SAEM Award Winners

Jeffrey Kline, MD

Wayne State University

Indiana University Department of Emergency Medicine

Indiana University

The Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Emergency Medicine representing Julie Welch, MD, professor of emergency medicine and vice chair of faculty affairs and development; Kyra Reed, MD, assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine and assistant program director; Heather Kelker, MD, assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine; and Paul Musey, MD, associate professor of emergency medicine, Eskenazi Health Foundation Scholar in Emergency Medicine, and interim chair. The department's interests include mental health, cardiovascular care, health equity, and wellness. With research focused on chest pain associated with anxiety and depression.

Deborah B. Diercks, MD, MSc, MBA

UT Southwestern

Deborah B. Dr. Diercks, MD, MSc, MBA, is professor and chair of emergency medicine at UT Southwestern. 

She earned her medical degree from Tufts University and completed residency at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Diercks' academic focus is cardiovascular disease, with a particular interest in the early diagnosis of coronary artery disease.

In addition to leading her department, she serves on the American Board of Emergency Medicine Board of Directors, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Program Committee, and the SAEM Faculty Development Committee. She also chaired the American College of Emergency Physicians Clinical Policy Committee in 2025 and serves as a senior editor for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Manish N. Shah, MD, MPH

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Manish N. Shah, MD, MPH, is professor and chair of the BerbeeWalsh Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

He earned his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, completed residency at The Ohio State University, and later trained in the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program. Dr. Shah's work focuses on geriatric emergency medicine, dementia, prehospital medicine, and community paramedicine.

In addition to leading his department, he serves as president and board of trustees member of the SAEM Foundation and chairs SAEM's Federal Funding Committee. His research portfolio includes major National Institute on Aging funding, including the Emergency Departments LEading the Transformation of Alzheimer's and Dementia Care project and the Geriatric Emergency Care Applied Research network. He also contributes to broader institutional and community leadership through the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and UW Health. 

His honors include the SAEM Organizational Achievement Award for SAEMF, the AGEM-SAEM Pioneer Award, and a service award from the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Amal Mattu, MD

University of Maryland School of Medicine

Amal Mattu, MD, is professor and vice chair of academic affairs in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. 

He earned his medical degree at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, completed residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and pursued additional training in medical education at the University of Maryland Medical Center. 

Dr. Mattu's work centers on teaching, education leadership, faculty development, and patient care. In addition to serving as vice chair, he directs faculty development for his department and chairs the LLSA Subcommittee of the Academic Affairs Committee for the American College of Emergency Physicians. He also serves as consulting editor for Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America. His clinical interests include emergency cardiology, geriatric emergency medicine, and  risk management. 

Recent honors include the 2021 Corey Slovis Award for Excellence in Education, designation as a distinguished educator by the University of Maryland School of Medicine Medical Education Leadership Academy, the department's 2024 Chair's Distinguished Service Award for contributions to education and faculty development, and selection as a distinguished professor of the University of Maryland-Baltimore in 2025.

Regan Marsh, MD, MPH

Mass General Brigham, Harvard Medical School

Regan Marsh, MD, MPH, is an associate professor of emergency medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate medical director for health equity at Mass General Brigham.

Dr. Marsh earned her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completed her emergency medicine residency at the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency. Her academic interests include health equity, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and global health.

She is a leader in health equity, with roles including medical director of the Office of IDEaS (Inclusion, Development, Health Equity, Advocacy and Support), director of the R. Nesson Fellowship in Community Health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, medical director of quality, safety, and equity, and senior strategic advisor with Partners In Health.

Her research, supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Health Resources and Services Administration, focuses on advancing equity in emergency care through the design and evaluation of emergency department–based interventions that address structural barriers and improve care transitions. She has received multiple honors, including Mass General Brigham Pillars of Excellence Awards and the Faculty Development and Excellence Award at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Basmah Safdar, MD

Yale University

Basmah Safdar, MD, is professor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine, where she also holds the Norma Weinberg Spungen and Joan Lebson Bildner Professorship in Women's Health Research and directs Women's Health Research at Yale. 

She earned her medical degree from Aga Khan University in Pakistan and completed residency at Yale New Haven Hospital. Dr. Safdar's work focuses on research and leadership in women's health, including microvascular dysfunction and sex-specific medicine. She also serves as a scientific advisor to organizations including Women's Health Access Matters, the Women's Health Fund, the Milken Institute, and the American Heart Association. 

