Elaine Situ-LaCasse, MD
Assistant Dean/Associate Professor University of Arizona
Biography
What is your proudest ultrasound moment and/or save?
One of my proudest ultrasound moments was when I heard one of my medical students used POCUS to save someone’s life in the Cook Islands on his global health trip. He was able to diagnose wall motion abnormality and hypokinesis in the setting of an MI. Patient was hypotensive, and because of his POCUS, patient received streptokinase and recovered. He had learned how to do cardiac POCUS during one of my teaching sessions! This is the reason why I love being an ultrasound educator.
Who is your emergency ultrasound hero, and what inspired you to choose them?
It’s definitely Srikar Adhikari. He is an incredible teacher and mentor, and I wouldn’t be where I am now without him.
What do you predict will be the next significant development in emergency ultrasound?
I think the operator role of POCUS will be phased out. It’s already happening with AI and wearable ultrasound devices.
What's your next big career goal or aspiration?
I have been more involved in the undergraduate medical education side of things in the last year and half, specifically Student Affairs, so I’d like to become more involved nationally while continuing research and publish in medical education and POCUS.
What additional information would you like people to know about you?
