SAEM Award Winners
SAEM25 Award Recipients
SAEM Organizational Advancement Award
The SAEM Organizational Advancement Award recognizes the tremendous amount of time, effort, and energy that this member has given and continues to give to the organization. Through thoughtful leadership, and selfless service, this member has greatly helped to advance academic emergency medicine through education and research, advocacy and professional development.
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
At the time of her passing on August 1, 2024, Dr. Kaji was senior advisor for academic development at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and a professor of clinical emergency medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
A Harvard College graduate, she earned her medical degree from Thomas Jefferson Medical College. Her extensive training included an emergency medicine residency and research/disaster medicine fellowship at Harbor-UCLA, where she also completed an MPH
and a doctorate in epidemiology from UCLA School of Public Health.
Dr. Kaji authored hundreds of published works and was a methodological and statistical editor for Annals of Emergency Medicine and JAMA Surgery. In addition, she edited
the 9th edition of Rosen's Emergency Medicine and co-authored the first edition of the study guide, Emergency Medicine Board Review. Her three-book series, The Kaji Review, remains a valuable educational resource for emergency medicine students, residents, and attending physicians.
Outstanding Department for Wellness Award
University of Pennsylvania Department of Emergency Medicine (PennEM)
University of Pennsylvania
PennEM’s proactive and research-driven approach to wellness has positioned the department as a national leader in promoting wellness, mitigating burnout, and fostering an inclusive, supportive culture. By setting a standard for innovation and equity, PennEM exemplifies the values of the SAEM Outstanding Department for Wellness Award.
John Marx Leadership Award
Medical College of Wisconsin
Dr. Martin is an eminent scholar and professor of emergency medicine, medicine, and health and equity at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) Medical School. He serves as system chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine, interim senior associate dean for faculty affairs, and interim associate provost for faculty affairs at MCW. Additionally, he is emergency physician-in-chief for Froedtert & MCW Health System.
Previously, Dr. Martin was professor and chair of emergency medicine at West Virginia University (WVU) School of Medicine and emergency physician-in-chief for WVU Health System. He currently serves on the Froedtert & MCW Health System Clinical Executive Committee, the MCW Medical School Dean’s Executive Workgroup, and the Medical College Physicians Board.
Excellence in Research Award
University of Colorado
Dr. Bebarta is a distinguished physician-scientist specializing in emergency medicine, medical toxicology, and pharmacology. He holds the position of professor and vice chair for strategy and growth in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Additionally, he serves as the founding director of the Center for Combat and Battlefield (COMBAT) Research at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, focusing on advancing acute care, critical care, and combat casualty care research.
Dr. Bebarta earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Air Force Academy, graduating as a Distinguished Graduate and collegiate boxer. He obtained his medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Following an internship at the University of Colorado, he completed his residency in emergency medicine at Denver Health Medical Center, where he served as chief resident. He further specialized by completing a fellowship in medical toxicology at the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center.
Hal Jayne Excellence in Education Award
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Dr. Lawson serves as senior associate dean of medical education and student affairs and a professor of emergency medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine. She joined VCU after previously serving as associate dean of curricular innovation in medical education and associate professor of emergency medicine at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, where she earned her medical degree.
At VCU, Dr. Lawson continues to emphasize collaboration and continuous improvement in medical education, supporting students and advancing the field. Her ongoing research interests include health systems science and its integration into medical curricula, as evidenced by her publications in the field.
Marcus L. Martin Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion Award
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Martin is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Kennedy School, a senior fellow at the Burnes Center for Social Change, and a practicing emergency physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. He also serves as the chief executive officer of A Healthier Democracy, a nonprofit healthcare organizing incubator that leverages healthcare workers and settings to develop programs serving vulnerable patients.
Dr. Martin graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University, where he was a Division I tennis player. He earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School as a Presidential Scholar and obtained a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School as a fellow in the Center for Public Leadership. During his training, he served as chief resident at the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency.
