SAEM Award Winners
SAEM26 Award Recipients
SAEM Organizational Advancement Award
The SAEM Organizational Advancement Award recognizes the tremendous amount of time, effort, and energy that this member has given and continues to give to the organization. Through thoughtful leadership, and selfless service, this member has greatly helped to advance academic emergency medicine through education and research, advocacy and professional development.
Wayne State University
Jeffrey A. Kline, MD, is associate chair of research in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia in 1990, completed residency training at Carolinas Medical Center in 1994, and also completed research training at Carolinas Medical Center. Research and mentoring remain central components of his current work. His scholarly focus includes pulmonary embolism and diabetes and reflects a long-standing role in emergency medicine research leadership. In addition to his academic appointment, he has served as an editor in chief, maintaining active engagement with the emergency medicine literature. His current support includes funding from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His work reflects sustained commitment to research development and disease-focused inquiry within academic emergency medicine.
Outstanding Department for Wellness Award
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.
John Marx Leadership Award
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.
Excellence in Research Award
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.
Hal Jayne Excellence in Education Award
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.
Marcus L. Martin Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion Award
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.
Advancement of Women in Academic Emergency Medicine Award
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).
Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award
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.
Public Health Leadership Award
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Emmy Betz, MD, MPHUniversity of Colorado
Emmy Betz, MD, MPH, is professor of emergency medicine and associate dean of centers and institutes at the University of Colorado. She earned her medical degree from Johns Hopkins and completed residency in the Beth Israel Deaconess Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency.
Dr. Betz is a practicing physician-scientist whose work spans emergency medicine, public health, and injury prevention. Her research has focused on person-centered injury prevention, including care for suicidal patients in the emergency department and decision-making about driving among older adults.
Her current research emphasizes effective and acceptable community-based interventions related to firearm injury prevention and draws on sociology, qualitative methods, implementation science, and clinical trials. She has worked with a wide range of organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American College of Surgeons, the American Bar Association, Veterans Affairs workgroups, the Department of Defense Suicide Prevention Office, and White House initiatives across multiple administrations.
Her current support includes Department of Defense funding for firearm suicide prevention research, an active National Institute of Nursing Research R25 award, completed National Institute on Aging R01 awards, and additional NIH, CDC, Department of Defense, and foundation-supported collaborations. Her recent recognitions include election to the National Academy of Medicine in 2023 and a 2024 Team Science Award at the Military Health System Research Symposium.
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Bhakti Hansoti, MBChB, MPH, PhDJohn Hopkins University
Bhakti Hansoti, MBChB, MPH, PhD, is an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University. She earned her medical degree from The University of Edinburgh, completed residency at the University of Chicago in 2012, and completed fellowship training in International Emergency Medicine and Public Health in 2014.
Dr. Hansoti is a clinician-scientist whose work centers on global health and implementation science. She is a clinician scientist focused on the implementation of evidence-based interventions in the fields of HIV, COVID, Mpox and Opiate Use Disorder to support vulnerable patients in the emergency department.
She serves in multiple Johns Hopkins leadership roles, including director of the international emergency medicine and public health fellowship, director of the center for global emergency care, associate director for academic programs in the center for global health, and faculty appointments in international health, infectious diseases, and addiction medicine.
Her honors include the SAEM Global Emergency Medicine Academy Outstanding Contribution to Global Emergency Medicine Research Award in 2019 and the SAEM GEMA Global Health Endeavors Department Award in 2023.
Mentor Award
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.
Mid-Career Investigator Award
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Michael Gottlieb, MD, MBARush University Medical Center
Michael Gottlieb, MD, MBA, is professor and vice chair of research at Rush University Medical Center, where he also directs the Emergency Ultrasound Division.
He earned his medical degree at Rush Medical College, completed residency at Cook County Hospital, and completed an ultrasound fellowship through Rush/Cook County. His current work spans medical education, ultrasound, infectious diseases, health equity, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
His primary research focus is health equity, using the emergency department to improve care for people with limited access, including work on hypertension, pre-symptomatic heart failure, patient empowerment, and artificial intelligence tools that support patient engagement. Dr. Gottlieb also serves as director of research for the American Board of Emergency Medicine.
He has held national leadership roles across Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM), the Society of Clinical Ultrasound Fellowships, Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine (CORD), American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), and American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM), and he co-created the Academic Life in Emergency Medicine Faculty Incubator. His honors include SAEM's Academy of Emergency Ultrasound (AEUS) Powerhouse in Research Award, the SAEM Early Investigator Award, and the SAEM Early Educator Award.
