People

Louisiana State University

Dr. Amanda Michelle Ritchie is a 4th year resident in the Internal Medicine / Emergency Medicine program at Louisiana State University in New Orleans. Dr. Ritchie initially trained as a registered nurse in Canada before pursuing her degree in medicine.

Stanford University

"The Resident Unionization Study: A Qualitative Analysis of Drivers and Outcomes"

Dr. Karalius is an Assistant Program Director and is completing his Medical Education Scholarship Fellowship at Stanford University’s Department of Emergency Medicine. He earned his medical degree from the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine and completed his emergency medicine residency at Northwestern University. He also holds a Master of Public Health and a Master of Medical Sciences from Loyola University.
Dr. Karalius also continues to serve as a faculty member for the Harvard Macy Institute Program for Educators in the Health Professions, and recently awarded the Exceptional Faculty designation. As a former SAEM RAMS Board member, Dr. Karalius continues to be involved with SAEM and is a member of the SAEM Education Committee, SAEM Wellness Committee, and SAEM Equity & Inclusion Committee.
Dr. Karalius’ primary focus is on graduate medical education, physician/trainee wellness and workforce attrition. He was recently awared the SAEMF Education Research Training Grant in 2024, for his work focusing on resident unionization as it relates to trainee well-being. He is involved in numerous projects and sitting on numerous department, institutional and national committees focused on wellness and medical education, including the Diversity Advisory Group at Stanford, School of Medicine Admissions Committee, and SAEM. Dr. Karalius has co-authored articles for peer-reviewed publications such as Annals of Emergency Medicine and Journal of Graduate Medical Education. He also has contributed to numerous online publications and podcasts, including articles, podcasts and national webinars on education and physician/trainee wellbeing.

Saint Louis University School of Medicine

Dr. Cindy Bitter is an associate professor in Emergency Medicine at Saint Louis University (SLU) School of Medicine. She serves as the Wellness co-Champion for SLU EM Residency and is a member of the interdisciplinary wellness taskforce for the SSM-Saint Louis University Hospital. Trained in International EM and Global Health at the University of Illinois Chicago, Dr. Bitter has published on post-traumatic stress disorder in EM. She is an active member of the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Wellness Committee and has done work on moral injury and faculty vitality during the COVID19 pandemic. Dr. Bitter is passionate about ensuring EM practitioners around the world have the knowledge they need to save lives, while also empowering them with the tools needed for them to thrive throughout their career in medicine. Dr. Bitter completed medical school at the University of Kansas and a year of Internal Medicine at Northwestern University prior to finishing her EM training at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She also completed a Masters in Bioethics from MCW.

Member-at-Large

Beaumont Hospital

I am currently completing my fellowship in Geriatric Emergency Medicine at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, where I completed residency in 2022. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in 2019, through the Wisconsin Academy of Rural Medicine (WARM) program. I am passionate about improving wellness in medicine and medical education, having served as Co-Chair on both department- and hospital-wide wellness committees during residency. I also served on the House Officer Committee, advocating for resident interests and hospital quality improvement.

I am running for office to further my engagement in AGEM and promote geriatric emergency medicine, particularly in medical education. I would like to increase our outreach to medical students and residents to solidify a pipeline in GEM for its longevity and success.

Fellow

Yale New Haven Hospital

I am currently a Chief resident and a rising Yale Simulation Fellow for the 2023-24 academic year. I hope to hold the position of executive fellow because I am passionate about the utilization and expansion of simulation as it relates to medical education, research and patient care.

The true potential of simulation remains untapped because many of the programs are comparatively new and continue to function largely in silos. As executive fellow, I will help foster a collegial environment on a national level. I hope to facilitate a channel in which simulation enthusiasts nationwide can come together to use simulation as a medical education tool.

Although this will be my first active role in SAEM, I have been a member of a few SAEM communities including simulation, diversity and inclusion in addition to global emergency medicine. On a local level, I have functioned on various boards including as co-president of the Yale Women’s Housestaff Organization and co-chair of the Yale Emergency Medicine Diversity Committee.

