AGEM Candidate Statements

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President-Elect Candidate(s)

 

Kei Ouchi, MD, MPH

President-Elect

Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School

I am a practicing emergency physician and a home hospital physician (providing hospital-level care at patients’ homes) engaged in clinically oriented research. After growing up in Osaka, Japan, I received my MD from Georgetown and MPH from Harvard. As a physician board certified in Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine, I see a gap in the quality of end-of-life care for seriously ill older adults and their goals. As more seriously ill older adults visit the ED, the role of the ED in our health care system is expanding from providing only acute, disease-oriented care (e.g., gunshot wounds) to include patient-centered, goal-concordant care (e.g., end-of-life care) that requires the application of geriatrics and palliative care principles. Emergency Medicine specialty is already experiencing this shift yet lacks scientific evidence to implement effective goal-concordant care for seriously ill older adults. My research aims to leverage the ED visit as a sentinel moment to facilitate advance care planning for seriously ill older adults. I envision a future where our specialty will embrace the principles of geriatrics and palliative medicine to provide end-of-life care concordant with patients’ goals. For my academic work, I have received numerous awards, including the Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career

Development Award in Aging from the National Institute on Aging, the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award from U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the Sojourns Scholars Leadership Award from the Cambia Health Foundation.

Prior AGEM experience: I served as the Member-at-large from 2018 to 2020 and contributed to maintaining the Author Spotlight section of the website. I also served as the secretary from 2020 to 2021 to continue to work with the executive committee with key decision-making to serve our members.

Why I’m running for the office: I have not served as the president of AGEM yet. I hope to serve as the president and lead our advocacy efforts for geriatric issues in the ED. I will also help foster the career development of early-stage, geriatric investigators. I aim to help cultivate the new generations of emergency physicians interested in geriatric issues in the ED.

 

Secretary Candidate(s)

 

Surriya Colleen Ahmad, MD

Secretary

New York

I am originally from Louisville, KY, graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, GA with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Spanish, and received my Doctorate of Medicine from University of Louisville in Louisville, KY. I completed my combined Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine residency at the State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University (SUNY DHSU) and Kings County Hospital Center (KCHC) in Brooklyn, NY. I completed my Geriatric Emergency Medicine (GEM) Fellowship at Weill Cornell/New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. I am double board certified in Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine. Between taking care of patients in both public and private inner-city Level 1 Trauma Centers and Tertiary care centers over the last seven years, and having an octogenarian father and nonagenarian grandmother who I have watched navigate the sometimes treacherous walls of an Emergency Department from the lens of a patient their age, I remained interested in how we can best optimize the care of older adults in the ED. I have been a member of SAEM and AGEM for five years, starting on the AGEM Outreach Committee. I served on the AGEM Executive Committee as a Member At Large 2021-2022, Treasurer 2022-2023, and Secretary 2023-2024. In December 2020 and 2022 I co-organized and co-hosted a Leaders in GEM virtual event with the aim of generating early interest in GEM amongst medical students and residents and helping to connect them with mentors who have been successful in the field. I graduated from the 2020-2021 EMRA Leadership Academy. I am running for Secretary because I have a passion for older adults and for AGEM and SAEM and I want to serve its members and collaborate with other leaders with a similar passion of providing the best care possible to older adults via this organization. If elected to the executive committee for 2024-2025, I hope to continue using any skills I possess to serve the organization, including to help advocate for the allocation of resources and funding towards diversifying the field of Geriatric Emergency Medicine, and minority and underserved Geriatric patients including decreasing depression, loneliness and social isolation in older patients. I also hope to bring my experience designing a Physician Wellness Curriculum in residency to advocate for physician wellness within the executive committee and team bonding activities.

 

Treasurer Candidate(s)

 

Fernanda Bellolio, MD, MS

Treasurer

Mayo Clinic

I am a Professor of Emergency Medicine with joint appointments in Health Sciences Research, Division of Health Care Policy and Research, and Department of Medicine, Section of Geriatric Medicine at Mayo Clinic. I am the Vice-chair for Research in the Department of Emergency Medicine, and Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging leader for the Clinical Applications theme. Within SAEM, I am a member of the SAEM Guidelines for Reasonable and Appropriate Care in the Emergency Department (GRACE) steering committee and a methodologist for the guidelines. I have been a member-at-large for AGEM for the past 2 years and helped develop a Geriatric-ED rotation for students and residents, with our first student rotating in January 2024.

