2024 Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee Leader Spotlight

Luke Wohlford, MD, MPH, Chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2024

Luke Wohlford.jpgProgram: University of Vermont Medical Center

Your goal as an EMRA leader: For students and residents who know very little about EMS, I hope our committee can serve as an entrance point for them to find information, mentorship, and opportunities within the prehospital and disaster fields! And for those who already know how wonderful prehospital medicine is, I hope to expand their horizons and open up new avenues they may not have even known about!

Why did you get involved in a professional society? Being involved with EMRA has been an important part of my development as a physician ever since the first year of medical school when I started working with the Prehospital and Disaster and Policy Committees. Working in the Medical Student Council helped me better understand the importance of speaking up for and within our profession, and I haven't stopped working with EMRA and ACEP ever since!
 
What is the best advice you have ever received? If you're in one patient's room but you can't stop thinking about a different patient, you're probably in the wrong room!
 
What is something that people don't know about you? I have an absurd number of hours on Rocket League... and to be honest I'm not even that good at it.

If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: Probably a postman? Or maybe a firefighter, hard to say.

What is your favorite hack for night shifts? Other than Monsters? Bring enough candy to share but still eat most of it haha

What is the last non-textbook you read? A Long Petal of the Sea, by Isabel Allende

Shilpi Ganguly, MD, MS, Chair-Elect of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2024

Shilpi Ganguly, MD MSProgram: Hennepin County Medical Center

Your goal as an EMRA leader: As an EMRA leader I hope to play a role in providing EMRA members opportunities for growth, development and a sense of camaraderie. The greatest gift EMRA gave me as a member was the sense of community, and as a leader I hope to continue providing that sense of safety and security for others. Emergency medicine is a dynamic field with many facets, and I hope to play a role in continuing EMRAs legacy as being the foremost resource for all who wish to enter and engage with this amazing field.

Why did you get involved in a professional society? Being involved within a professional society like EMRA has given me a well-respected and established platform upon which to bring my passions and skills. A professional society uniquely provides a cohort of likeminded individuals with whom I can pool resources, skills, ideas and voices to create meaningful and lasting change.
 
What is the best advice you have ever received? Send the cold e-mail. Some of my greatest opportunities and experiences have come from sending out a cold e-mail!
 
What is something that people don't know about you? I was featured in a Discovery Channel TV show when I was younger and as a thank you, they partnered with MIT Lincoln Lab and named a minor planet named after me!

If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: I would work in the music industry! I worked in music all through undergrad and I loved it. Working with artists, going to different types of shows and networking within the industry was always such a treat. Every day was different, kind of like emergency medicine!

What is the last non-textbook you read? I am currently reading Iron Flame by Rebecca Yaros. I gave into the hype. 

Favorite channel on social media? Favorite channel on social media?

Matthew Lyons, DO, Vice Chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2024

Matthew Lyons.jpgProgram: University of Louisville School of Medicine

Your goal as an EMRA leader: I hope to advocate for other residents and students and help them find as many opportunities to grow and network within their niche. Emergency medicine is a young specialty and has a huge growth potential, and our generation of EM physicians must be engaged to continue moving the specialty in the right direction.

Why get involved in a professional society? I originally got involved with EMRA at the beginning of my 3rd year of medical school. I was hoping to find a way to network with some current leaders in the specialty, and I ended up finding so much more. It has been amazing to meet and work with so many like-minded, motivated people and build some lifelong friendships along the way.

What is the best advice you have ever received? When considering whether or not to order that test you really don't need - "If you pick your nose in public and get a booger, you have to do something with it."

What is something that people don't know about you? With some new-found free time during my 4th year of medical school I started collecting bourbon. I have spent the majority of my life living in the middle of the bourbon trail, so it only made sense. 

Sriram Venkatesan, Vice Chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2024

Sriram Venkatesan.jpgProgram: Sri Ramachandra Medical College, India/University of Colorado

Your goal as an EMRA leader: To help our medical student and resident members of EMRA expand their understanding of Prehospital Medicine as a discipline, beyond the scope of a traditional EMS fellowship pathway, and explore the multitude of subspecialties & niche opportunities available for them to explore. As always, I also hope to facilitate connections with experts in the field through faculty lectures, panels, and interviews.

