2019-2020 Chief's Welcome

Dr. Scott Sweeny
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Dr. Sean Williams
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Welcome prospective applicants!  We hope our website will give you a better understanding as to why UNLV Emergency Medicine is a fantastic place to get unparalleled hands-on clinical training, and why Las Vegas is a great place to live, work, and play.  Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions – we’re looking forward to meeting you all!

Welcome Dr. Ashley Barrile!

UNLV EMR is thrilled to have Ashley Barrile, MD join our pediatric emergency medicine department as faculty. Dr. Barrile received her medical degree from the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, completed her pediatrics residency at Comer Children's Hospital with the University of Chicago and is now finishing up her pediatrics emergency medicine training at UT Southwestern. We are excited to have you join us! Welcome to the VegasEMR family! 

Preparing The Mind & Body For Night Shifts

Congratulations to Patrick Wallace, DO PGY-2 on his recent AAEM publication in conjunction with faculty member Dr. Jordana Haber on how to prepare the mind and body for night shifts! Strong work team!  

To read this full article and other outstanding articles, click here. 

Air Force Match

UNLV Emergency Medicine is proud to announce the arrival of two outstanding residents into our program via the military match: Lillian Paige Harry, DO joins us from West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, and Joel Schirding, MD  joins us from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.  Welcome Paige and Joel to the UNLV EMR Family! 

Space Medicine

Air Force PGY-2 Resident Physician Jason David, MD participated in a one month away elective at Mission Control in Houston, TX during the month of October. He  worked on an Internal Jugular Vein Ultrasound Project in Space comparing IJ cross-sectional area in various tilt-table configurations to that of the same subject in space to see if tilt-table exercises a) work as an analogue for microgravity and b) is a feasible comparable training model for microgravity.  In addition, Dr. David has been assigned to work on a thought/policy paper on Operational Space Medicine. 

Congratulations to Dr. David on the great work he's doing with the Air Force and for representing the UNLV EMR family! We're proud of you. 

Interested in learning more about what Dr. David is up to? Check out his podcast here. A discussion about ACLS in space! 

***Fun fact! Dr. David had the opportunity to meet Dr. William Carpentier (flight surgeon for Apollo 11)! 

Toxicology Simulation Day!

Big day at the UNLV EM Residency! Huge thanks to Dr. Bonney, toxicologist extraordinaire, PGY-3's, Drs. Fong and Giles, for putting together a full day of toxicology themed lectures and simulations. Our residents definitely enjoyed learning more about the various presentations of drug overdoses/toxins and their treatments in addition to finally getting a little taste of what NAC and activated charcoal taste like! Looking forward to another tox day! 

Building Equipment Kits for Streamlined Care

Congrats to Dr. Earle, PGY2, and Dr. Young, APD, on their recently published article on ALiEM about building equipment kits! 

At UNLV/UMC, the emergency department is responsible for emergent intubations on the hospital floors and ICU overnight. As such, staff must be able to rapidly respond to a variety of airway emergencies anywhere in the facility with all appropriate airway equipment on very short notice. Click here to learn more about what we've done here at UNLV/UMC. 

Military Medicine

PGY-2 Dr. Jason David, one of the Active Duty Air Force residents of the UNLV EM Residency, was recently invited to give a talk at the Annual Joint Services Symposium on Emergency Medicine (JSSEM). The symposium is an annual national-level meeting between Army, Navy and Air Force Emergency Medicine Physicians involving poster presentations, a lecture series, and year-status updates from the respective service's specialty liaisons. Special events this year included ultrasound labs as well as REBOA, cricothyrotomy and thoracotomy cadaver labs, as well as an interview with COL Andrew Morgan, an emergency Medicine Physician and Astronaut currently stationed aboard International Space Station. Dr. David's talk centered on the performance of ACLS in microgravity: how to run a code in space. 

2019 High Risk Emergency Medicine Course

Our PGY-2s completed a two day High Risk Emergency Medicine course at the Paris Hotel! We are lucky in that our Program Director is also the course director for this amazing conference. It was a privilege to have many of our faculty members and visiting scholars (i.e., Dr. Amal Mattu, pictured here) who gave great lectures on important medico-legal topics and concerns! 

Welcome, Dr. Caitlin Bonney!

The UNLV Emergency Medicine Residency is excited to welcome clinical faculty of the year (2018), Medical Toxicologist, and Emergency Physician Caitlin Bonney, MD to the clinical faculty!

She graduated from University of Massachusetts School of Medicine with honors in 2013, trained at the University of Massachusetts Emergency Medicine Residency where she served as chief resident in 2017, and completed a medical toxicology fellowship at the Rocky Mountain Poison Center in 2019.