Regarding my education and qualifications, I have a Master’s in Clinical Research and Translational Sciences and completed a 3-year post-doctoral program on Healthcare Delivery dedicated to big data, secondary data analysis, and research methodology as a Kern Scholar at the Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery. I have 170 peer reviewed publications, 7,774 citations to my articles and an h-index of 49 (i10 index of 116). I have received NIH, AHRQ, and FDA funding. I have mentored more than 95 individuals including medical students, physicians, pharmacists, and scientists. I have been a member of both Enterprise level and local Research Finance Committees at Mayo Clinic, and I am applying as a treasurer for AGEM this upcoming year.

 

Member-at-Large Candidate(s)

 

  • Angel Li, MD

    Member-at-Large

    The Ohio State University

    I am Angel Li, an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Ohio State University. I am currently the Chair for the AGEM membership committee and ACEP GEMS alternate councilor, and I have served on the AGEM executive board. My noteworthy achievements include co-founding one of the first geriatric FOAMED programs for undergrad medical education with CDEM and spearheading GEMS first ACEP resolution: increased funding for geriatric emergency departments. I am committed to advancing geriatric emergency medicine through research, education, and policy. Leveraging AGEM's core strengths, I aim to create enhanced opportunities for medical students, residents, and fellows, fostering their professional growth. I aspire as a dedicated member at large to continue upholding the collaborative and supportive spirit of the AGEM community.

  • Rachel Michelle Skains, MD, MSPH

    Member-at-Large

    University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

    I have been an AGEM member since 2019, serving on the Grants and Awards Subcommittee for the past two years. As Chair of the Grants and Awards Subcommittee this year, we have provided letters of support to AGEM researchers for dissemination of products within the AGEM mission: to improve the quality of emergency are received by older patients by advancing research, education, and faculty development. Further, we are currently developing an AGEM researcher database to connect early career investigators with mentors within Geriatric EM. If elected as a Member-At-Large on the AGEM Executive Committee, I hope to continue this work by advancing research, education, and faculty development. I aspire to create an AGEM network through a database of AGEM members that includes researchers, institutions, publications, didactics, webinars, and funded grants. The AGEM database will facilitate collaboration among members in Geriatric EM. Through this initiative, I aim to foster mentorship, networking, and collaboration between AGEM members in research, education, and faculty development. I am extremely committed to AGEM’s mission, and I appreciate the consideration in my application to serve on the executive committee as Member-At-Large.

  • Lucas Silva, MD, PhD

    Member-at-Large

    Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre (Brazil)

    I am a dedicated emergency medicine resident in Brazil, with a robust academic background that includes completing my research training in the United States, a 36-month research fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, and earning a Ph.D. title from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. My research endeavors cover a diverse range of topics, including but not limited to geriatric emergency medicine. Notably, I have contributed to over 40 peer-reviewed papers, some of which specifically address the critical issue of delirium in the emergency department.

    Furthermore, my involvement as one of the core methodologists on the committee of SAEM-GRACE guidelines showcases my commitment to advancing the field. I actively participate in projects such as GRACE-2, GRACE-3, and the ongoing GRACE-5, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the table.

    In addition to my academic pursuits, I bring leadership experience as the former president of the International Student Association of Emergency Medicine (ISAEM). In this role, I successfully led a diverse team of ambassadors from various countries. This experience equipped me with valuable skills in team management and collaboration. During my tenure, I spearheaded initiatives aimed at fostering the growth of emergency medicine globally at the medical student level, a testament to my commitment to advancing the field beyond academic research.

    I am running for the position of member-at-large in the executive committee because I firmly believe in the Academy's pivotal role in advancing geriatric emergency medicine globally. Beyond the United States, I see tremendous potential for collaboration between geriatric emergency medicine professionals in the U.S. and Latin America. Having recently witnessed the recognition of emergency medicine as a specialty in Brazil and other Latin American countries, I am eager to contribute to the establishment and growth of a geriatric emergency medicine culture from the inception of this specialty in these regions.

    If elected, my primary goal is to enhance collaboration opportunities between the geriatric emergency medicine communities in the U.S. and Latin America. I envision initiatives such as collaborative multicenter studies that leverage the diverse experiences and perspectives across borders. This cross-cultural exchange has the potential to enrich the field and address challenges unique to our regions.

