Division Chief Message
Welcome to the next installment of the Duke Emergency Medicine Newsletter, PERIGEE. We hope this newsletter finds you safe and well. Since our last installment, we have been on a roller coaster, from the peak waves of COVID-19 infections to the hope inspired by vaccinations, an in-person graduation ceremony, and then back to the grim reality of the Delta variant. Through it all, the faculty, residents, and staff of Duke Emergency Medicine continue to shine.
Once again, we are issuing our newsletter in online format. A digital format allows us to share the stories of Duke Emergency Medicine more widely, while still allowing the reader an intimate behind-the-scenes look at our division. You’ll see how Duke Emergency Medicine is promoting health equity and inclusiveness through community engagement, meet our new faculty and fellows, encounter exciting new global health endeavors, learn about a local clinical trial in pain research, and appreciate how our operational teams continue to innovate and adapt.
It is always difficult to predict what the future may hold. However, at Duke Emergency Medicine we continue to provide compassionate and timely care, educate the next generation of medical leaders, and lead in knowledge creation for the benefit of those affected by acute health conditions, locally and globally.
I hope you enjoy the new content.
Sincerely,
Charles J. Gerardo, MD, MHS
Professor and Chief
Division of Emergency Medicine
Duke University Hospital
per-i-gee (n.)
the point in the Moon's orbit at which it is nearest to Earth.
Patient Care
Leaders of Duke Emergency Medicine
Duke Emergency Medicine operational leaders form the framework of our daily care through establishing practices and policies, innovating new care delivery models, and coordinating care with all other aspects of the Duke Health System. Numerous EM faculty not only provide leadership in the Duke University Hospital ED, but also within the larger Health System.
Duke Emergency Medicine's Annual Showcase Speaker Highlight: Dr. Martina Caldwell
On Wednesday, September 29, Duke Emergency Medicine and the Department of Surgery Grand Rounds will host Dr. Martina Caldwell as part of Duke Emergency Medicine’s annual Showcase. Dr. Caldwell is a health equity researcher whose work focuses on emergency department interventions to improve reproductive health equity using community-based participatory research, mixed methods, and implementation science.
Duke Eye Stroke Clinic Now Open
Duke now offers a dedicated outpatient clinic focused on follow-up care for eye stroke, a rare but serious condition that causes permanent vision loss and devastating quality of life challenges. Patients with eye stroke require careful diagnostic testing and follow-up after their in-hospital care, just like patients with stroke affecting the brain.
Spotlight
New Faculty: Erin Hanlin, MD
Interview with Erin Hanlin, MD, as she shares her thoughts on joining Duke Emergency Medicine.
Research
Duke Emergency Medicine Joins EPPIC-Net
Since 2019, Duke Emergency Medicine has been working with researchers around the country to solve part of the problem of finding new, non-addictive treatments for pain. We are participating in the National Institutes of Health's Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative. Specifically, we are participating in a sub-initiative called the Early Phase Pain Investigation Clinical Network (EPPIC-Net).
Spotlights
Postdoctorate Fellowship Research
Anna Tupetz, DPT, MSc, discusses her postdoctorate fellowship research in Duke Emergency Medicine.
Faculty Research
Stephanie Eucker, MD, PhD, discusses her research in acupuncture for acute muscular and skeletal pain.
Faculty Research
Stephanie Eucker, MD, PhD, discusses Duke Emergency Medicine's promotion to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19: COVAXX.
K Award Recipient
Julian Hertz, MD, discusses the global health research that awarded him the K Award.
Education
A Year of Reflection: Duke Emergency Medicine Residency Program Reconnects with Alumni
The year has not been without challenge. Health care disparities, social injustice, and new viral strains weigh heavily on us all. But taking time to reflect on this year’s educational success is a reminder of our program’s greatest asset: its people.
Spotlights
Alumni Highlight
Kendrick Kennedy, MD, reflects on his residency with Duke Emergency Medicine.
Fellows Highlight
Christopher Allen, MD, discusses his fellowship and work in hyperbarics.
Fellows Highlight
Kathryn Dasburg, MD, discusses her fellowship in sports medicine.
Fellows Highlight
Karthik Rao, MD, discusses his fellowship in ultrasound.
Community
Duke Global Health Institute Receives D43 Grant for Research in Tanzania
Every year, nearly 5 million people die from injuries and hundreds of millions more sustain non-fatal injuries that require medical attention globally. Concerningly, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), account for 90% of all injury-related deaths. Specifically, in Tanzania, injury is a leading cause of death. Dr. Blandina Mmbaga and Dr. Catherine Staton have been awarded a 5-year international research training grant (D43) from the Fogarty International Center of the US National Institutes of Health.
Duke Emergency Medicine's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Community Outreach
Diversity in the workforce and creating an equitable inclusive environment has been a cornerstone of Duke Emergency Medicine (EM). Incorporating diversity offers many benefits to the community including creating richer educational experiences, improved cultural competencies, and strengthened professionalism. The mission for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) does not end at the doors of the emergency department, but must extend out to the community.
Spotlights
EMF Grant Recipient
John Purakal, MD, MS, discusses the research that awarded him the EMF Grant.
Give to Duke Emergency Medicine
The Duke Department of Emergency Medicine relies on individual gifts and philanthropic partnerships to help support our clinical, research, and educational missions and to secure funds for the future.