Fellow

University of Wisconsin

I am the current simulation fellow at University of Wisconsin in Madison. I completed residency at Rush University in Chicago this year in 2022, where I participated in many simulation-based activities. These included writing/debriefing sim cases and building lower fidelity models as Resident Director of Simulation, serving as resident liaison for Mock Code Blue simulations with a multidisciplinary team, and helping to establish a new medical student Simulation Interest Group. In fellowship, I have continued to create and debrief simulations regularly for residents and medical students, and am currently exploring aspects of simulation-based debriefing styles, quality improvement, and research for a future career in sim.

I participated in SAEM 2022’s conference simulation meeting as a recipient of the Sim Academy’s resident scholarship, as well as partaking in the offered seminars on low-fidelity simulation trainers and medical debriefing. I am running for the Fellow position on the Executive Committee to broaden my experience in participating in national simulation organizations, expand my involvement in teaching simulation to resident and fellow learners beyond my home program, and learn as much as possible from other Academy members who have created meaningful and successful careers in sim. I would hope to create a more robust mentorship and career guide for young residents and faculty in RAMS and SAEM, share my interest and experience in debriefing with resident seminars, and organize/host panels to help those interested in creating research and careers from their developing interest in sim.

Fellow

Loyola University Medical Center

I am the current simulation fellow at Loyola University Medical Center, which is part of the Chicago Simulation Fellowship Collaborative. I am a clinical instructor within the Departments of Emergency Medicine and the Department of Medical Education. I completed my undergraduate studies at Northwestern University, medical school training at Rush Medical College, and went on to complete my residency in Emergency Medicine at Loyola University Medical Center, where I served as Chief Resident of education during my third year. Being part of the Chicago Simulation Fellowship Collaborative, I have had the opportunity to connect with the other simulation fellows in Chicago, and I hope to expand similar types of networking opportunities to fellows on a national level.

Fellow

Allegheny General Hospital

I am currently a PGY-3 at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. I am also an incoming Simulation Fellow at Brown EM for the 2023-2024 Academic Year. I currently serve on the EMRA Simulation Committee. I want to be a member of the SAEM Simulation Exec Committee in the fellow role for the following reasons. To bridge the gap between residents interested in simulation and fellowships so that we can continue to find the future leaders of our field. And to partner with other organizations, such as CORD and EMRA, to create a united team of simulation enthusiasts to advance our field further.

Fellow

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

I am writing to apply for the Simulation Academy Executive Committee fellowship position. I am currently a chief resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and have accepted the Simulation fellowship position here for the 2023-2024 academic year. My interest in this committee stems from my experience at SAEM 2022 in New Orleans, where I participated in Sim Wars as a part of the Vanderbilt team and did an oral poster presentation. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience as a resident participant and want to continue to encourage resident participation as I become a fellow next year. I decided on simulation as a career path during my second year of residency but had difficulty finding centralized resources for fellowship information and how to get involved in simulation leadership as a resident. If elected, I would design an organized, easily accessible database of information about simulation fellowship positions, career resources for residents interested in simulation, and connections with nationwide simulation faculty to foster mentorship. The earlier in their training residents have access to this, the more prepared they will be able to make the decision to pursue simulation as a career. I would additionally advocate and fundraise for resident scholarships to participate in simulation opportunities (national/regional conferences, SimWars, educational courses). As a current resident, I have an intimate understanding of the resident experience trying to pursue a career in simulation and have many ideas for opportunities to improve this experience.

Fellow

Yale New Haven Health

I am currently a fourth-year EM resident at Yale New Haven Health, and I am very excited to start as the simulation fellow at Rush University after graduation in 2023. Although education has always been a passion of mine, simulation has emerged as a clear career focus over the course of my residency. My particular interests include medical student foundational education and the interface between educational environment, emotional state, and learning. I believe simulation can play a valuable role in teaching fundamental concepts, as well as in easing transitions between levels of medical training. I have been a member of SAEM since medical school; it would be a privilege to serve in a leadership role in the Simulation Academy, and if elected I would strive to further its mission by promoting the use of simulation in various levels of medical education and encouraging collaborations between simulation teams.

