2025 Critical Care Committee Leader Spotlight

Alexandra Hallagan, MD, Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2025

Alexandra Hallagan.png

Program: Maricopa County/Creighton University Emergency Medicine

What is your goal as an EMRA leader? Work to even further establish the sub-speciality of critical care as a fundamental pillar of our field. Ensure every emergency medicine resident feels well equipped and prepared as a resuscitationist. Expand resources and smooth the path for those looking to pursue critical care fellowship.
 
Why did you get involved in a professional society? To have the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals all over the country with similar passions and goals.
 
What is the best advice you have ever received? Be a humble learner. No matter how far you get in your career, you always have something to learn from every interaction. Never let your ego get in the way of the opportunity to learn from your colleagues and patients.
 
What is something that people don't know about you? I took four years of Mandarin Chinese and spent a few weeks traveling all around China.
 
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? An astronomer or working for NASA in some capacity
 
What are your tops songs on your Spotify Wrapped? Delilah (pull me out of this) Fred again. Sun Models - Odesza, Innerbloom - Rufus Du Sol, Let it Happen - Tame Impala, Life Itself - Glass Animals 

Alex Lucas, MD, Chair-Elect of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2025

Alex Lucas.png

Program: Advocate Christ Medical Center

Your goal as an EMRA leader: My goal is to provide resources and promote critical care medicine for all levels of medical professionals. On the way, I hope to network and collaborate with other great EM leaders.

Why did you get involved in a professional society? I originally got involved with EMRA as a medical student needing career and match advice. Now as a vice-chair and previous leadership academy chair, I hope to provide these resources and spread opportunities throughout the EM student/residency community. It has also been a great way to network and meet with other EM leaders throughout the country.

Top 3 traits of a great leader:
1. Communication - One must be able to communicate with the group and fellow stakeholders to influence change.
2. Think big picture - It is easy to get weighed down with minute details but a good leader has a clear direction with milestones and endpoints for their goals.
3. Delegate - One must be able to delegate as there is generally too much work for any one person to do. Delegation also includes teaching your team so they may learn new skills and be able to pass these on to others.

What is the best advice you've ever received? Every time you say yes to something, you say no to another

What is something that people don't know about you? I am a retired engineer
 
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? In real life probably a chemical engineer. In my fantasy life a professional golfer.

What is the last non-textbook you read? Unreasonable Hospitality - Will Guidara

What are your tops songs on your Spotify Wrapped? Voodoo- Gorgon City, Atmosphere - FISHER, Last Night- Morgan Wallen

Josh Wild, DO, Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2025

Josh WildProgram: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Your goal as an EMRA leader: I hope to be able to foster further interest in the field of critical care amongst medical students and residents. Whether it be with the end goal of being an intensivist or just being a better resuscitationist in the ED I think many EM residents at one point, or another find it rewarding to care for our most critically ill patients. It can be a daunting task to learn the management of this population, but I believe from our background in Emergency Medicine we are some of the physicians best suited to care for these patients. As, I have been incredibly fortunate to be supported by many great physicians in my journey into critical care I hope to also be able to provide similar mentorship to those who are interested but just may not know where to start.

Why did you get involved in a professional society? While I was finding my way to the world of critical care through Emergency Medicine I was supported by so many incredible physicians, from both the world of EM and Critical Care. They were invaluable in guiding me through this process and I hope to be able to provide that same help to others. I think many EM residents enjoy critical care but even so only a small fraction chooses it as a specialty. Hopefully, I can be there to support other med students and residents who may be considering it as a sub-specialty for themselves.
 
What is something that people don't know about you? I recently won third place in an amateur pickleball tournament.


If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: A chef. I unfortunately, don't have a creative bone inside my body outside of the kitchen. For that reason, I really enjoy cooking all sorts of meals and cuisines.


What is your favorite hack for night shifts? A latte right before I leave my apartment.