Dr. Safdar’s recent recognitions include the Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM) Mid-Career Award, participation in the Women in Executive Leadership Program, and completion of the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM).

Scott G. Weiner, MD, MPH

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Scott G. Weiner, MD, MPH, is an associate professor of emergency medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of emergency department-based substance use disorder initiatives at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. 

He earned his medical degree from the University of California, Irvine, and completed residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He also founded and leads the Program in Opioid and Pain Innovation at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. Weiner is a health services researcher whose work focuses on improving care for patients with substance use disorders in acute care settings, particularly in emergency departments.

His research examines implementation of evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder, including emergency department-initiated buprenorphine, naloxone distribution strategies, and systems-level approaches to reducing overdose mortality. 

His leadership includes active roles in the American College of Emergency Physicians, where he is involved in the Pain Management and Addiction Medicine Section. Recent recognitions include the McGraw Endowed Chair in Emergency Medicine and the Professionalism Award from Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Wendy C. Coates, MD

University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine

Wendy C. Dr. Coates, MD, is emeritus professor of emergency medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine. 

She earned her medical degree from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine and completed residency at MCP-Allegheny General. Dr. Coates' work has focused on medical education and research, faculty development, program development, qualitative methods, and dance medicine. 

She has held national leadership roles throughout academic emergency medicine, including service as past president of Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM). She also serves as associate editor for Academic Medicine, decision editor for Academic Emergency Medicine and Academic Emergency Medicine Education and Training, and on the board of South Coast Community Services, while contributing to the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science. 

Her funding history includes support from Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Foundation (SAEMF), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Macy Foundation. Her honors include the Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM) Legacy Award, the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine (CORD) Lifetime Achievement Award, the CORD Distinguished Educator Award, and the Lifetime Teaching Award at Harbor-UCLA.

Jennifer Beck-Esmay, MD

Mount Sinai Morningside / Mount Sinai West

Jennifer Beck-Esmay, MD, is associate professor of emergency medicine and assistant residency program director at Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West. 

She earned her medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed emergency medicine residency at New York University Langone and Bellevue Hospital. Dr. Beck-Esmay's work focuses on medical education, gender equity, teaching, leadership, and patient care. Her scholarly interests include medical education and the use of online resources, reflecting a profile grounded in both traditional and digital educational work. 

Dr. Beck-Esmay also serves in broader regional leadership through the All New York City Emergency Medicine Committee and the New York American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Education Committee. Her recent honors include the Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine Early Career Educator Award and the Emergency Medicine Residents' Association 25 Under 45 Award, both in 2020.

Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD

Yale University

Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD, is an emergency scholar at Yale University. 

She earned her medical degree and doctorate from Baylor College of Medicine, trained in emergency medicine at Yale University, and is continuing through the Yale Emergency Scholar Program in 2026-2027. Her academic work focuses on public health, health communication, and social media.

Dr. Panthagani’s current role is a resident, with a research focus in public health and health communication. She co-led a workgroup for the SAEM Misinformation Consensus Conference, serves on the Steering Committee for The Evidence Collective, and is founder and editor of You Can Know Things. 

Her current support includes a NIDA Mentor-Facilitated Training Award in Substance Use Disorders Science Dissemination for 2025-2026. Her honors include the 2024 National Augustine D'Orta Humanism Award from the Emergency Medicine Residents' Association and the 2022 National FOAM(er) of the Year Award from the same organization. Her biography reflects a physician-scholar working at the intersection of emergency medicine, public communication, and evidence dissemination.

Oluwafemi P. Owodunni, MD, MPH

University of New Mexico Hospital

Oluwafemi P. Owodunni, MD, MPH, is a resident physician at the University of New Mexico Hospital and will begin a critical care fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in July 2026. 

He earned his medical degree from Zaporozhye State Medical University in Ukraine and has developed academic interests in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), administration, and global health. His current responsibilities include patient care and resident leadership, including service as councilor for the Critical Care Medicine Section of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine and as resident lead for scholarly activities at the University of New Mexico. 

Dr. Owodunni's research uses electronic health record data to improve care quality, patient safety, and value. His work spans implementation science aimed at venous thromboembolism prevention, perioperative frailty optimization, and care coordination for geriatric and traumatic brain injury populations. 

He also leads educational and diversity-focused initiatives within graduate medical education. His honors include patient safety and teamwork awards connected to The Johns Hopkins Venous Thromboembolism Collaborative and selection as a Neuro-EM Scholar Pipeline recipient through the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.