Jacqueline A. Ward-Gaines, MD

I am currently an assistant professor in the department of emergency medicine and departmental DEI educational lead and director at Denver Health EM residency. I joined university faculty in 2006 after completing my training in emergency medicine at the Brooklyn Hospital Center. Prior to getting my board certification, I served in the United States Army as a General Medical Officer and Flight Surgeon. After graduating from Florida A&M University I matriculated to the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine for a medical degree and initial training. Early on, I was an instrumental member of the hospital’s Emergency Management Committee, responsible for the Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP) program. I developed a disaster tabletop series to train the hospital administration on command structure and incident management. I was the Co-PI for NIH funded research in development of disaster integrated computer technology. I presented such research at the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine Conference. As with most faculty, I enjoy teaching, including all aspects such as guest lecturer in the community outreach program P.A.R.T.Y. (Prevent Alcohol and Risk Related Trauma in Youth). My past leadership includes Assistant Course Director of Third-Year Medical Students Emergency Medicine Clerkship and my appointment as Medical Director of the emergency department medics. I now hold an important leadership role on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in the CU department of emergency medicine. I work to improve equitable education and am currently spearheading a DEI curriculum for emergency medicine residents with a focused health equity simulation day. I have worked within the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine to bring DEI resources to the forefront of medicine.