Secretary

Kansas University - CarePoint Health

With a strong foundation in simulation-based education and a deep commitment to advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within medical training, I have dedicated my career to fostering inclusive and innovative learning environments. After completing my residency at the Mayo Clinic, where I served as chief resident, I pursued a Simulation Fellowship at Brown University. Currently, I am an assistant professor at Kansas University and play a key role in launching a new Emergency Medicine residency program at KU-Wesley Medical Center. My involvement with SAEM’s Simulation Academy has been an incredible journey, during which I’ve had the honor of receiving awards like the Trainee of the Year and the ARMED Scholarship, underscoring my dedication to educational excellence and simulation innovation.

For the past two years, I’ve led the Early Career Subcommittee, mentoring numerous residents, fellows, and medical students. Supporting early-career physicians is a true passion of mine, and I am dedicated to expanding outreach initiatives and building strong mentorship pathways that contribute to their professional growth. I am fully committed to supporting the Simulation Academy’s current projects and facilitating broader engagement with early-career physicians, empowering them with the skills and resources they need to succeed in simulation-based education and DEI.

As I run for the role of secretary within the SAEM Simulation Academy, I am motivated to strengthen our Academy’s organizational effectiveness and communication. I am eager to bring my experience, mentorship background, and commitment to a more inclusive and empathetic Emergency Medicine community to the role, contributing meaningfully to the Academy’s mission and growth.

Treasurer

Boston Medical Center/Boston University

I am the director of emergency medicine simulation at Boston Medical Center and assistant professor of emergency medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. I have extensive experience designing and running simulation-based education, quality improvement and research programs involving multiple disciplines and professions. This has required significant skills in time management, communication and problem solving.

I have served on the Simulation Academy research & scholarship subcommittee since its inception, beginning as vice chair, then elected to the executive committee position of vice president of research & scholarship. This has allowed me to see how the Simulation Academy works from the ground up. The mentorship, collaboration, and the building of a scholarly community is what keeps me excited and is why I am running for treasurer.

During my time on the executive committee, I have focused on building and supporting an accessible simulation research community, creating scholarship and funding opportunities, and connecting with other research groups. This work has resulted in four publications, a new Just-In-Time award for promising simulation research projects, a new grant application guide, and collaborations with the SAEM research committee and INSPIRE. These projects required goal-oriented and communicative leadership while maintaining a collaborative approach.

I am running for treasurer to further support and grow our community and elevate our professional standings. I will continue to work within our academy to create a collaborative and inquisitive culture that explores and advances the simulation world. I will continue to work with other committees and groups to strengthen our organizational opportunities and create mutually beneficial products. I want us to learn from each other, support each other, laugh with each other and look good on our CVs!

Vice President of Membership

University of Central Florida

My name is Stephanie Cohen and I completed my residency training at the University at Buffalo and served as chief resident in 2021. I went on to complete simulation fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville Florida in 2022. I am currently a core faculty member, simulation director, and simulation fellowship director and the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. I have been a member of SAEM since I began fellowship and have become very involved over the past few years. Before serving on the executive committee in 2022, I helped on numerous subcommittees and helped to write and judge SimWars cases. I quickly realized how beneficial the Simulation Academy can be to its members and really strived to get involved as much as possible. I have been the VP of membership the past two years; in this time I have begun to accomplish many endeavors such as increasing membership and funding, starting a mentorship program, creating a quarterly engagement award and beginning a gamification initiative in order to help recruit members and recognize members for all of the amazing things they are doing. If elected to continue for a second term, I would like to continue these endeavors and add even more in order to make our members feel like this academy is beneficial to them and their careers, no matter what level of training they are in from medical student to senior faculty.

Secretary

Stony Brook University Hospital

I completed my medical school (2004) and residency training at SUNY Downstate/Kings County Hospital (2008). I finished my ultrasound fellowship under leadership of Dr. Michael Stone in 2009. I was the ultrasound division and fellowship director at Kings County/SUNY Downstate from 2012-2016. Since 2016, I am the Ultrasound Division, and Advanced EM Ultrasound Fellowship Director at Stony Brook University Hospital, where I was instrumental in developing and maintaining a successful ultrasound division and EUFAC accredited Advanced EM fellowship. I have lectured and taught multiple POCUS courses and workshops at the Institutional, local, regional, national, and international level. I have multiple publications in prestigious Emergency medicine journals.

