Dustin Slagle, MD, Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2024
Program: Christiana Care Health
Dustin Slagle, MD, Chair-Elect of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2023-2024
Program: ChristianaCare
Your goal as an EMRA leader: Spread awareness about EM doctors in critical care so residents can consider it as a career option, to learn as much as I can, and contribute to the EM critical care education literature.
Why did you get involved in a professional society? I have a passion for medical education and EMRA is a great platform to develop this passion.
What is the best advice you've ever received? Maybe a bit cliche, but I also find it to be true, “showing up is half the battle”.
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? A sommelier—love me some wine
Favorite life hack for night shifts: 2 hour pre-nap before the first shift in a string and lots of Redbull
What is the last non-textbook you read? Name of the Wind—great fantasy book in a incomplete trilogy (the author will probably never finish it either so beware)
Favorite channel on social media? Non-medical: Rose Anvil—basically ASMR but he just cuts boots in half and talks about the construction. Don’t know why I like it so much but it’s great.
Kunj Bhatt, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2023-2024
Program: Mount Sinai Hospital
Your goal as an EMRA leader: My goal as EMRA leader is to increase the accessibility of critical care educational resources and work as a mentor/leader to those who are considering a career in critical care
Why did you get involved in a professional society? To work with the future leaders of Emergency Medicine and to create a network of like-minded individuals who share a strong interest in advancing critical care knowledge.
What is something that people don't know about you? I was on an intercollegiate competitive dance team for all four years of college
If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: GM of a basketball team
What's the last non-textbook you read? Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
Christian Kasianko, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2023-2024
Program: ChristianaCare
Your goal as an EMRA leader: Building an environment of camaraderie not just with my team, but among the specialty - I want to be a part of a flow of ideas that allow us to continue improving the education, wellness, and future of Emergency Medicine.
Why did you get involved in a professional society? The best way to grow as a person is to experience being around people that bring different backgrounds, ideas, experiences and my goal was to not just have a diverse team, but to be a part of actively engaging others all across EM - in search of improving myself and helping bring change where I can.
What is the best advice you have ever received? "Don't ever act like you're better than someone, but don't ever act like someone's better than you" - its funny, but my brother told me that once in high school and it sticks in my head. Try to stay humble, but confident.
What is something that people don't know about you? Rom-coms are my jam.
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? Lawyer. I figure if I'm going to get paid to do what I'm good at, it should be talking... alot
Favorite life hack for night shifts: Celsius + a portable speaker of 80s rock.
Christine Yang, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2023-2024
Program: Louisiana State University Baton Rouge
Your goal as an EMRA leader: My goal is to empower all EM residents to practice their best, evidence based critical care downstairs in the ED before their patients reaches upstairs in the ICU. I want to help make educational content that is easily readable and accessible as a reference to anyone beginning their ICU rotation.
Why did you get involved in a professional society? I want to be apart of a movement of bettering ourselves as EM physicians through sharing information and learning from one another. Critical care is one of the coolest things we do in emergency medicine, and I want to get everyone excited about the field.
Top 3 traits of a great leader: Humility, confidence, and a good work ethic
What is the best advice you have ever received? Slow is fast, fast is slow. When I'm pressed to juggle a million tasks on a shift, I remember that taking the time to do a good job on each task on hand saves more time than doing a rushed job and making up for it.
What is something that people don't know about you? I made an appearance in an Auntie Anne's Pretzel commercial during medical school
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? Working at Costco
Alexandra Hallagan, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2023-2024
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 have a pet snake named Steve.
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? I'd open a brewery or a cat cafe. Somewhere I could make high quality coffee or beer and hangout with cats all day.
What's on your playlist? ODESZA, Flume, Louis the Child, Glass Animals, Quinn XCII, Rufus Du Sol, Mac Miller
Gabriel Colon, MD, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2023-2024
Program: Mount Sinai Morningside/West
Your goal as an EMRA leader: To contribute to the Critical Care community!
What is the best advice you have ever received? Tell me who your friends are, and I'll tell you who you are.
What's the last non-textbook you read? Target Acquired by Tom Clancy
Brendan Innes, MD, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2023-2024
Program: Brown Emergency Medicine
Your goal as an EMRA leader: I want to help us take outstanding care of critically ill patients in the emergency department through the creation of high quality educational materials. I aim to empower medical students and residents to pursue a career in critical care through community engagement and mentorship.
Why did you get involved in a professional society? To collaborate with people with similar interests and goals that come from different backgrounds and parts of the country.
What is something that people don't know about you? My first two jobs were washing dishes at a nursing home, and building above ground pools. Things have improved!
Favorite life hack for night shifts: Early shift caffeine, mid shift snack, music on during the entire shift. Go home to sleep in a cold, dark, and quiet room. Try to do something normal that day and catch a glimpse of the sun. Celebrate the end of a stretch with a post-shift breakfast with the team.
Favorite channel on social media? Jerry of the Day
Alex Lucas, MD, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2023-2024
Program: Advocate Christ Medical Center
Your goal as an EMRA leader: I hope to continue putting out critical care FOAMed, dive into crit care technology, and help promote critical care as a fellowship and career. I also hope to improve my own critical care knowledge and share this with fellow residents and medical students along the way.
Why did you get involved in a professional society? I originally got involved with this professional society to grow my knowledge of the field as a medical student. EMRA has been an amazing society to learn from, network in, and to discuss medical topics with like minded EM people.
Top 3 traits of a great leader:
1. Driven 2. Inspirational 3. Good communication skills
What is the best advice you've ever received? Always dream big.
What is something that people don't know about you? I have managed to keep the same wallet for 15+ years.
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? Realistically probably a chemical engineer since that was my previous career. Fictitiously a professional golfer.
Erin Bell, MD, Assistant Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2023-2024
Program: University of Virginia Health
Your goal as an EMRA leader: To help connect interested students, current residents, and faculty members who are interested in Critical Care.
Top 3 traits of a great leader:
1. Communication
2. Humility
3. Confidence
Favorite life hack for night shifts: That midnight coffee is necessary! La Colombe canned lattes hit the spot.
What's on your playlist? Anything from the 90s or Classic Rock
Kenneth Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2024
Program: University of Rochester