Advancement of Women in Academic Emergency Medicine Award
Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center
Dr. Judith A. Linden serves as the executive vice chair in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and holds the distinction of being the department's first female full professor. She is a certified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, utilizing her expertise to develop innovative simulation training programs for residents. These programs incorporate trauma-informed care to enhance the treatment of sexual assault survivors.
Dr. Linden's academic interests focus on interventions for survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence, as well as the recognition and treatment of substance use disorders. She has contributed to the field through publications, including an invited review in the New England Journal of Medicine on the acute care of sexual assault survivors.
Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award
Theresa Hsiang-Ting Cheng, MD, JD
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Department of Emergency Medicine - Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
Dr. Cheng is an assistant clinical professor of emergency medicine and associate co-director of social emergency medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She earned her medical degree from the Mayo Clinic and a Juris Doctor specializing in international law from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.
Dr. Cheng focuses on integrating social equity into emergency care through a human rights and international law perspective. She co-authored a chapter on homelessness in the textbook "Social Injustice and Public Health" (4th edition). Her previous work includes collaborating with the United Nations Development Programme on issues of medical neglect and coercion of HIV-positive individuals in Southeast Asia, as well as partnering with the American Civil Liberties Union to investigate reproductive health violations of migrants in detention centers.
Public Health Leadership Award
-
Megan L. Ranney, MD, MPHYale School of Public Health
Dr. Ranney is an emergency physician, researcher, and national advocate for innovative approaches to public health. In July 2023, she joined Yale University as dean of the Yale School of Public Health, where she is also the C.-E. A. Winslow Professor of Public Health and professor of emergency medicine at the Yale School of Medicine.
Dr. Ranney’s research focuses on developing, testing, and disseminating digital health interventions to prevent violence and related behavioral health problems, and on COVID-related risk reduction. She has held multiple national leadership roles, including as co-founder of GetUsPPE during the COVID-19 pandemic and senior strategic advisor to the American Foundation for Firearm Injury Reduction (AFFIRM) at the Aspen Institute, focused on ending gun violence through a non-partisan public health approach.
-
Junaid A. Razzak, MBBS, PhDWeill Cornell Medicine
Dr. Junaid A. Razzak, MBBS, Ph.D., is a professor of emergency medicine and population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine, where he also serves as the vice chair of research for the Department of Emergency Medicine. He earned his medical degree from Aga Khan University Medical College in Pakistan, completed his emergency medicine residency at Yale University, and obtained a Ph.D. in public health from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
Dr. Razzak is internationally recognized for his contributions to emergency care, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. As the founding chair of emergency medicine at Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan, he established the country's first academic department in this field and directed its inaugural residency program. He also founded the emergency medical services for Karachi, a city with over 20 million residents.
Mentor Award
Northeast Ohio Emergency Medicine; US Acute Care Solutions; Summa Health System
Dr. Jouriles serves as the professor and chair of emergency medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) and as the vice chair of faculty development in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Summa Health.
Dr. Jouriles earned his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He completed his residency training in internal medicine at Dartmouth and further specialized in emergency medicine at the University of Colorado's Denver Affiliated Hospitals.
Mid-Career Investigator Award
-
Todd Florin, MD, MSCEAnn & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Dr. Florin is an associate professor of pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He serves as associate division head for academic affairs and research in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Lurie.
An internationally recognized expert in respiratory infectious diseases in emergency care settings, Dr. Florin leads multiple large-scale research initiatives aimed at improving the diagnosis, management, and outcomes of children with serious infections, particularly lower respiratory tract infections.
-
Tony Rosen, MD, MPHWeill Cornell Medicine / NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Dr. Rosen is an associate professor of emergency medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, associate director of research in the Department of Emergency Medicine, and a practicing emergency physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. A health services researcher specializing in elder abuse and geriatric emergency care, Dr. Rosen focuses on improving the identification, intervention, and prevention of elder mistreatment in emergency departments and other health care settings.
