AEUS Fellow Spotlight

Franz Mendoza Garcia, MD

Emergency Ultrasound Fellow

New York Presbyterian - Brooklyn Methodist Hospital

What is your proudest ultrasound moment and/or save?

My proudest ultrasound moment and/or save occurred when I received sign-out for a middle-aged Latina patient. Described as "pan-positive" and primarily presenting with diarrhea, the patient had recently been previously discharged for gastroenteritis from another hospital. During reassessment, , the patient expressed discomfort in the chest/epigastric area when hand-held. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) revealed a significant flap in the aortic root along with pericardial effusion. The patient is now fine and walking around.

Who is your emergency ultrasound hero, and what inspired you to choose them?

My emergency ultrasound hero has been my mentor and "Jedi Master" since medical school. Dr. Eddie Rodriguez has always believed in me and served as the perfect role model professionally, academically, and as a friend.

What do you predict will be the next significant development in emergency ultrasound?

I predict the next significant development in emergency ultrasound will be musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound.

What’s your next big career goal or aspiration?

My next big career goal or aspiration is to be part of an awesome team back home in Puerto Rico, running the best ultrasound fellowship, and helping to integrating point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) into the medical school’s curriculum.

What additional information would you like people to know about you?

I love traveling and learning about the history and culture of different countries. More importantly, I enjoy trying as many typical dishes as possible during my travels!

Michael Del Valle, MD

Denver Health

Winner - AEUS Innovation Award

Dr. Del Valle is currently an emergency medicine ultrasound fellow with education and experience in biomedical engineering. He is strongly focused on the development of innovative applications of ultrasonography. Current interests range from AR/VR ultrasound and global health to space medicine and AI-enhanced ultrasound.