What is the best advice you've ever received? “Process is always more important than the result. The result is a by-product of the process. Worry about the controllables and take care of the small steps in life…you know, what needs to be done, what you’re supposed to do, what extra you can do, and that will automatically help you achieve your target!”

If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: Tactical Medic

Elizabeth Mangin, Vice Chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2024

Sriram Venkatesan.jpgProgram: Creighton University

 

James Nardini, MD, MS, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2024

Mohammad Abuakar.jpgProgram: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Your goal as an EMRA leader: I joined EMRA early in my medical education and it played a pivotal role in my development as a future emergency medicine physician. I hope to provide others with the opportunities and the framework to do the same.

Why did you get involved in a professional society? My role as a paramedic before attending medical school really helped me to understand what my goals were as I entered the profession. It also provided a foundation for my interest in emergency medicine. The continuum of care between the prehospital setting and the emergency department is much stronger if both ends really understand one another and work toward the same common goal. Our work in this committee can really help foster this understanding and create a more seamless transition of care for our patients. 
 
What is the best advice you have ever received? My wood shop teacher in high school always told me, "measure twice, cut once." I didn't realize how helpful this would be for me as a physician. In the emergency department, we often have to do procedures quickly in order to stabilize our patients. But if we do it incorrectly, we can make things worse. So after you count the rib spaces and find your landmark, count them again. After you identify your target vessel on ultrasound, pick up the probe and find it again. I promise the extra 10-20 seconds are worth it if it means you are performing the procedure correctly. Don't get hung up on the time constraint and rush yourself through it. 
 
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? I would probably be a veterinarian. I was pre-vet before I ultimately decided to switch to pre-med! I still think that would have been an awesome career path.
 
What is the last non-textbook you read? The 44 Laws of Peace

Alicia Stoebenau, MECM, NREMT-P, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2024

Mohammad Abuakar.jpgProgram: Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine

Your goal as an EMRA leader: To build more resilient communities by promoting early exposure to disaster response systems, strengthening prehospital and incident command systems, and mentoring incoming healthcare professions.

What is the best advice you have ever received? It's possible to be be happy in multiple versions of your life... so don't put too much pressure on your decisions!
 
What is something that people don't know about you? I like arts and crafts a lot! I throw on my pottery wheel, paint with acrylics, crochet blankets, maintain a bullet journal, etc. During birthday parties, I'm usually in charge of decorations.
 
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? An investigative journalist or wedding planner
 
What app on your phone consumes the most of your time? Chess.com's app
 
What is the last non-textbook you read? Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie. I'm currently working through Agatha Christie's and Tony Hillerman's murder mystery series.
 
Favorite channel on social media? Nate the Hoof Guy who makes videos about cow hoof carving.
Mr. Ballen who tells strange, dark, and mysterious stories that feed my paranoia.
Yoga with Adriene who makes great 30 day yoga challenges.

Kyle Essex, NRP, FPC, CCPC, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2024

Mohammad Abuakar.jpgProgram: Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine

Your goal as an EMRA leader: I want to continue to advance the field and serve as an advocate for the specialty as a whole. I have been and will continue to work to increase involvement from the ground up starting with medical students.

Why did you get involved in a professional society? I looked for opportunities to grow within the specialty that I have become passionate about since starting as an EMT. I have a few mentors who were and are heavily involved with ACEP/EMRA and they took me under their wing.
 
What is the best advice you have ever received? "What works for me, may or may not work for you". Always be your own person. I was told this from one of my EM Mentors, and I can still hear him say it to this day.
 
What is something that people don't know about you? I competed in the Olympic trials for long track speed skating.
 
What is your favorite hack for night shifts? I don't think caffeine works on me anymore, I need a new hack. Any ideas?
 

Related Content

Mar 26, 2022

2023 - 2024 Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee Leader Spotlight

We're pleased to introduce the 2023-2024 EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee Leaders!

Feb 24, 2020

Meet Rebecca Mendelsohn, MD

We're pleased to introduce Rebecca Mendelsohn, MD, vice chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2020-2021.

Mar 26, 2022

2022 - 2023 Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee Leader Spotlight

We're pleased to introduce the 2022-2023 EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee Leaders!