Dr. Rosen has led research on forensic injury patterns in physical elder mistreatment and health care utilization among elder abuse victims. A leader in the field, Dr. Rosen spearheaded the development of the first-of-its-kind Emergency Department-based Vulnerable Elder Protection Team (VEPT), a multidisciplinary initiative that assesses, treats, and ensures the safety of elder abuse and neglect victims while collecting evidence and collaborating with law enforcement and Adult Protective Services. In their patient-oriented clinical research lab, Dr. Rosen is currently examining health care utilization among elder abuse victims using Medicare claims data and machine learning techniques. Additionally, their work includes developing a novel screening tool and intervention approach for elder neglect in older adults with dementia.
FOAMed Excellence in Education Award
-
Alex Koyfman, MDUT Southwestern Medical Center / Parkland Health and Hospital System
Dr. Koyfman is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and assistant professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He also serves as an attending physician at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas.
Dr. Koyfman has authored over 280 peer-reviewed publications across diverse areas within emergency medicine. His primary interests include resident and faculty education and development, emergency medicine decision-making and mindset, emergency department critical care, high-risk/low-prevalence diseases, and medical entrepreneurship. He currently serves as editor-in-chief of emDocs.net and co-writes a monthly column for Emergency Physicians Monthly.
-
Manpreet Singh, MD, MBEHarbor-UCLA Medical Center
Dr. Singh is a highly accomplished emergency medicine physician and educator, serving as the assistant director of emergency ultrasound and director of undergraduate medical education at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. He is also a faculty member at both the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Charles R. Drew University.
Dr. Singh earned his medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and completed his residency in emergency medicine at Harbor-UCLA, where he served as academic chief resident. He further specialized through fellowships in emergency ultrasound and faculty development in medical education. His professional focus includes point-of-care ultrasound, medical education, and leveraging digital scholarship to advance emergency medicine practice.
Amy H. Kaji, MD, PhD Early Investigator Award
-
Ryan A. Coute, DOUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham
Dr. Coute is a physician-scientist and assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). His research focuses on resuscitation science, with an emphasis on improving the treatment of sudden cardiac arrest through community-based clinical interventions.
Dr. Coute earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Kansas City University and completed his emergency medicine residency at UAB. His research training includes the prestigious Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Fellowship, which he completed under the mentorship of Robert W. Neumar, MD, PhD, at the University of Michigan.
-
Ari B. Friedman, MD, PhDUniversity of Pennsylvania
Dr. Friedman is a health economist and practicing emergency physician at the University of Pennsylvania. He serves as an assistant professor of emergency medicine and medical ethics and health policy at Penn and is a senior fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics. He is also core faculty at the Center for Emergency Care Policy and Research.
Dr. Friedman earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in health care management and economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He then completed his residency in emergency medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard-affiliated program.
-
Felipe Teran, MD, MSCEWeill Cornell Medicine
Dr. Teran is an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, where he leads the Laboratory of Translational Resuscitation Science in the Division of Emergency Research and serves as co-chair for the Cardiac Arrest Committee.
Dr. Teran earned his medical degree and completed his emergency medicine residency, followed by a fellowship in point-of-care ultrasound at Mount Sinai Hospital. He also holds a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania and is a testamur of the National Board of Echocardiography Critical Care Echocardiography Examination.
Early Educator Award
-
Nour Al Jalbout, MDMassachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Al Jalbout is an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Harvard Medical School and an attending physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston.
Dr. Al Jalbout completed her undergraduate studies and earned her medical degree from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, graduating with distinction. She completed her residency in emergency medicine at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she served as chief resident specializing in evidence-based medical education.
-
Mary R. C. Haas, MD, MHPEUniversity of Michigan
Dr. Haas is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Michigan. She serves as the director of the Emergency Medicine Medical Education Fellowship, co-director of the Medical School Leadership Development Program, and assistant director of clinical faculty development for the department.
