AEUS Resident Spotlight

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Leah Anderson, MD

Resident Physician

University of Wisconsin-Madison

What is your proudest ultrasound moment and/or save?

Recently a patient came in as a “Code Sepsis”' with dyspnea, cough, and hypotension. Initial concern was for septic shock from pneumonia. Fluids and antibiotics were immediately started—but a quick thoracic and cardiac POCUS told a different story: impressive fluid overload and severely reduced ejection fraction. We then completely changed directions, stopping fluids and instead administering diuretics for what was more likely cardiogenic shock. It's a case that sticks with me as a good reminder that ultrasound can be a game changer and why it is so important in the care of hypotensive patients!

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

Drs. Hani Kuttab and Sara Damewood – they have both been instrumental and fantastic mentors for my career development and my love for emergency ultrasound. They have made learning ultrasound so much fun for all levels of learners, including myself. Clinically, I have seen both utilize ultrasound routinely in their daily practice, anything from a focused MSK ultrasound to diagnose tendon injuries to more invasive TEE during a code. I aspire to have their level of ultrasound skill as well as their dedication to education and mentorship. I’m lucky to work with and learn from these phenomenal people!

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

It’s already here! While already popular, I think regional anesthesia will continue to grow and become the standard as a part of multimodal analgesia from the ED. I foresee this field gaining additional popularity in other applications, including allowing patients to be discharged with pain pumps/catheters in place and/or utilizing regional anesthesia during patient transport on helicopter EMS.

What's your next big career goal or aspiration?

My next career goal is to become AEMUS fellowship trained, followed by a career in academic medicine with a focus in emergency ultrasound. I love teaching and cannot wait to guide the next generation of emergency physicians to demonstrate how ultrasound saves lives! I also hope to continue to further my online ultrasound FOAM education presence so I can continue to share my passion for teaching with a broader audience.

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

When I’m not working shifts in the ED or helping to run an online ultrasound blog, I spend my free time planning my upcoming Fall wedding, being a dog mom to the cutest German Shepherd pup named Indy, attending CrossFit classes, and spending much needed down-time with my family and friends.


Past Resident Spotlight Honorees

 

Samantha Chao, MD

Chief Resident and PGY-4

University of Michigan and Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital

Dr. Chao is a Chief Resident and PGY-4 at the University of Michigan and Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital. She attended medical school at the University of Michigan Medical School and received her undergraduate degree from Carleton College. Her career interests include clinical ethics and palliative care.

  • Jonathan Warren, MD

    Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

    Jonathan Warren, MD is currently a Chief Resident at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in his fourth year of residency. His interests include clinician wellbeing, medical education, ultrasound, and EMS. In his focus on clinician wellbeing, he is the founder and Chief Editor for Art of Emergency Medicine, a FOAMed site dedicated to showcasing the creative side of emergency medicine providers and providing evidence-based wellness articles. He is currently completing a medical education fellowship through the David Geffen School of Medicine and has begun work on an asynchronous learning platform for ultrasound, SonoNavigator. In his free time, Jon can often be found taking astrophotography photos or hiking through the National Parks. He is looking forward to starting a combined US/EMS fellowship next year in Los Angeles.

  • Dr. Whitney Brown
    Whitney Brown, MD

    Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

    Winner - AEUS Innovation Award

    Dr. Brown is a third-year resident in the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine residency program. During her fourth year of residency, she looks forward to completing a mini-fellowship in emergency ultrasound, and is enthusiastic about creating content to support POCUS educators and learners. Upon the completion of her residency training in 2024, Whitney hopes to translate the skill and expertise acquired in point-of-care ultrasound into a leadership role in her future practice setting. Outside of her academic pursuits, Whitney enjoys traveling with her husband and taking her Goldendoodle to the park.



Phong Huynh, MD

Dr. Phong Huynh is a PGY-3 resident at New York-Presbyterian Emergency Medicine Residency with an enthusiasm for point-of-care ultrasound. He was tasked to formulate an education conference day based on a focused theme and chose the utilization of point-of-care ultrasound in critical patients. Phong coordinated efforts with ultrasound and simulation faculty to create a dynamic hands-on learning experience for learners of varying stages. The whole day was gamified to illicit the inherent competitive spirit to enhance learning. Residents who returned to their clinical shifts after the learning session actually incorporated the learning objectives which translated to saving the life of a patient with massive pulmonary embolism.