More than the Minimum: How to Engage Residents in Research to Make Scholarly Projects Meaningful and Realistic

Alina Tsyrulnik, MD, attended Barnard College majoring in biology and minoring in psychology, graduating Suma Cum Laude in 2004. Thereafter, she pursued a medical degree at New York University School of Medicine and completed her residency at Yale University School of Medicine. She served as Chief Resident 2011-2012. Upon the completion of her residency, Dr. Tsyrulnik accepted a faculty position in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine. In 2013 she became the Assistant Residency Director for the department, and in 2017 she became the Associate Residency Director. Dr. Tsyrulnik is primarily in charge of the Emergency Department’s PGY2 class, taking a central role in mentorship, remediation, and clinical as well as academic development of 19 residents per year. In 2022, Dr. Tsyrulnik became the MD Director for the Interprofessional Longitudinal Clinical Experience (ILCE) course for Yale School of Medicine. The course centers on developing clinical skills in an interprofessional setting of MD, PA, and MSN students. In 2025 she became an Associate Professor at Yale University School of Medicine in the Clinical-Educator-Scholar Track. Her academic interests are in resident education and assessment as well as interprofessional education.

Brandon Maughan, MD, MHS, MSHP, is an associate professor of emergency medicine at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU. He earned his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and completed his emergency medicine residency at Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital in 2013, serving as chief resident. Following residency, Dr. Maughan was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, where he obtained a Master of Science in Health Policy Research. Prior to joining OHSU, Dr. Maughan worked as a community emergency medicine physician and health policy consultant, contributing to evaluations of Medicare alternative payment models established under the Affordable Care Act.

Aria C. Shi, MD, is a PGY-4 emergency medicine (EM) resident at the Harvard Affilicated Residency (HAEMR) at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Her research focuses on improving outcomes in acute neurological emergencies. Her work bridges basic science in cellular mechanisms underlying neuroinflammation with translational nanoparticle therapeutics, and clinical research on early emergency department management of intracerebral hemorrhage. She was the recipient of the Emergency Medicine Foundation's Resident Research Grant 2024-2025, was selected as a 2025 Pipeline Scholar in the Neuro-EM Scholars Program, and serves nationally as a reviewer for the SAEM Grants Committee. Additionally, Dr. Shi is passionate about medical education and mentorship, having served as the course director for the HAEMR Intern Bootcamp month, and leader of the HAEMR Journal Club. She studied biological engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and attended medical school at Johns Hopkins University. Following residency, she will join the EM faculty at the University of Michigan as a Research Fellow.

Ly Cloessner is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and of Public Health at the Washington University in Saint Louis. She is an active SAEM member and currently serves as the RAMS Board Immediate Past President. Her research focuses on supporting the growth of emergency medicine in the Global South.