Alex Cavert, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2025

Josh WildProgram: University of Vermont Medical Center

 

Dominique Gelmann, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2025

Dominique GelmannProgram: Wake Forest Emergency Medicine Residency

Your goal as an EMRA leader: To spread my hopefully infectious enthusiasm for the awesome overlap of EM and CC! I hope to contribute to some exciting crit care educational content over this next year as well. 

Top 3 traits of a great leader:
Humility/integrity, team spirit, and courage.

What is something that people don't know about you? My friends know this, but otherwise most people probably don't know that while I'm not currently in my fitness glory days I've done a half ironman and some marathons and ultras!
 
What app on your phone consumes the most of your time? Is it sucking up to say EMRAP? ;) 
 
Favorite channel on social media? I've been loving Haney Mallemat's @CriticalCareNow on several platforms.

What are your tops songs on your Spotify Wrapped? John Mayer and Chris Stapleton top the charts for me every year. 

Luxi Qiao, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2025

Luxi Qiao, MDProgram: Johns Hopkins Hospital

Your goal as an EMRA leader: To get more EM trainees interested in critical care, to help create high-quality education materials, and to help advance our specialty as experts in critical care resuscitation. 

Why did you get involved in a professional society? To learn more about the work leaders in our field are doing to advocate for residents and for our specialty and to connect with others in the EM community who share similar interests!
 
What is the best advice you have ever received? "The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision." This has been such a helpful advice on shift and generally in life too. 
 
What is something that people don't know about you? I used to play the drums in college, would love to pick it back up again! 


If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: Given how much I love food and cooking and face-paced environments, probably a chef. 


What's the last non-textbook you read? Mad Honey--excellent story-telling and truly eye-opening in so many different ways. 

Favorite channel on social media? James Hoffman's coffee channel, which unfortunately has led to an increase in my caffeine intake haha 

Yi Qin Zhu, MD, Assistant Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2025

Eleni McCaffery.jpegProgram: State University of New York - Downstate

 

Pooja Dave, MD, Assistant Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2025

pooja daveProgram: Jefferson Einstein Hospital

Your goal as an EMRA leader: My goal as an EMRA leader is to contribute to the critical care field while simultaneously developing my own skills and knowledge. I hope that my work in this committee will help other residents find the same joy that I have in caring for this population of patients. 

Why did you get involved in a professional society? I am both a Health Policy Academy fellow and one of the assistant vice chairs of the critical care committee. I became involved with the critical care committee to promote critical care medicine by providing resources for trainees who are considering critical care fellowships. I applied for the Health Policy Academy fellowship to gain a deeper understanding of policy making and to learn how I can contribute to policy decisions which impact my community.
 
What is the best advice you have ever received? In order to be successful, you have to be able, affable, and available. You should have the knowledge and tools to help someone if they ask for help, strive to be known for your kindness, and try to make yourself available to help others as much as possible.
 
What is something that people don't know about you? I learned Indian Classical Dance (Bharata Natyam) when I was a kid.

Favorite life hack for night shifts: Coffee, lots of snacks, and good tunes

What was the last non-textbook you read? Onyx Storm!

Aarif Motorwala, MD, Assistant Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2025

Aarif MotorwalaProgram: AdventHealth Orlando

Your goal as an EMRA leader: I want to build an open and accessible avenue for those in EM to better access critical care resources and literature! Additionally I'd love the chance to advocate for all those around me to better advance the field of Emergency Medicine

What do you think are the top three traits of a great leader? It's tough to distill it down to 3 traits but I would say: - Being Approachable - Being Understanding - And Honesty

What is the best advice you have ever received? What is destined for you will reach you even if it be under 2 mountains. What is not destined will not reach you even if it be between your teeth

If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? Honestly, I'd probably be a chef!
 
What is your favorite hack for night shifts? Still haven't truly found one, but chocolate cake and espresso before shift has been my go to!

What's the last non-textbook you read? No Friends but the Mountains

Jonathan Hanan, MD, Assistant Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2025

Dominique GelmannProgram: University of Wisconsin

 

Critical Care Committee EMRA Spotlight

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