2022 - 2023 Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee Leader Spotlight

Bryan McNeilly, MD, Chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2022-2023

Program: University Of Maryland

Your goal as an EMRA leader: I am lucky to be working with an incredible team of leaders this year who have a diverse array of interests and backgrounds in Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. Over the following year, I hope to facilitate each of them as they share their passion and enthusiasm for their respective niches with the greater EMRA community. In addition, I will continue to work closely with ACEP and NAEMSP to continue the committee’s long-standing tradition of providing our members with opportunities for career exploration, clinical education, and mentorship.

If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: A writer

Kelly M. Tillotson, MD, Chair-Elect of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2022-2023

Program: University of Cincinnati

Your goal as an EMRA leader: To advance prehospital medicine, advocate for diversity, and help other EMRA members achieve their goals.

Top 3 traits of a great leader:
1. Humility
2. Integrity
3. Willingness to learn and explore

If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: A history professor or a classical musician

What's on your playlist? My work playlist includes mix of classic rock, top 40, broadway, and alt rock. The variety helps the shift fly by!

Jomari Guerrero, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2022-2023

Program: University of Michigan

Your goal as an EMRA leader: This year I’d love to help grow and expose interested students and residents to the field of prehospital and disaster medicine. From community paramedicine to highlighting the wide breadth of unique EMS systems around the country and the world, there are endless exciting topics about this slice of emergency medicine. It’s our goal to make sure each person has the fundamental tools to explore their interests through EMRA!

What is something people don't know about you? My parents combined their names to help come up with mine! My dad’s name is (Jo)nathan. My mom’s name is (Mari)lou.

Did you pick up a new quarantine hobby? I picked up way too many quarantine hobbies to choose from. My top three favorites are 1) cooking new recipes with my wife – my favorite is reverse seared ribeye steaks with stuffed mushrooms as the side. 2) becoming a huge survivor TV show fan – my wife and I have watched nearly every single season in the time span of a year. 3) getting a gaming computer – super nerdy about simulation type games.

Favorite life hack for night shifts: Planning a mouth watering breakfast afterwards. With growing up in South Texas, this means breakfast tacos!

Sriram Venkatesan, Vice Chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2022-2023

Program: 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

Eric S Kretz, MD, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2022-2023

Program: Wright State University/ Wright Patterson Air Force Base

Your goal as an EMRA leader: To help the collaborative and innovative effort to build EM of the future

Chelsea McAuslan, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2022-2023

Program: Washington State University Elson S Floyd College of Medicine

Your goal as an EMRA leader: To promote unification and growth in emergency medicine.

Why get involved in a professional society? I love collaborating with highly motivated and creative individuals from varying backgrounds to better ourselves as providers and our emergency medicine community.

What is the best advice you've ever received? Comfort and growth cannot co-exist.

If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: a wolf biologist

What's the last non-textbook you read? Difference Matters by Brenda Allen

Kyle Essex NRP, FP-C, CCP-C, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Prehospital & Disaster Medicine Committee, 2022-2023

Program: Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine

Your goal as an EMRA leader: My goal is to use my experience both as a Paramedic and as a medical student to improve patient outcomes from home to discharge.

What is something people don't know about you? I competed in the 2018 Olympic Trials for Speed skating.

If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: A Critical Care Physician who decided it was more fun to be in an Emergency Department.

Did you pick up a new quarantine hobby? Yup... Worked in an ICU in NYC.

What's on your playlist? A ton of reggae. It's a nice contrast to an EM shift.