Although Dr. Bonney is new to our clinical faculty this year, she is well known to our residents due to her frequent moonlighting shifts at UMC during her fellowship. She is an amazing educator and we are all grateful we now have her with us full time!

UNLV EM Residency Community Involvement

It is that time of the year - the UNLV School of Medicine welcomes their new medical students to the Class of 2024! Our Emergency Medicine residency has the privilege of working closely with the new students during their orientation process. So far, we have hosted suturing workshops, lectured on high-yield trauma topics (as we are Nevada's only Level 1 trauma center), as well as help teach their EMT course. UNLV School of Medicine is one of the few medical schools in the country to offer a 3-week EMT course to all entering medical students. Training includes airway management, tourniquet application, tactical medicine, active shooter training, and more! Our faculty, residents and staff are grateful to have so many opportunities to become involved with our UNLV and greater Las Vegas community. 

Annual Mt. Charleston Wellness Hike!
​July 17th, 2019

Our annual Mt. Charleston wellness hike is one of the best times of the year where residents, students, faculty, family and their four-legged furry children are able to escape the Las Vegas heat to enjoy the outdoors as well as the 20-degree drop in temperature!  The brisk hike was then followed with a BBQ. We're lucky to have this gem located only 45 minutes from us! 

Class of 2022 Intern Orientation!

Now that our comprehensive three-week orientation is complete, the Class of 2022 interns are ready to save lives in the emergency department!! We can't wait for them to get their hands dirty and put their clinical and procedural skills to use. Here are some highlights as to what has been going on during the last few weeks.

End of the Year Awards!
June 18th, 2019

Resident of the Year: Dr. Emerson Posadas (PGY-3)
Intern of the Year: Dr. Matt Earle (PGY-1)
Research Resident of the Year: Dr. Devin Thompson (PGY-3) & Dr. Travis Marshall (PGY-3)
Resident of the Year in Pediatric Emergency Medicine: Dr. Sam Bergin (PGY-3)
Air Force Resident of the Year: Dr. Devin Thompson (PGY-3) 
Nurses' Choice Award: Dr. Sam Bergin (PGY-3)
Clinical Faculty of the Year: Dr. Caitlin Bonney
Academic Faculty of the Year: Dr. David Nelson
Pediatric Emergency Medicine Faculty of the Year: Dr. David Nelson 

Welcome to the Class of 2022!

We are proud to announce our group of newly matched residents for the class of 2022. Welcome to the family and we can't wait to see you all this summer!

National Lectures by Faculty

Several of our faculty have been very active this week on the national and regional stage. Dr. Berkeley and Dr. Patel both spoke at the national AAEM conference held here in Las Vegas. In addition to this, Dr. McCourt will be delivering a talk today as the keynote speaker at the Nevada Chronic Disease Summit in Reno. 

2018-19 Air Force Match Results

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UNLV Emergency Medicine is proud to announce the arrival of two outstanding residents into our program via the military match: Kathryn Sulkowski, MD joins us from Rush Medical College, and Ryan Corbett, MD  joins us from St. Louis University School of Medicine.  Welcome Kate and Ryan!

Burning Man: Expect the Unexpected
August 26-September 3, 2018

​Burning Man: Expect the Unexpected
-Elliot Welder
 
One of the absolute highlights of training at this residency has been working at Burning Man. I worked this event my first year and was immediately hooked! This year I attended my third year in a row and it did not fail to deliver. The opportunity to care for patients in an austere environment presents unique challenges and opportunities. It forces you to perform outside of your comfort zone, taking on roles you are not accustomed to, conserving limited resources, and relying on your history and physical when labs and imaging are limited in supply and availability. This year Nick Schulack and I took the 10 hour journey into the dusty, rowdy, mysterious environment known historically as “The Playa”, and were rewarded immensely for our efforts.
 
In one 10 hour shift, Nick reduced 10 fractures, seeing a total of 30 patients, and while working some slower shifts through the night I had the opportunity to run the department with some solid, experienced attendings as backup. In this process we learned to sedate with medications we were not accustomed to, and to splint with stakes and cardboard when supplies ran low. We felt the limits of our resources, and practiced the unfamiliar skill of knowing when to tap out and ship someone out for a higher level of care. We were able to identify and push our boundaries as providers, all while receiving sincere and deep thanks from the people we served.
 