Dr. Haas earned her medical degree from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine and completed her emergency medicine residency at the University of Michigan, where she also served as chief resident. In addition to her clinical training, Dr. Haas completed a medical education fellowship at the University of Michigan, earning a Master of Health Professions Education (MHPE). She served as assistant residency director for the emergency medicine residency program for five years.
-
Christopher E. San Miguel, MD, MEdThe Ohio State University
Dr. San Miguel is an associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. He also serves as the director of undergraduate medical education, overseeing the education and mentorship of medical students, and leads initiatives such as integrating virtual reality simulation into core rotations, developing gamified learning modules, and creating a mastery-based curriculum for emergency medicine residents and students.
Dr. San Miguel earned his medical degree from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and completed his emergency medicine residency at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. He also completed a fellowship in medical education at Ohio State.
Fellow Awards
-
Sarah Aly, DOYale University
Dr. Aly is a second-year Global and International Emergency Medicine fellow at Yale University and an instructor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine. She is also pursuing a Master of Science in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Dr. Aly's commitment to the Southwest Asia and North African region began during her undergraduate studies at New York University, where she earned a degree in Middle Eastern Studies. She obtained her medical degree from Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harlem, New York, and completed her emergency medicine residency at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center. During her residency, she founded and chaired the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, fostering a partnership with Black Lives Matter Paterson to conduct community health initiatives such as blood pressure and glucose screenings, grocery distributions, and "Stop the Bleed" trainings.
-
Priya Arumuganathan, MDUniversity of Pennsylvania
Dr. Arumuganathan is currently a Global Emergency Medicine Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, where she is also an instructor of clinical emergency medicine. She completed her emergency medicine residency at West Virginia University (WVU), where she served as chief resident. Dr. Arumuganathan earned her undergraduate degree from Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and her medical degree from WVU. She is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree.
During her residency, Dr. Arumuganathan was heavily involved in teaching core emergency medicine content, ultrasound skills, and procedural basics to medical students and new residents. Her rural background and training at several critical access hospitals provided her with a solid foundation for working in low-resource environments, skills she has applied to her global health work.
-
Richmond Malabanan Castillo, MD, MA, MSDr. Castillo is a pediatric emergency medicine fellow at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. He completed his emergency medicine residency at Northwestern University/McGaw Medical Center in 2023 and earned his medical degree from the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine. Dr. Castillo also holds graduate degrees from Johns Hopkins University, having completed a Master of Science and a Master of Arts.
Dr. Castillo has a keen interest in medical education and has been actively involved in leadership roles, including serving as vice chair of the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Committee for the Emergency Medicine Residents' Association (EMRA).
-
Amir J. Mansour, MDYale University
Dr. Mansour is an instructor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine and a simulation fellow at the Yale Center for Healthcare Simulation (YCHS). He earned his medical degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University and completed his emergency medicine residency at Wright State University.
At YCHS, Dr. Mansour focuses on developing high-fidelity simulation scenarios to enhance clinical decision-making, procedural skills, and interprofessional teamwork among healthcare providers. He has been instrumental in designing and implementing simulation curricula for medical students, residents, and interdisciplinary teams, covering a wide range of medical scenarios from critical emergencies to pediatric-specific cases. He has also led onboarding sessions for new residents, providing hands-on training in essential procedures such as central line placement.
-
Wendy W. Sun, MDYale University
Dr. Sun is assistant medical director of the York Street Campus Emergency Department at Yale-New Haven Health, an administration fellow, and an instructor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Sun is passionate about clinical operations, patient quality and safety, physician well-being, and health innovation. She oversees operations at the York Street Campus Emergency Department, mentors residents, and is involved in education and advocacy for emergency medicine.