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Michelle P. Lin, MD, MPH, MSStanford University
Michelle P. Lin, MD, MPH, MS, is an associate professor at Stanford University.
She earned her medical degree from Northwestern University, completed residency at Bellevue Hospital and New York University in 2013, and completed fellowship training in health policy research at Brigham and Women's Hospital in 2015. Dr. Lin's work focuses on health policy, access to care, quality of care, health equity, and workforce diversity.
Dr. Lin's research examines the structural factors that drive patients to seek emergency care and develops solutions to improve outcomes, using mixed methods and Medicare and Medicaid data. That information is then used to study acute care delivery innovation, patient-centered quality measures, and post-emergency department discharge care for high-risk patients. She also studies value-based care, hospitalization during emergency department visits, and physician workforce retention.
Her leadership roles include chairing the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Quality Measure Development Committee, serving on the board of trustees of the Emergency Medicine Foundation and the board of governors of the Emergency Medicine Data Institute, and contributing to the Academic Emergency Medicine Journal editorial board. Her recent honors include the 2025 ACEP Policy Pioneer Award and the 2021 SAEM Early Career Investigator Award.
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Catherine A. Staton, MD, MScGH, PhDDuke University
Catherine A. Staton, MD, MScGH, PhD, is professor of emergency and global health and vice chair for research strategy and faculty development at Duke University. She earned her medical degree from UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, completed residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital, and completed the Emory Global Health Fellowship.
Dr. Staton is the founding director of the Global Emergency Medicine Innovation and Implementation Research Center and teaches master's-level courses through the Duke Global Health Institute while continuing bedside teaching and patient care.
Her work as an implementation scientist focuses on culturally adapted interventions in low-resource settings to improve access to quality care, including alcohol harm reduction in Tanzania, injury transitions of care, older adult trauma, communication for cancer care through ePRO implementation, and climate-related disaster response.
Her portfolio includes substantial National Institutes of Health, Fogarty, PCORI, and foundation support. Also, including a strong emphasis on capacity building through global research training partnerships. Her honors include the 2020 SAEM Global Emergency Medicine Academy Global Health Endeavors Department Award, the Kathleen J. Clem Distinguished Faculty Award at Duke, and the 2023 Duke School of Medicine Early Career Mentoring Award in Clinical and Population Health Science.
FOAMed Excellence in Education Award
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.
Amy H. Kaji, MD, PhD Early Investigator Award
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Angela F. Jarman, MD, MPHUniversity of California, Davis
Angela F. Jarman, MD, MPH, is associate professor and director of sex and gender in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). She earned her medical degree at the University of Kentucky, completed residency at the University of Utah, and pursued fellowship training at Brown University.
Dr. Jarman's work spans research, clinical education, and clinical quality, with an academic focus on sex and gender, venous thromboembolism, and women's health. She is a Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health scholar at UC Davis, where she studies sex differences in pulmonary embolism.
Her leadership roles include serving as vice president of career development for the Academy for Women in Academic Emergency Medicine (AWAEM), membership on SAEM's nominating and grants committees, and prior leadership of the Sex and Gender Interest Group. Her recent support includes industry, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and AWAEM-funded work related to acute pulmonary embolism, D-dimer use, and patient experience.
Recent honors listed in her materials include the 2023 AWAEM Early Career Research Award, the 2023 UC Davis Health Diamond Doc Award, and multiple 2024 AWAEM publication recognitions.
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Lauren M. Westafer, DO, MPH, MSUMass Chan-Baystate
Lauren M. Westafer, DO, MPH, MS, is an associate professor at UMass Chan-Baystate. She earned her medical degree from Nova Southeastern University, completed residency at Baystate Medical Center, and completed an emergency research fellowship at UMass Chan-Baystate in 2018. Dr. Westafer is an emergency medicine clinician-researcher whose work focuses on implementation science, venous thromboembolism, and addiction medicine. Her research program centers on de-implementation of low-value care, with major disease-focused work in pulmonary embolism and substance use disorder.
In addition to her clinical and research roles, she serves on the Annals of Emergency Medicine editorial board, the ACEP Clinical Policy Committee, and the writing committee for the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association guidelines on acute pulmonary embolism. She is also a member of the SAEM Grants Committee.