Sharpening our toxicology skills, our reduction and radiograph interpretation skills, and diagnosing urolithiasis via history and bedside ultrasound alone were just the tip of the iceberg for us. What truly made this experience invaluable was the opportunity to reflect on the skills we have honed at UMC and Nellis in a new and unfamiliar environment. For me, the Playa has served as a touchstone, a place to assess my development over the years, and come to terms with the remaining chinks in my armor. And what a place to do it! Not only is the environment at Burning Man fast paced and exciting, but the patient population is one of a kind. People who have watched their vacation suddenly come to an abrupt end with an unexpected fracture will thank you with a hug and a smile for reducing their arm or leg. It is the kind of patient interaction that reminds you why you chose to serve your fellow human as an EM provider.
 
There is no doubt that the medical component of Burning Man is the highlight of the journey, but you cannot write about Burning Man without acknowledging the event outside the medical tent walls. When people ask me to describe this event, I tell them it is as if you are 7 years old and have been placed in Disneyland for a week. This is accurate. It is a place where your imagination can wander free and the experience is as dynamic and versatile as you make it. In one day, you may wake up to a sunrise yoga and meditation session, attend a conference on what life in space may be like in 50 years, ride across the desert in an 80 foot party yacht, fly above it all in a free cesna ride, then get on your bike and chase the lights to some of your favorite electronic music headliners. The strangers you meet will embrace you as a long lost friend and share their art, drinks, food, bracelets, or conversation with you. You never know what kind of adventure the flashing lights you are biking towards may bring.
 
I asked a patient who said she was attending her 20th Burning Man event what she was most looking forward to, and she said “the unexpected.” The fact that she is still surprised by what she encounters at Burning Man after all these years is a testament to this experience. I have to agree with her sentiment. Whether its the opportunity Taylor Roth had to perform a full body escharotomy last year, the chance Omar Ahmed previously had to intubate an entire family who overdosed on GHB, or the chance to see a performance or art piece that leaves you reminiscing months later, Burning Man will open you to new impactful experiences. I feel so grateful to have this experience through our residency, and the three years I spent at Burning Man will stand out as some of the greatest adventures of my life!

Lessons from the Front 
September 12, 2018

Some residents go on to practice in the community. Some travel across the country for fellowship. Still others, like Drs. James Bailey (left) and Joshua Pascoe (right) of the class of 2016 serve much further from home and in much more austere environments. On Wednesday, September 12, 2018, Drs. Bailey and Pascoe gave the assembled residents a joint lecture on lessons learned from their experience serving injured soldiers abroad. They discussed traumatic amputations and the use of tourniquets, TXA, whole blood transfusion, the management of hemothorax and head injuries. Dr. Pascoe continues to share these lessons with our rotating residents and medical students as Assistant Professor with our program and as Student Clerkship Director at the Mike O'Callaghan Medical Center at Nellis Air Force Base.

Annual Mt. Charleston Hike and BBQ
July 18, 2018

Residents, students, faculty, family, and their four-legged friends escaped the Vegas heat to enjoy a brisk hike up Mt. Charleston July 18, 2018. The hike was followed by a delicious BBQ.

A Class Act
June 19, 2018

We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Class of 2018 on their graduation from residency! The ceremony took place at the Cosmopolitan hotel in Las Vegas on June 19, 2018.

Special recognition as follows...
Resident of the Year: Dr. Ben Fox (PGY-3)
Intern of the Year: Dr. Sean Williams (PGY-1)
Research Resident of the Year: Dr. Tiffany Sigal (PGY-3)
Resident of the Year in Pediatric Emergency Medicine: Dr. Ben Fox (PGY-3)
Air Force Resident of the Year: Dr. Ben Fox (PGY-3) 
Nurses' Choice Award: Dr. Omar Ahmed (PGY-3)
Clinical Faculty of the Year: Dr. Amy Urban
Academic Faculty of the Year: Dr. Jordana Haber
Pediatric Faculty of the Year: Dr. Ami Shah
Nellis AFB Faculty of the Year: Dr. Melissa Coombs
Support Staff Member of the Year: Alexis Martinez


Welcome Class of 2021!
​March 16, 2018

We are proud to welcome our new class of interns into the Las Vegas Emergency Medicine Residency family. Can't wait to meet all of you (again) this summer.

Air Force Match Results!
​December 14, 2017

UNLV Emergency Medicine is proud to announce the arrival of two outstanding residents into our program via the military match. Jason David MD joins us from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Aaron Johnson DO joins us from the UNLV surgery program where he is completing a preliminary surgery year. Welcome Jason and Aaron!