Dr. Sun earned her undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering from Columbia University. She obtained her Doctor of Medicine from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, where she was inducted into the Gold Humanism and Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Societies. She completed her emergency medicine residency at Yale-New Haven Health, where she served as chief resident. Dr. Sun is currently a candidate for the MBA for Executives program at the Yale School of Management.
RAMS Leadership in Emergency Medicine Award
University of California, Irvine School of Medicine
Dr. Davis is a recent graduate of the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, where he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree. He is now beginning his emergency medicine residency at the University of California, Davis. Originally from Sacramento, California, Dr. Davis began his academic journey at community college before earning an undergraduate degree in biological sciences from UC Davis. While at UC Davis, he was a student leader in the Emergency Medicine Research Associates Program (EMRAP), contributing to clinical research in the emergency department. Before medical school, Dr. Davis worked as a clinical research coordinator, where he managed a federally funded clinical trial for children with autism and anxiety and contributed to the longest longitudinal autism research study to date.
At UC Irvine, Dr. Davis was deeply involved in emergency medicine as vice president of education, vice president of advising, and senior advisor for the Emergency Medicine Interest Group. In these roles, he organized procedure workshops, faculty interviews, monthly networking dinners, and other initiatives to strengthen the group’s impact.
RAMS Excellence in Research Award
Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University
Dr. Gordon is a recent graduate of Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Jefferson University where he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree. He is now beginning his emergency medicine residency at Yale University, where he has been admitted into the Yale Emergency Scholars (YES)program, a five-year track that merges emergency medicine residency with a rigorous research fellowship.
Dr. Gordon is also the co-founder of AltruMed, a start-up developing a wearable harm reduction device for respiratory suppressant overdose. With a unique background combining EMS, architecture, and industry experience into emergency medicine research, Dr. Gordon merges clinical research with design principles to address gaps in healthcare delivery. He is particularly interested in research that creates technology or processes to improve access to emergency care, patient experience, and emergency department design.
RAMS Excellence in Education Award
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Dr. DiGaetano is chief resident in emergency medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. He earned his medical degree from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Dr. DiGaetano has developed and implemented numerous educational initiatives, including simulation-based learning and escape room scenarios, to enhance resident and medical student training. His research interests focus on the cognitive-behavioral impact of standardized testing, the development of interpersonal communication skills, and the efficacy of simulation in medical education.
RAMS Resident Education/Innovation Award
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Patricia Hernández is a third-year emergency medicine resident at the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency program at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital. She graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University, earning an A.B. in Molecular Biology with a certificate in Global Health Policy. Dr. Hernández then attended the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, obtaining her Doctor of Medicine degree in 2022.
Throughout her medical training, Dr. Hernández has demonstrated a strong commitment to medical education, ultrasound, critical care, and health equity. She is actively involved in teaching and mentoring medical students and residents, with a particular focus on integrating ultrasound techniques into emergency care. Her dedication to advancing health equity is evident through her involvement in initiatives aimed at addressing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes.
RAMS Medical Student Education Award
Weill Cornell Medicine
Rana M. Barghout was born in a small village in Egypt and immigrated to the United States as a child through the diversity visa lottery program—a rare and life-changing opportunity that opened the door to a previously unimaginable future. Her family resettled in Jersey City, where her early years were defined by financial hardship. They lived in a small basement until a major house fire left them without a home. As the eldest sibling, Dr. Barghout took on the responsibility of helping her family during this difficult time, developing resilience, resourcefulness, and a determination to overcome adversity. These experiences shaped her character and fueled her drive to pursue higher education, eventually earning a full scholarship to Amherst College through the QuestBridge National program.
At Amherst, Barghout majored in neuroscience and immersed herself in academic and leadership roles. She conducted thesis research, served as captain of the soccer team, and led the first-generation student society. During her junior year, Barghout studied neuroscience at University College London, where she gained new cultural and academic perspectives. In her senior year, Dr. Barghout had the honor of delivering a TED Talk, sharing her journey and inspiring others with her story of perseverance and growth.