Her current support includes NIH and institutional funding, including NHLBI support for the DELVE PE project and NIDA support for opioid use treatment initiation work. Her honors include the 2023 Baystate Women in Medicine and Science Impact Award and the 2021 SAEM FOAMed Excellence in Education Award.
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Nicklaus P. Ashburn, MD, MSWake Forest University School of Medicine
Nicklaus P. Ashburn, MD, MS, is an assistant professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
He earned his medical degree and completed his emergency medicine residency at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Dr. Ashburn also completed a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) T32 research fellowship in cardiovascular disease epidemiology and prevention at the same institution.
His academic focus includes prevention of cardiovascular disease, chest pain risk stratification, and troponin. His work spans research, adult and pediatric emergency care, and education. He also serves as a grant reviewer for Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) and as Wake Forest University's emergency medical services medical director.
His current research portfolio includes support from the NHLBI, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and the Emergency Medicine Foundation, including K23 support for his work. His recent honors include Wake Forest's Dean's Excellence in Education Award, an Outstanding Emergency Clinician Award, and recognition as chief resident in emergency medicine.
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Philip Mudd, MD, PhDWashington University in St. Louis
Philip Mudd, MD, PhD, is an assistant professor at Washington University in Saint Louis.
He earned his medical degree and doctorate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed residency at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Mudd's work combines patient care with translational research. His laboratory studies human circulating and tissue-resident T cell responses to vaccines and viral infections with the goal of developing improved treatments and vaccines.
In addition to his research, he has served as study section chair for the SAEM Grants Committee across multiple years. His current grant support includes an investigator-initiated award from AstraZeneca, an NIH R01, and participation as co-investigator on additional federally funded projects.
His recent recognitions include Washington University School of Medicine's Dean's Impact Award and designation as a Bursky Scholar through the university's Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy.
Early Educator Award
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Allison Beaulieu, MD, MAEdUniversity of Utah
Allison Beaulieu, MD, MAEd, is assistant professor, residency program director, and director of graduate medical educational development at the University of Utah.
She earned her medical degree from New York Medical College, completed residency at the University of Massachusetts, and completed fellowship training in medical education at The Ohio State University. Dr. Beaulieu is an emergency medicine educator whose scholarly interests focus on feedback, curriculum development, and graduate medical education-wide educational innovation. Her work emphasizes structured remediation, test-taking skills development, chief resident training, certificate programs, and longitudinal curricula that support coaching and learner growth.
Dr. Bealieu served in leadership roles with the CORD Academic Assembly Planning Committee and Governance Committee and holds multiple SAEM leadership roles, including work on the Education Committee, Pulse Subcommittee, Didactic Proposal Subcommittee, and Fellowship Approval Committee.
Her recent honors include the 2025 Early Career Educator Award in Health Sciences from the University of Utah Academy of Health Science Educators, the 2025 Residency Rockstar Award from the University of Utah Department of Emergency Medicine, and the 2024 UCEP Horizon Award.
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Janice Shin-Kim, MDColumbia University Medical Center
Janice Shin-Kim, MD, is an assistant professor and director of emergency medicine simulation at Columbia University Medical Center. She earned her medical degree from Stony Brook University School of Medicine, completed residency at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, and pursued a simulation fellowship at NYU/Bellevue Hospital.
Dr. Shin-Kim is the inaugural simulation director for her department and oversees simulation-based education across four hospital sites, with work focused on interprofessional clinical training, patient safety, and faculty growth. She also co-chairs her faculty development committee and developed a longitudinal professional development curriculum for emergency medicine faculty, in addition to leading semiannual faculty development sessions on communication and procedural skills. Her scholarly interests include virtual simulation, empathy in the clinical setting, and simulation-based faculty development.
Dr. Shin-Kim serves as newly elected vice president of education for the Simulation Academy and leads the academy's SIMposium. Her funded work includes a $400,000 Berrie Foundation grant supporting simulation-based education on diabetic emergencies. Her recent honors include the 2025 SAEM Simulation Academy Member Engagement Award and the 2024 New York ACEP Unsung Hero award.
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Onyinyechi F. Eke, MD, MPHMassachusetts General Hospital
Onyinyechi F. Eke, MD, MPH, is assistant professor of emergency medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of global ultrasound in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Mass General Brigham. She earned her medical degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, completed residency at Cook County Hospital, and completed the Massachusetts General Hospital Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship in 2020.
