical care ultrasound and using it for clinical decision making. Looking forward to meeting everyone!

Alex Gallaer: Global Health Fellow

Hi everyone! My name is Alex Gallaer and I’m incredibly excited to level up from resident to fellow as the incoming global health fellow! I’m from a small town in Connecticut and stayed nearby at UConn for undergrad and medical school before making the jump to the University of Utah for residency. My wife and I pretty quickly fell in love with this place and couldn’t be more stoked to stick around Salt Lake City. 

I love spending time outside, traveling, board games, and pretty much all things sports. Professionally, I am passionate about mentoring, medical education, learning new things, advocacy, and am really looking forward to applying these passions in the realm of Global Health.

Caitlin Roake: EM Resuscitation Research Fellow

I'm an incoming fellow in the Emergency Medicine Resuscitation Research program. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I completed a combined MD-PhD program at Stanford University and did my Emergency Medicine residency at UCSF- Fresno. I've brought with me two large orange cats (Jonesy and Weyland) and a love for all things outdoors.

Chris Evola: Critical Care Fellow and PRN EM Visiting Instructor

I grew up and completed all of my schooling in Ohio. Despite having never been to the state, I managed to match at the University of Utah EM program and quickly found a new home. I have loved the people, education, training, and location more than I ever would've thought possible. I have been interested in critical care since medical school and decided to pursue a fellowship after my EM training. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to continue critical care fellowship training at this wonderful place surrounded by extraordinary people and educators. 

Hobbies: Going to coffee shops, brunch, or breweries with family or friends, watching sports, hiking, fishing, camping, and snowboarding.

Brendan Lutz: Wilderness Medicine Fellow

Dr. Fermin Suarez was born in Chicago and moved to West Valley City, UT when he was 7. Dr. Suarez went to high school and college in Utah, and then graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia. He completed his emergency medicine residency and toxicology fellowship at Denver Health. He is excited to move back to Utah, and brings with him his wife, Susana, their daughter, Emily (who is turning 4 in May), and their dog, Paris. In his spare time, Fermin likes to spend lazy time on the couch with my family, ski, snowboard, mountain bike, play video games, board games, and weightlift. Dr. Suarez will be working with the tox team and working in both SJ and Holy Cross Salt Lake Emergency Departments.

Dr. Megan Hilbert, MD is an East Coast girl - having completed training in South Carolina and Tennessee. She also lived in Pennsylvania as her husband completed his pediatric cardiology fellowship. She came out west following her husband as he did another fellowship at Primary Children’s. Her passion in Emergency Medicine is in point-of-care ultrasound and she currently serves as the newsletter editor and secretary of ACEP’s Emergency Ultrasound Section. She enjoys reading, painting, and playing soccer in her free time. She has excitedly just completed her first ski season and has very possibly fallen in love with snow-shoeing. She also enjoys hiking with her husband and exploring Utah’s National Parks.

Congratulations to our Emergency Medicine 2025 RAC team grant Awardees!

Seventeen teams competed for a share of the $1 million set aside by President Randall to help cultivate a research ecosystem here at the U that welcomes the challenges associated with remote and austere conditions. This years’ EM winners:

Research Grant Awards:

Emad Awad: UU Faculty Small Grant Program @ $8,400 over 1 year. ”Gender Disparities in Pain Management for Acute Chest Pain in the Emergency Department (ED)”

Alyrene Dorey: Yale University/NIDA @ $1,046,621 over 3 years. “CTN-0145 ED-INitiated standard Versus hIgh doSe BuprenorphIne inductiON (ENVISION)”

Lindsey Fell (Scott McIntosh): Wilderness Medicine Society (WMS) @ $5,000 over 1 year.” Mechanical versus manual CPR as performed in a complex ski patrol environment: a prospective, crossover study”

Guillaume Hoareau: Liberandum NIH/STTR @ $179,951 over 1 year

Dr. Scott McIntosh delivered a groundbreaking presentation on the future of Space Medicine at this year's National Association of EMS Physicians conference, with Dr. Drew Harrell from the University of New Mexico and Dr. Josh Gaither from the University of Arizona! It’s an incredible privilege to have world-class experts like Dr. McIntosh as part of our faculty, inspiring innovation and shaping the future of medicine.

Dr. Nate Dreyfus, one of our EMS fellows, was selected to present at the NAEMSP National Conference as part of the New Speaker Series. His presentation, titled "Protocol of the Wild: Developing EMS Protocols for Backcountry Care," highlighted the increasing need for structured EMS protocols in austere and backcountry environments.

Event Medicine will be starting to cover the Delta Center 24/7 starting on April 18th for the summer construction. Baseball gets underway April 8th at the new Smith’s Ballpark!

The University of Utah is the first medical school to transition to a longitudinal, integrated clerkship model with integrated Ultrasound thanks to the hard work of Dr. Jennifer Cotton.

New leadership announcement!

Dr. David Crockett has transitioned to the US Fellowship Director!

•FY 26 US Fellow:  Dr. Matthew Suzor from Stony Brook University.

National Conference Invited Lectures:

•Dr. Jennifer Cotton:

National AAMC

Utah Thoracic Society

Congress of US;

•Dr. Christopher Kelly- Society of Critical Care Medicine Congress

Other US Announcements:

•US at SAEM- The EM resident team will be competing at SONO games at SAEM ‘25

•The EM Residents will be returning to in person ultrasound QA with the US fellows after a prolonged absence due to COVID

•Several new departmental/section guidelines published on departmental PULSE page.

Scott McIntosh and Fellow, Molly Enenbach team up with Teton Search and Rescue to share the latest research on post-avalanche resuscitation techniques and industry controversies, in this unique workshop designed for local first responders and mountain professionals.

Link to discussion

It's been a fun start of the year for the team! GH Fellow, Dr Anisha Tailor, made her second trip to Vietnam this year to do some teaching, which included some fun trauma simulations and workshops. Dr. Tailor will also be participating in the Health Emergencies in Large Populations in Geneva, Switzerland. This program was created in 1986 by the International Committee of the Red Cross, World Health Organization and University of Geneva to help standardize how humanitarian relief is handled during disasters, armed conflicts and other crisis while promoting ethics and humanitarian principles.

The global health section has also worked on establishing a new partnership with the Indian Health Service in addition of Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock. If you are interested or want to learn more about working at Chinle (site on the Navajo Nation) please reach out to Dr. Jane Yee! This is a great opportunity for fellows. For the faculty involved in global health it's been such meaningful work to serve this community- we hope you will find it to be true too!

Dr. Michael Moss was recognized as a Top Editor of 2024 for the online EM:RAP textbook CorePendium for his work as toxicology section editor.

Dr. Alyrene Dorey: The Poisoning and Overdose course will be an intensive 4-week rotation as part of the advanced integrated science course for the inaugural medical school curriculum. This course combines clinical work and basic science teaching for third year med students starting in 2025.