Does Ketamine Cure Headache?
October 16, 2017

 Management of the benign headache in the emergency department is often anything but. Low dose intravenous ketamine has been proven to be effective in pain management in a variety of pain management settings. Might it work for headache too? In "A Comparison of Headache Treatment in the Emergency Department: Prochlorperazine Versus Ketamine," Dr. Tony Zitek, former Chief Resident and current Assistant Research Director at UNLV SOM EM, examines this question in the Annals of Emergency Medicine. Comparing a sub-dissociative IV dose of 0.3mg/kg ketamine + 4mg ondansetron to the standard of care of 10mg prochlorperazine IV + 25mg diphenhydramine, Dr. Zitek found more rapid and complete reductions in acute pain score and greater patient satisfaction scores in the prochlorperazine group. There was also a large subset of patients who reported a dysphoric experience to ketamine, suggesting that ketamine's reputation as a pain cure-all may be overestimated. For now, stick with the tried-and-true prochlorperazine for benign headache. ​Ketamine still may be considered as an adjunctive therapy.

Resident Education Done Right
October 8, 2017

Dr. Jordana Haber, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at UNLV School of Medicine​, specializes in mindfulness, writing, and--much to our benefit--resident education. In the latest edition of her "Mindful EM" column in Emergency Medicine News, Haber describes her approach to resident education using the SMART NERDS mnemonic. Dr. Haber's other work can be found in Annals of Emergency Medicine and on the evidence-based medicine blog ALIEM.

Doctors Learn About Law 
September 15, 2017 

Las Vegas Emergency Medicine residents had the opportunity to attend the High Risk Emergency Medicine course at the Paris Hotel 9/15-9/16.  Dr. Amal Mattu lectured on common EKG misses in ruling out ACS, using validated decision instruments such as the HEART score properly, and myths and pitfalls in managing wide-complex tachyarrhythmias. Dr. Michael Frank chaired a mock deposition for attendees to gain exposure to this frequently adversarial and unfamiliar process. Dr. Ross Berkeley, Program Director for Las Vegas Emergency Medicine Residency and Course Director for the High Risk Emergency Medicine program, spoke about emerging medico-legal risks with special attention to new challenges posed by electronic medical records. Dr. Ketan Patel, Associate Program director at Las Vegas EM, lectured on the topic of pulmonary embolism.

Back from the Burn
September 6, 2017

Welcome back to our team of residents who provided medical care at Burning Man. Drs. Omar Ahmed (PGY-3), Teya Casner (PGY-2), Rob Bechtel (PGY-2),  Elliot Welder (PGY-2), Perry Lee (PGY-2), and Taylor Roth (PGY-1) were among the residents who manned the Rampart medical area 8/27-9/4. Medical residents had the opportunity to manage and treat a wide variety of toxidromes, orthopedic injuries, and burns.

Anatomy of a Youtube Star
September 2, 2017

Congratulations to Dr. James Preddy for reaching >1 million views on his review of upper extremity anatomy. (Part 2 here.) Dr. Preddy, in addition to being a beloved clinical assistant professor for UNLV-Las Vegas Emergency Medicine Residency, is also an experienced anatomist. Each shift worked with Dr. Preddy is a lesson not only in clinical medicine but also in its fundamental anatomical basis. Check out some of Dr. Preddy's other educational videos here.

Why is the Alk Phos so high?
August 16, 2017

Sam Bergin MD (PGY-2) introduces a stepwise approach to interpreting LFT abnormalities in the Journal of Emergency Medicine. See also a summation of this approach on the excellent FOAMed website emdocs.net.

Camp Cartwheel
​August 11, 2017

Las Vegas Emergency Medicine attendings David Nelson MD (right), Nick Sadeghi MD, Jay Fisher MD, along with resident Teya Casner MD, were honored to take part in Camp Cartwheel. Camp Cartwheel is an outdoor camp for children with critical illness and cancer. For these children, who spend a great deal of time and energy going back and forth between physicians' offices, playing outdoor games and bonding with one another at Camp Cartwheel represents a welcome reprieve, a chance to be a kid again.

Las Vegas EM Fire Day
July 12, 2017

Las Vegas EM residents took part in the 2017 Annual Las Vegas EM Fire Day. Highlights included operating the "jaws of life" while engaging in automobile passenger extrication exercises. Thanks to Dr. Slattery, Medical Director of Las Vegas Fire and Rescue and Research Director for our program, for arranging this action-packed day.