Dr. Eke's work focuses on ultrasound and global health. Her current research centers on tele-ultrasound implementation in resource-limited emergency departments and includes leadership in education, faculty development, and global emergency care.
She has served on the Harvard Medical School admissions anti-racism task force, the clinical competency committee for the Harvard Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship, and a Massachusetts General Hospital working group focused on sickle cell disease in the emergency department.
Her support includes a Shore Award from the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Emergency Medicine and a Clinician-Teacher Development Award. Her recent honors include the 2023 Global Health Service Award from Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for Global Health and the 2025 Leslie Milne Community Service Award from the hospital's Department of Emergency Medicine.
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Shayne Gue, MD, MSMEdBayCare Health System / St. Joseph's Hospital
Shayne Gue, MD, MSMEd, is program director of the emergency medicine residency program at BayCare Health System and St. Joseph's Hospital. He is also associate professor of medical education at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine.
He earned his medical degree from the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University and completed residency at AdventHealth Orlando. Dr. Gue's academic interests include curriculum development, educational gamification, and interactive learning strategies. His current roles also include directing the medical education fellowship program, serving as an M1 and M2 curriculum assessor, and contributing as graduate medical education director for Excelis Medical Associates.
Beyond his institution, he serves in national and regional leadership positions with Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM, )the Florida College of Emergency Physicians, and the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Recent honors include the 2025 University of Central Florida College of Medicine Emergency Medicine Educational Excellence Award, the 2023 ACEP National Junior Faculty Teaching Award, and the 2023 William T. Haeck Member of the Year Award from the Florida College of Emergency Physicians.
Fellow Awards
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Alexander T. Clark, MDUniversity of Michigan
Alexander T. Clark, MD, is an emergency medicine critical care fellow at the University of Michigan.
He earned his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, completed emergency medicine residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and pursued internal medicine critical care fellowship training at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Clark's academic interests include critical care, airway management, and neurologic emergencies. His current research focuses on blood-based biomarkers in traumatic brain injury, diabetic ketoacidosis, and emergency airway management. In addition to fellowship training and clinical work, he contributes to academic emergency medicine through The JournalFeed and the Pragmatic Critical Care Research Group.
Dr. Clark has grant funding from the Emergency Medicine Foundation and the Emergency Medicine Residents' Association Residency Research Grant, an National Institutes of Health (NIH) T32 postdoctoral multidisciplinary training program in lung disease, and the Massey Traumatic Brain Injury Research Fellowship. His recognitions include the Neuro-EM K12 Scholar Pipeline Award and the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Emergency Medicine Residency Research Award.
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Jonathan Warren, MDHarbor-UCLA Medical Center and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Jonathan Warren, MD, is an emergency medical services (EMS) and ultrasound fellow at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
He earned his medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine and completed residency at Harbor-UCLA. Dr. Warren's clinical interests are prehospital ultrasound, emergency medical services, medical education, and faculty development.
As an ultrasound fellow and health sciences clinical instructor, he teaches residents, supports faculty development in advanced ultrasound, leads quality assurance review, and develops research projects. As an EMS fellow, he teaches at the paramedic training institute, helps develop county initiatives and policies, and led the first prehospital lung ultrasound implementation and pilot study in Los Angeles County.
His current research examines prehospital lung ultrasound for distinguishing congestive heart failure from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, barriers to implementation, and cardiac ultrasound definitions through Delphi work. His honors include Harbor-UCLA's 2024 Academic Achievement Award and a 2025 Western Regional SAEM best EMS and prehospital care abstract award.
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Lachlan Driver, MDBrown University Health
Lachlan Driver, MD, is a clinical ultrasound fellow at Brown University Health.
Dr. Driver earned his medical degree from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and completed his emergency medicine residency at the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency. His academic interests include ultrasound, regional anesthesia, LGBT-health, and mathematical modeling, with research focused on regional anesthesia, clinical ultrasound, and LGBT-health.
His current roles and responsibilities include patient care, research, and teaching. He is active in national and institutional leadership, including the Society of Clinical Ultrasound Fellowships Board of Directors and ultrasound education leadership roles within Harvard-affiliated programs.
Dr. Driver has received multiple honors, including the Rising Star Fellow Award from Brown Emergency Medicine, the Society of Clinical Ultrasound Fellowships Top Research Abstract Award, the Academy of Emergency Ultrasound National Award in Resident Research, and the Golden Probe Award for Ultrasound Dedication in Residency at Mass General Brigham. Additional recognitions include the SAEMMIE Award for Most Impactful Paper, first place in SimWars and SonoGames, and the ACEP Hackathon Physicians’ Choice Award.