    Furthermore, I am committed to supporting and expanding existing initiatives within the Academy, particularly those geared towards fostering the next generation of professionals. With emergency medicine recently gaining recognition in Brazil and other Latin American countries, there is a unique opportunity to instill a culture of geriatric emergency medicine early on. I aim to actively contribute to initiatives such as medical student and resident rotations, fostering a passion for geriatric emergency medicine among the emerging generation of healthcare providers.

    In summary, my candidacy is driven by a passion for emergency medicine, a deep commitment to advancing the field both nationally and internationally, and a wealth of experience in leadership and global initiatives. I am eager to contribute my skills, experiences, and collaborative spirit to the executive committee, working towards the Academy's mission of promoting excellence in emergency medicine education, research, and practice.

  • Michelle Suh, MD

    Member-at-Large

    University of Chicago

    I would like to serve as the member-at-large of AGEM to become more involved with the national geriatric EM community and help improve care for our geriatric patients. As the United States population continues to age, it is critical that our EDs are prepared to provide equitable, geriatric-sensitive care. To do so, the coordination of our research, education, and implementation is key, and organizations like AGEM can facilitate this important work.

    As the current medical education fellow at the University of Chicago, I have focused on education and research surrounding geriatric EM. In terms of education, I am interested in the intersection of geriatrics and medical education, especially the hidden curriculum around geriatric patients. I am also involved with the pre-clinical doctoring course and their geriatric sessions. In terms of research, I have explored geriatrics through a lens of equity. For example, I worked on a qualitative study examining the effects of boarding on patients with dementia, and I am working on the JAGS scoping review about DEI in geriatric EM research.

    As a recent graduate and “resident lurker,” I have appreciated SAEM for its ability to bring academic EPs together in pursuit of a shared mission. I hope to join AGEM as a member-at-large to help its education efforts, learn more about geriatric research, and join the national conversation about how to best serve our geriatric patients. Given my vision of my time with AGEM, I would be honored to serve as the next member-at-large. Thank you for your consideration.

 

Resident Representative Candidate(s)

 

Lily Berlin, MD

Resident Representative

Alameda Health System- Highland Hospital

I am a second year resident at Highland Hospital in Oakland, California. I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2022. I have experience with AGEM, serving as Medical Student Representative for 2020-2021, as well as being the current Resident Representative for 2023-2024. I have also served on the AGEM Outreach and Membership Committee since 2020. In that time, I have continued the AGEM Author Spotlight series, worked to re-engage lapsed AGEM members, worked on the AGEM twitter account, and am working to plan the AGEM careers webinar for 2024.

I am running for AGEM Resident Representative to continue to work with the incredible community and mentors within AGEM. Improving geriatric emergency care is important to me and my career, and I want to continue to contribute to and learn from this community. One of my goals is to continue to grow AGEM with younger trainees at the medical student and resident level. I hope to increase engagement in all levels of training with structured mentorship, educational and career webinars, and providing more resources to members.

Another goal I have is to use the SAEM network and other interest groups and academies to increase AGEM’s exposure by doing partnered events via webinars and at the SAEM annual conference. We’ve had success in the past teaming up with ADIEM, and have ideas for future partnerships with AEUS regarding nerve blocks in the elderly, and the behavioral and psychological interest group to talk about isolation, loneliness and depression in our older population. Via these joint events, we can engage more EM providers who are not specifically interested in GEM and share our community, ideas, resources, and passion for geriatric emergency care.

In addition, I want to broaden AGEM’s reach to more under-resourced settings, like county hospitals and under-resourced institutions. As a resident at a county hospital, I have seen the need for improved geriatric emergency care with our most vulnerable older patients. I am already working with my program to improve geriatric education for my peers and to improve geriatric care for our patients. I hope to work within AGEM and the community to create a model for how under-resourced health care systems and hospitals can improve geriatric emergency care.

 

Medical Student Representative Candidate(s)

 

Erin Hunt

Medical Student Representative

The Ohio State University

My name is Erin Hunt, and I am a first-year medical student at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. I graduated from East Stroudsburg University in May of 2022, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. I am running for the medical student representative position of AGEM due to my interest in Emergency Medicine and my passion to improve healthcare for vulnerable populations—such as geriatric patients. As the medical student representative for this group, I hope to better educate myself and raise awareness about the issues that geriatric patients face in the emergency medicine setting. I would also like actively be involved in improving healthcare for these patients, both through research and by collaborating with other leaders in this field.