And the Award Goes To...
​June 21, 2017

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Las Vegas Emergency Medicine Residency is pleased to announce the following year-end awards:
Resident of the Year: Megan McKay MD (PGY-3)
Intern of the Year: Samuel Bergin MD (PGY-1)
Research Resident of the Year: Bailey Zhao MD (PGY-3)
Resident of the Year in Pediatric Emergency Medicine: Megan McKay MD (PGY-3)
Air Force Resident of the Year: Schon Roberts MD (PGY-3) 
Nurses' Choice award: Schon Roberts MD (PGY-3)
Clinical Faculty of the Year: Jesse Wells MD
Academic Faculty of the Year: Tony Zitek MD
Nellis Faculty of the Year: Melissa Coombs MD
Nurse of the Year: Mike Donaldson
Support Staff Member of the Year: Lynn Heather


Check out PEMRadio
May 2, 2017

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Need a smartphone-accessible resource to guide management in your youngest patients? Dr. Jay Fisher, Medical Director of the Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at UMC, has released a one-stop shop app for all of your pediatric emergency medicine needs:
 
“PEMRadio is an app for pediatric emergency physicians, emergency physicians, pediatricians and other allied health professionals who provide acute medical care for ill and injured children. The app serves as an educational resource and a source of professional information exchange for professionals seeking to continuously improve their knowledge base in the care of sick children. The app features audio files on pediatric emergency topics, pediatric emergency cases; clinical tools, lecture slides, and links to valuable internet resources focusing on the provision of pediatric emergency medicine.”
 
Check it out on the app store here!

"Driving" Home Resident Wellness
​April 18, 2017

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Residents and their families had the opportunity to enjoy a relaxing night of "Top Golf" April 18, 2017.

Las Vegas EMR Class of 2020
March 18, 2017

We are proud to welcome a new class of outstanding interns into the Las Vegas Emergency Medicine Residency family. Can't wait to see you all!

Vegas Goes to Washington
March 13, 2017

Las Vegas Emergency Medicine Residents descended on Washington, D.C. for the 2017 ACEP Leadership and Advocacy Conference. Drs. Bailey Zhao (PGY-3), Megan McKay (PGY-3), Tiffany Sigal (PGY-2), and Zachary Skaggs (PGY-2) got to explore the sites and scenes of DC as well as explore the issues with fellow physicians and legislators. Also attending was Dr. JD McCourt, current Nevada ACEP President, attending faculty, and Medical Director of the Emergency Department at University Medical Center. Meetings with Sen. Cortez-Mastro (D-NV) and the staff of Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) allowed for productive discussion regarding the direction of health care reform, EMTALA, and the issues of psychiatric boarding in the ER and balanced billing.

Working for Cancer Patients, in and out of the Hospital
Feb 25, 2017

Team "Drop Kick," a spirited crew of former WWE wrestlers who also work as residents and faculty at the UMC Emergency Department, went 5-1, coming in second place at the second annual NCCF charity kickball tournament 2/25/17. Nice job, team! All proceeds went to the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation.

"We Are Vegas" Wins Prestigious Video Contest
Feb 15, 2017

Check out the winning entry in the 8th Annual USACS Video Contest, which features an inside look at the Las Vegas EM residency. The video was directed by talented video editor and doctor Omar Ahmed (PGY-2) and features many members of our residency class. Strong work, Omar!

Caring for Athletes in the "Fight Capital"
Feb 3, 2017

The Las Vegas Emergency Medicine Residency is actively involved in the care of fighters. Centered in the "Fight Capital of the World," and working at University Medical Center, which has multiple affiliate agreements with UFC and major boxing promotions, our residents have the opportunity to reduce jaw dislocations, repair complicated eyebrow lacerations, and manage all manner of extremity fractures and dislocations in these athletes. Las Vegas is also home to major international events including fight competitions. Here pictured is Dr. Kelly Morgan, Las Vegas EMR Clinical Faculty, Director of Disaster Preparedness, and Medical Director for all US National Tae Kwon Do events, along with PGY-2 resident Dr. Zachary Skaggs, caring for athletes at the Tae Kwon Do US Open held in Las Vegas Feb. 2, 2017. A broad range of pathology was tended to including gamekeeper's thumbs, ACL injuries, and issues related to "cutting weight" in athletes hailing from Africa to Australia, with backgrounds ranging from amateur to Olympian.

VEGAS Lactate Study Continues to Make Waves
Jan 18, 2017

Check out the latest EMRAP "Paper Chase" for a summation of the "Effect of Nebulized Albuterol on Serum Lactate and Potassium Levels." The study shows that the simple administration of 10mg nebulized albuterol can raise serum lactate by, on average, 0.8mmol/L, potentially confounding current core measures that equate elevated lactate levels with sepsis. The study originated out of the Las Vegas EMR program with primary author Dr. Tony Zitek, former Chief Resident and current Assistant Research Director, also with Dr. David Slattery, Research Director at the program.

Annual Christmas Bakeoff Competition
Dec 14, 2016

Featured above is the winner of the "most original" category in the Las Vegas EM Annual Christmas Bakeoff. This confection created by Dr. Teya Casner (PGY-2). Otherwise, Dr. Meena Subramanian (PGY-3) won "most binge-eatable" for her butter cake and Dr. Clayton Wu (PGY-2) took home the best over all prize for his delectable dipped shortcake.