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Leah B. Colucci, MD, MSYale University
Leah B. Colucci, MD, MS, is an EMS fellow at Yale University. She earned her medical degree from the University of Miami and completed residency at Yale New Haven Hospital.
Dr. Colucci's interests include emergency medical services, education, and disaster medicine. Her current work includes teaching paramedics and residents in prehospital and bedside settings and creating a formalized disaster medicine curriculum.
She serves on the board of directors for the ACGME as chair of the Council of Review Committee Residents, on the board of directors of the Connecticut College of Emergency Physicians, and as chair of the AAEM Connecticut and New York chapter, while also serving as a member-at-large for AAEM/RSA.
Recent honors include the 2026 CORD Judith Tintinalli Faculty Scholarship Award, the 2025 CORD Resident Academic Achievement Award, the 2025 Connecticut College of Emergency Physicians Resident of the Year Award, and the 2024 American Academy of Emergency Medicine President's Award.
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Mitchell Blenden, MD, MBAYale University
Mitchell Blenden, MD, MBA, is a second-year administration fellow at Yale University.
He earned his medical degree from the University of Central Florida and completed residency at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University before continuing his administration fellowship training at Yale through 2026.
His professional interests include operations, administration, and observation medicine. In his current fellowship role, Dr. Blenden focuses on patient experience and observation medicine, pairing operational leadership work with ongoing interest in academic emergency medicine.
His emergency medicine service has also included national and organizational leadership. He is a former secretary-treasurer of SAEM's Residents and Medical Students program and has served on SAEM boards and committees, including the Operations Committee, where he chaired the didactics work, as well as the awards and program committees. He also previously chaired the Emergency Medicine Residents' Association Technology, Telehealth, and Informatics Committee.
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Tushara Surapaneni, MDYale University
Tushara Surapaneni, MD, is a clinical instructor and Global Health and International Emergency Medicine fellow at Yale University.
She earned her medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed residency at Highland Hospital in Oakland, California. Dr. Surapaneni’s current responsibilities span clinical care, teaching, research, and international collaboration.
Dr. Surapaneni's scholarly work applies spatial epidemiology methods to analyze access to care and climate-related health risk, and her broader research focus include health systems access and accessibility modeling, violence against health care in conflict-affected settings, and predictive outbreak modeling.
Her honors include the Yale University Public Voices Fellowship with The OpEd Project, the Chadwick Trust Postgraduate Travelling Fellowship, the Jeroen Ensink Fellowship, and a SAEM Global Emergency Medicine Academy scholarship for ARMED.
RAMS Leadership in Emergency Medicine Award
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.
RAMS Excellence in Research Award
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.
RAMS Excellence in Education Award
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Eileen Williams, MDUniversity of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Eileen Williams, MD, is a third-year resident physician at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and incoming medical education fellow for 2026–2027.
Dr. Williams earned her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine. Her interests are in medical education, with a research focus on efficiency, curriculum development and evaluation.
Her current roles and responsibilities include patient care, research, and teaching. She is active in national organizations, serving as a member-at-large on the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Residents and Medical Students (RAMS) Board.
Dr. Williams has received several academic honors, including the SAEM Medical Student Excellence Award and Academic Achievement Awards, and has been recognized with Academic Track Distinction at the University of Texas Southwestern.
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Kevin Walsh, MDUniversity of Michigan
Kevin Walsh, MD, is chief resident in emergency medicine at the University of Michigan.
He earned his medical degree at the University of Michigan and continued there for residency, building a training path centered on medical education, leadership, and academic mentorship. His current responsibilities include chief resident leadership, bedside teaching, research.
Dr. Walsh's scholarly interests focus on undergraduate medical education, graduate medical education, medical student professional development, and near-peer support and mentorship. In addition to his chief resident role, he serves with the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Education Committee, the Emergency Residents' Association of Michigan leadership committee, and the Michigan Council of Emergency Physicians.
Recent recognitions include the Bronze Beeper Award, the Most Valuable Teacher Award for the Emergency Medicine Residency Preparation Course, a Medical Student Teaching Award from the University of Michigan Department of Emergency Medicine, and the Best Undergraduate Medical Education Abstract Award from the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine.