We’re pleased to announce updates to our faculty that will help us continue to grow as a department and improve our ability to fulfill our mission.
David Gordon Assumes More Responsibility as Associate Dean
David Gordon, MD, will engage more fully as Associate Dean for Student Affairs (Advisory Dean), a position he has held since 2022. In this role, he supports our medical students through the entirety of their undergraduate medical education, focusing on their professional identity formation, academic advising, career selection, and residency applications.
In addition, the Advisory Dean promotes community building and student well-being through small group and individual connections while also providing guidance and support when personal hardship emerges. The Advisory Dean also works closely with other educational and administrative leaders in the School of Medicine in support of its mission to develop the next physician leaders who advance biomedical research and improve local, national, and global health.
To allow Dr. Gordon to focus more on his Advisory Dean role, he will be stepping down as the Emergency Medicine Residency Associate Program Director. While his titles may have changed, his connection with residents will not. He remains a member of the residency Core Faculty and will continue to work closely with residents clinically in the ED while remaining fully engaged in weekly conferences, journal club, interview season, and graduation.
“With the realignment of my primary responsibilities, I hope to expand my involvement in supporting pathway programs, the visibility and presence of our student interest group, and mentorship of both faculty and residents interested in medical education,” Dr. Gordon says.
Since starting as Assistant Program Director in 2012, Dr. Gordon supported the program in its fundamental education and training functions, including clinical competency committees, resident semi-annual reviews, lecturing, oral boards, program review, and recruitment.
“There has been a lot of change over these 10-plus years, and it’s been a pleasure working with the residency team in helping oversee its expansion, navigating the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment, and strengthening the bridge between undergraduate and graduate medical education,” Dr. Gordon says.
Catherine Burger Joins as Residency Associate Program Director
We are also committed to continuing to provide exceptional support for resident education and patient care in the Emergency Department. We are excited to announce that Catherine Burger, MD, will join the Department of Emergency Medicine as an Associate Professor and Associate Program Director for the Emergency Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Burger will start on July 2025.
Dr. Burger completed her undergraduate degree in biology and history at the University of Michigan followed by her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. After graduating from the Vanderbilt University Emergency Medicine Residency, she completed her Chief Residency at Vanderbilt as well. After five years serving as faculty at Vanderbilt, she underwent fellowship training in Pediatric Emergency Medicine in 2019 and became board certified in 2023.
Dr. Burger will work closely with the residency’s current leadership — program director Josh Broder and associate program directors Sree Natesan and Ken Kennedy.
Dr. Burger hopes to share her experience and expertise in teaching and pediatric emergency medicine with a broad array of learners. Outside of the hospital, she enjoys travel, triathlons, board games, and cooking.