Las Vegas Residents Teach Marine EMS
Nov 20, 2016

Drs. Lauren Pellman (PGY-2), Ben Fox (PGY-2), and Omar Ahmed (PGY-2), and Ben Smith ​(PGY-3) assisted with the Lake Mead EMS Refresher Course Nov. 18 and 19. They engaged in simulated marine rescue operations with Park Rangers at Lake Mead. Pictures for your perusal are below!

World's Toughest Residents to Staff World's Toughest Mudder Event in Las Vegas
Nov 3, 2016

Las Vegas Emergency Medicine residents continue to lead the way in Event Medicine. Following on the heels of the successful staffing of the Electronic Daisy Carnival and Burning Man, Las Vegas EM residents provided care at the most recent Tough Mudder Oct. 29-30 under the direction of clinical faculty member Dr. Christopher Krall. Our residents treated the spectrum of heat-related illnesses, orthopedic injuries, and rhabdomyolysis. November 12-13 will see the World's Toughest Mudder Event come to Las Vegas. The event is a 24-hour endurance event featuring 1500 competitors from across the world. Other upcoming Event Medicine events to be staffed by our resourceful residents include the Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on Nov. 13 under the direction of Dr. Christian Young​.

 Dr. Dale Carrison featured in Las Vegas Review-Journal
​October 25, 2016

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Dr. Dale Carrison, Chief of Staff and Emergency Department Chair at University Medical Center, may have the longest CV among medical leaders nationwide, and he's about to add one more line to it. He will be honored later this month with the Inspired Excellence in Healthcare Award for his efforts to improve healthcare in Southern Nevada. In light of this award, his biography is featured today in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The article describes the unique pathway he took en route to attaining his current leadership position, including overcoming personal struggles, age discrimination, and his previous leadership roles in his former career working with the FBI. Dr. Dale Carrison also currently serves as tactical physician for Las Vegas Metro's SWAT team, Medical Director for the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Medical Director for Burning Man and the Electronic Daisy Carnival.

Dr. Devin Thompson (PGY-1) Recognized at ACEP Scientific Assembly in Las Vegas
October 16, 2016

Congratulations to Devin Thompson (PGY-1) on receiving the 2016 National Outstanding Medical Student award at ACEP 2016 Scientific Assembly held here in our hometown of Las Vegas.  The award is given to the medical student who demonstrates scholarly achievement, outstanding board scores and grades, and who demonstrates professionalism, humanism, and clinical acumen. Thompson is one of ten of a new class of outstanding interns working with us here at  the Las Vegas Emergency Medicine Residency. He joins us from St. Louis University School of Medicine, where his achievement earned him this honor. 

Welcome Back from Burning Man!
​September 2016

Fresh off the heels of managing the medical tent for the Electronic Daisy Carnival, Las Vegas Emergency Medicine residents continue to lead the way in event medicine, this time lending a helping hand at Burning Man. Las Vegas EM resident physicians  Meena Subramanian (PGY-3), Ben Smith (PGY-3), Bailey Zhao (PGY-3), Eliot Welder (PGY-1), Omar Ahmed (PGY-2), Liz Chen (PGY-2), and Elizabeth Busby (PGY-3) are freshly home from a four-day mission at Burning Man's Rampart medical tent. Burning Man, a temporary community numbering 70,000 set up each year in the heart of Black Rock Desert, utilized Las Vegas EM resident physicians in capacities ranging from splinting to STEMI care. Check out a video of one our resident's experiences here. Pictures are below.

Las Vegas EMR Annual Awards
June 2016

Bringing the academic year to a close, Las Vegas Emergency Medicine residents gathered in a private ceremony at the Cosmopolitan Hotel to honor graduating seniors and the faculty who mentored them. Distinctions are as follows:
Pediatric Emergency Medicine Resident of the Year: Josh Pascoe, D.O. and James Bailey, M.D. (tie)
Intern of the Year: Tiffany Sigal, M.D.
Outstanding Achievement in Research: Leon Eydelman, M.D.
​Resident of the Year: Joshua Pascoe, M.D.
Academic Faculty of the Year: Nathan Cleveland, M.D., Tony Zitek, M.D. (tie)
Clinical Faculty of the Year: Mitzi Dillon, M.D.
MOFMC Faculty of the Year: Joe Sontgerath, M.D.
Pediatric Emergency Medicine Faculty of the Year: ​David Nelson, M.D.