I am looking to bring my vast years of experience to SAEM AEUS and serve our POCUS community. I am running for the secretary position where I can leverage my strong organizational aptitude to implement projects, and use my effective communication skills to liaise between different executive committee positions/ responsibilities and our members. If elected as secretary, my top priorities would be to work with webmaster to update SAEM/AUES website so that it becomes the go-to place for our members to find information and resources, as well as helping to recruit more engaged members to our group.

Vice President of Membership

Johns Hopkins

Hello! My name is Julie Rice (she/they) and I am the Director of Simulation Education in the Johns Hopkins Department of Emergency Med. I completed my Emergency Medicine training at the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Residency Program (2015) and was invited to join the faculty after graduation. I am a graduate of the ACEP Teaching Fellowship (2015), the Comprehensive Instructor Course at the Center for Medical Simulation in Boston (2016) and the longitudinal Curriculum Development Workshop at Johns Hopkins (2017). Most recently I completed a Masters Degree in Medical and Healthcare Simulation at Drexel University (2019).
I also have two cats, McQueen and Gozer, who think I'm just great (high praise from a cat).

If elected, I hope to strengthen the mentorship offered by the Simulation Academy by looking into ways to provide more opportunities for individualized mentorship, especially for those just starting with Sim Academy. Mentoring programs are important to increase engagement, retain members, recruit members, and create sustainable projects within our group. When I first began with the Sim Academy I often felt lost and my hope is to find ways to better engage new members so they can find their place within our amazing group of educators!

I am also dedicated to serving the committee which has been so helpful for me. Many of my early contacts in the Sim world were met at the annual SAEM Sim Committee Meeting. After completing my Masters in Medical and Healthcare Simulation at Drexel University, I would like to shift focus from my own development, to helping the development of others in our field.

SAEM Program Committee Liaison

University of Pennsylvania / Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

I am interested in the role of Program Committee Liaison for the Global Emergency Medicine Academy Executive Committee because I would like to see GEMA’s presence increase even further at the SAEM Annual Meeting. GEMA itself is growing in scope and membership, and this growth reflects the increasing interest in global emergency medicine among emergency medicine faculty and trainees across the world. I currently serve as co-chair of the GEMA Program Committee, where we are currently working on planning GEMA-related events at SAEM23. As Program Committee Liaison, I would work to plan the annual GEMA business meeting in 2024, and I would advocate for and encourage GEMA-related submissions to the overall meeting. My goals would be to support a breadth of global emergency medicine-related submissions that reflect our diverse subcommittees (e.g., decolonizing global health, BEC, Indian Health Services, EMS, pediatric emergency medicine, and humanitarian health) and our membership, especially our GEMA members from LMICs. At the Annual Meeting, I also hope to support events that provide an outlet for socializing and opportunities for collaboration.

Vice President of Membership

Kings County Hospital Center/SUNY Downstate

I had the honor of serving on the SAEM Simulation Academy Executive Committee for the past 2 years as a member-at-large. In this role, I was part of a group that observed, studied, led, and supported simulation activities during the time of COVID. I enjoyed the thought partnership and support provided by the other members of the executive committee when we were all isolated. When we got together over Zoom, we talked about our struggles and successes in both the clinical and simulation education domain. These discussions gave me the strength to continue with my simulation activities and even publish; they made me realize I was part of a greater Emergency Medicine simulation education community.

As the VP of Membership, I would like to promote and leverage our network of Emergency Medicine simulation educators. I hope that we can all experience the strength from the membership of the Simulation Academy. In order to accomplish this goal, I would like to continue working with the VP of Social Media & Communication on a couple of projects. The first project would be to improve the user experience and content of the Simulation Academy webpage. The second project would be to create a searchable membership map to facilitate networking for mentorship and research. Through these two projects, Simulation Academy members will easily be able to take advantage of our membership’s diverse interests and experiences. I truly believe if we want to go far, we must go together.

SAEM Program Committee Liaison

The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University