2023 - 2024 Research Committee Leader Spotlight

2023 Research Collage.png

Nathan Roberts, MD, PhD, Chair of the EMRA Research Committee, 2023-2024

Nathan Roberts.jpgProgram: University of Michigan

Your goal as an EMRA leader: : Research is a vital part of EM training and practice, but one that is often underutilized and underdeveloped. An understanding of research allows us to interpret better and perfect the practice of Emergency Medicine. Research is how we shape, refine, and advance our field. However, research interest varies widely amongst EM trainees. Some hope to have an active research career, while others limit their research involvement only to what is required. Research skills are a critical tool in our armamentarium that is often underdeveloped. We should develop our research skills just as we seek to hone other crucial skills, such as our clinical reasoning or airway management. This is true regardless of whether the trainee intends to work in the community or an academic department with significant research productivity. Too often, research is conducted as a requirement that must be checked off or delivered to trainees at a level beyond their current understanding, which hampers interest and dissuades the trainee from pursuing further research endeavors. As an EMRA leader and chair of the Research Committee, my goal is to foster research interest and facilitate the development of research skills amongst EM trainees. Trainees are the future of our field, and understanding research will help them shape that future. My goal is to help equip EM trainees with the interest, skills, and knowledge to investigate aspects of our field that they are passionate about, critically appraise the literature, and help guide the future of our field.

If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: Underwater archeologist!

What is your favorite hack for night shifts? I know where the ice cream is.

What's the last non-textbook you read? The Emergency Mind: Wiring Your Brain for Performance Under Pressure - Dworkis

Charles Sanky, MD, MPH, Chair-Elect of the EMRA Research Committee, 2023-2024

CharlesSanky.jpgProgram: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Your goal as an EMRA leader: Bringing people together to reflect on our experiences as emergency medicine trainees and reimagine how we can better care for our patients.

What is something that people don't know about you?
Former professional musician
 
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be?
Bored.

Favorite life hack for night shifts: Snacks. Lots of snacks.

What's the last non-textbook you read? Thanks for the Feedback - Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen

Anna Heffron, MD, PhD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Research Committee, 2023-2024

Anna Heffron.jpgProgram: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Your goal as an EMRA leader: My goals specifically for my role in the Research Committee include better training on how to find and rectify how your own research might harbor or worsen discrimination, disparities, and biases. I found that kind of training to be a huge gap in my PhD training and did a lot of work to get it instituted as part of my graduate program's training. I'm very excited to jump into this area in EM research and to be part of pushing the field to make our research more just and better able to advance health equity. Generally as a leader, I'm thrilled to be part of EMRA leadership and to get to start working more closely with and learning from other passionate EM residents around the country.

Why did you get involved in a professional society? I've been involved in professional societies since getting involved as an M1 in the AMA, and though my reasons for involvement have evolved since then, one driving force that remains is wanting to be part of using collective action as physicians to make healthcare better for our patients and our colleagues.

What is something people don't know about you? Probably most people don't know I was a boxer in undergrad. (The question that usually follows when learning this is "did you get punched in the face?"--yes I did, many times.)

If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: I liked every acute specialty in medical school--which was part of what led me to EM--but I particularly liked PICU, SICU, trauma surgery, inpatient peds. If I wasn't a physician at all I'd probably be a researcher and/or an activist, though my childhood self definitely planned to be a teacher/veterinarian/firefighter/astronaut.

What's on your playlist? Lots of podcasts! From nerdy science ones to health policy ones to sometimes true crime, and of course an abundance of EM pods.



January Moore, DO, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Research Committee, 2023-2024

January Moore.jpgProgram: Broward Health

Your goal as an EMRA leader: To support and provide resources for residents interested in pursuing research, and to highlight the importance of research in Emergency Medicine

Why did you get involved in a professional society? I wanted to make a contribution to EMRA, as I believe such professional organizations are important to keep us connected, involved and updated during our careers

What is something people don't know about you? Philosophy major, and a brief stint in art school

Michael Makutonin, BS, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Research Committee, 2023-2024

Michael Makutonin.jpgProgram: George Washington University SMHS

Your goal as an EMRA leader: I have been a stats nerd for as long as I can remember, and I hope that I can help folks get similarly inspired about the process of research and quality improvement!

Why did you get involved in a professional society? Emergency medicine is an excellent specialty, where we have the privelege of making lives better at their worst moments. But as with any field, there are challenges we face and improvements we can make - and the best way to do that is together, united. I have seen how ACEP and EMRA advocate for changes and issues affecting our specialty, and I'm honored to be able to contribute to these organizations.
 
What is the best advice you have ever received? Take the time to listen, always - and if nobody's talking, ask.

What is something people don't know about you? I used to be a ski instructor!

If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: I would probably go back to software engineering - but I don't want to think about that possibility too deeply until after Match next year, when this question becomes as hypothetical as it is for my colleagues.

Favorite life hack for night shifts: Does coffee count? Then coffee. Lots of coffee. Sometimes followed by a snack. And then more coffee.

What is the last non-textbook you read? I recently re-read one of my favorite books, "The Positronic Man," which is an old sci-fi book about a robot that tries to become human.

Katrina A. Muraglia, MD, PhD, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Research Committee, 2023-2024

Katrina Muraglia.jpgProgram: University of Michigan

Your goal as an EMRA leader: My main goal as an EMRA leader is to promote resident involvement in research, particularly basic science. We as EM physicians play a pivotal role in at least the first 6 hours of every field of medicine; our "domain" of basic science research is well and truly endless--and minimally tapped as far as I'm concerned.

 
What is the best advice you have ever received? When I was starting grad school, one of our deans at the time told me this: "Don't wait to live your life until after grad school, after med school, after training. This is your life and you should live every moment of it now."

What is something people don't know about you? I am a competitive powerlifter and finished 12th in my weight class at USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals in 2015. I took a bit of a hiatus while finishing medical school but am now back to competing and coaching. My passion is mentoring young female lifters who are also interested in STEM, and teaching them how to use the gym as a simulation ground to gain confidence and unapologetically take up space in a male-dominated field.

If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: I would be a novelist writing epic high fantasy books!

Favorite life hack for night shifts: Celsius, Celsius, and more Celsius. Also--eating an actual meal--I am sleepier if I don't eat "lunch" (or whatever meal that's supposed to be!)

What's on your playlist? Can never go wrong with pop punk!!

Related Content

Mar 26, 2022

2023 - 2024 Research Committee Leader Spotlight

We're pleased to introduce the 2023-2024 EMRA Research Committee Leaders!

Feb 24, 2020

Meet Aadil Vora, DO

We're pleased to introduce Aadil Vora, DO, past-chair and current advisor to the EMRA Research Committee, 2020-2021.

Feb 24, 2020

Meet Nathan Dreyfus

We're pleased to introduce Nathan Dreyfus, vice chair of the EMRA Research Committee, 2020-2021.