Las Vegas takes over Washington, D.C. for ACEP's Annual Leadership and Advocacy Conference
May 2016

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Las Vegas EM residents (pictured left to right) Drs. Iggie Tanone (PGY-3), Zachary Skaggs (PGY-3) and Tiffany Sigal (PGY-2),  were honored  to represent Nevada’s American College of Emergency Physicians (NV ACEP) for the organization’s annual Leadership and Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C. May 15-18, 2016. Among many Capitol Hill offices visited, these residents had the opportunity to meet with Congressman and physician Dr. Joe Heck (R-NV- 3), who represents Las Vegas/Southern NV and is running for the Senate seat of retiring Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). They also met to talk mental healthcare access and availability issues and opportunities for EMTALA reform with Harry Reid’s staff. They are pictured here at a special reception overlooking the White House.

The World's Toughest Mudder
15 November 2015

Volunteers from Las Vegas EM and University Medical Center's Emergency Department provided on-site medical care for the 1,500 participants in the grueling 24-hour 2015 World's Toughest Mudder held at Lake Las Vegas on November 14 and 15.  This 24-hour endurance obstacle-course competition staged in the harshest desert terrain and environmental conditions.  Some participants completed over 100 miles! Las Vegas EM residents, under the medical direction of Christopher Krall, MD, staffed the medical tent for over 30 hours while caring for over 300 patients. The combination of training, experience, and enthusiasm of the UMC Emergency Medicine residents (Daren Mahoney, Joshua Pascoe, Mike Holtz, Ben Smith, and Elizabeth Busby) and nursing staff made for an outstanding team for this years World's Toughest Mudder event.  The 2016 World's Toughest Mudder will be returning to Las Vegas on November 12/13, 2016... stay "dirty" my friends!

The Bushmaster Exercise
October 2015

Bushmaster is an exercise held every year at USUHS (uniformed services university of health sciences) medical school. It is the culmination of a four week endeavor during their final year meant to train medical students in the armed forces how to prepare for a deployment in theatre. The exercise is a mock deployment for the medical students and is staffed by senior physicians from all specialties and from all branches of the armed forces (EM predominates). For six days students are required to provide 24hr medical support to their troops. This includes setting up a battalion aid station, stabilization of critical patients, organizing an ambulance response team to provide tactical combat casualty care, and triaging patients for evacuation and definitive care. For the duration they are required to manage their own resources and allocate them appropriately in simulated mass casualty scenarios. High fidelity simulators are used in a field environment and students manage complex trauma/medical resuscitations in an austere environment. APD Chris Pitotti, MD and PGY3 residents Josh Pascoe, DO and Jamie Bailey, MD were able to provide a unique perspective to students training in these scenarios. As resident physicians, and as officers in the U.S. Air Force, this was a very rewarding experience and will hopefully become a staple of training for the active duty members of Las Vegas EMR. Check out the video here.

Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
15 November 2015

Another successful Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon thanks to the assistance of medical tent captains Dr. Mike Holtz, Dr. Daren Mahoney and Dr. Ben Smith, who worked with volunteer nursing staff from UMC's Emergency Department and local race medical director, Dr. Christian Young to keep runners safe.  Between the marathon and half marathon, over 32,000 runners competed in this year's race!

Dr. Heckelman Wins "Peoples Choice Award"
​For Inaugural EMRA 20 in 6 Competition


​Las Vegas EM was again well-represented in a national competition. PGY-2 resident Aaron Heckelman, MD delivered an outstanding short presentation explaining the debate about the safety of ondansetron in first trimester pregnancy. An audience of hundreds picked Aaron's presentation as the best of the competition. Way to go Aaron! Nailed it!

You too, can make a difference ​in a resident's life...
20 October 2015

No, seriously, hit that 'donate button on the right...

EMS World Expo
24 September 2015
Las Vegas EMR was well represented at last week’s EMS World Expo. Held this year at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the EMS World Expo is the largest EMS trade show/conference in North America, and attracts EMS providers and educators from around the world. We are proud of our residents, attendings and alumni who taught sessions throughout the conference!

*Dr. Leon Eydelman (PGY-3) lectured on “Delayed Care of the Critically Ill Medical Patient”
*Dr. Aaron Heckelman (PGY-2) taught a session entitled “A Resident’s Guide to Intubation” (top left)
*Dr. Ben Smith (PGY-2) covered “Party Drugs” in his session (middle left)
*Dr. Bryan Bledsoe (faculty) taught about “Hypertensive Emergencies” and “Spinal Trauma Update”
*Dr. JD McCourt (faculty) discussed “Best Practices for Responding to Mental Health Patients in the Prehospital Setting”.
*Dr. David Slattery (faculty) lectured on “The QI Revolution: Using Real-time Data to Improve Outcomes and the Patient Experience”.

Special mention to one of our alumni, Dr. Ryan Hodnick, who spoke about the “Prehospital use of Ketamine”.

Burning Man 2015
16 September 2015

Another year; another burn. 
"Radical self reliance, radical self expression, communal effort, leaving no trace… these are just a few of the 'Principles of Burning Man' from the official website I was reading while packing for our trip… I had never been to Burning Man before, and I was in for the experience of a lifetime. All I knew about Burning Man was that I was working as a resident physician at the Rampart Medical Tent and would see a lot of toxicology! But Burning Man was so much more than that…  'Burners' as they call themselves, make excellent patients! They were kind, understanding, and unbelievably appreciative as I sutured their lacerations, reduced their fracture-dislocations, and even sedated their family/friends after a 'bad trip'.  With limited supplies and resources, we offered excellent medical care to a population of surprisingly optimistic patients despite very hostile conditions. I may never get all of the playa dust out of my camping gear, but the experience was something I will truly never forget." Read about Burning Man and mass-gathering medicine on our Event Medicine page.
-Carrie Cook, DO, PGY3

Las Vegas EM Resident "FAMOUS"
9 September 2015



These Las Vegas EM residents are everywhere... Iggie Tanone, MD makes an appearance in the latest ZDoggMD video. Next stop Hollywood. Way to go Iggie!!

Las Vegas EM Healthcare Heroes
2 September 2015

Two Las Vegas EM faculty were honored at the 2015 Healthcare Heroes Awards sponsored by Nevada Business Magazine. Devon Moore, MD won the Non-Profit award for his volunteerism in many different areas. Dr. Moore is the Quality Director for our Emergency Department. Ross Berkeley, MD, our residency director, won the Educator award for his tireless efforts in emergency medicine education. You can read more about the awards here. Congratulations to both - we are very proud!

Welcome New Faculty
1 August 2015

We are happy to announce two new faculty members here at Las Vegas EM! We expect big things out of both of them. We can't wait to see how they will impact our residents. 

Tony Zitek, MD attended Dartmouth University Medical School and completed emergency medicine residency at our own University of Nevada School of Medicine program. I addition toclinical practice and teaching, he will be actively involved in our emergency medicine research programs.

Jordana Haber, MD attended Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv and completed residency in emergency medicine at Lincoln Medical Center. She then completed a two year fellowship in Medical Education at Maimonides Medical Center.

Welcome Las Vegas EM Class of 2018!
1 July 2015

Congratulations Class of 2015!
23 June 2015

CONGRATULATIONS to the Las Vegas EM class of 2015!! On Tuesday night we graduated our 7th class during the annual graduation ceremony and awards banquet at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. We are very proud of all of you! You can see where they are going here. Check out the awards from the night:
Resident of the Year: 
Tony Zitek, MD
Pediatrics Resident of the Year: 
Anna Miller, MD
Nellis AFB Resident of the Year: 
Tony Zitek, MD
Research Resident of the Year:
Tony Zitek, MD
Resident of the Year (Nurses Vote):
Kersten Milligan, MD
Intern of the Year:
Megan McKay, MD
Core Faculty of the Year:
Nathan Cleveland, MD
Clinical Faculty of the Year:
Josh Parker, MD
Pediatrics Faculty of the Year:
David Nelson, MD
Nellis AFB Faculty of the Year:
Lance Bacon, MD

Coming Soon to an ED Near You!!

Dr. McKay Elected to National Leadership 
Position With AAEM/RSA
18 April 2015


Congratulations to EM1 resident Megan McKay, MD for being elected to the AAEM/RSA Board of Directors for the coming year! Dr. McKay is the next in a long line of Las Vegas EM residents serving in national leadership roles. We are proud of you Megan!

Dr. Berkeley Named Course Director for High Risk Emergency Medicine
30 January 2015
The nationally-recognized faculty of the High Risk Emergency Medicine Course have educated around 10,000 emergency providers over the years.  This CME course teaches tactics on how to avoid common malpractice pitfalls and provide high-quality care in real world EDs, by utilizing analysis of actual malpractice and EMTALA cases with discussion of the most recent literature by risk management experts. Congratulations Dr. Berkeley!

OLDER NEWS...
Ross P. Berkeley, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Message from the
Program Director 

DONATE TO THE RESIDENT
WELLNESS FUND

Do you miss residency or have a friend or loved one in our program? Help make LasVegasEM even better by donating to the Resident Wellness Fund!

Money goes toward our wellness events including the annual retreat, educational opportunities, and promoting the program.
​http://www.lasvegasemr.com/resident-life