Emergency Medicine expands, adds divisions
After becoming a department in 2019, the Department of Emergency Medicine is growing again, forming Divisions of Education, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Pediatric Emergency Medicine, and Ultrasound.
“Fifteen years ago, Emergency Medicine was not well specialized in the Springfield community,” said Christopher McDowell, MD, MEd, MS, FAAEM, Chair of Emergency Medicine. “Throughout the last ten years, the SIU Emergency Medicine team has transformed the education and practice of Emergency Medicine in our community, resulting in a highly sought after Residency and Clerkship program. This incredible program has bolstered awareness of the specialty and I’m proud of the way our team helps power central Illinois hospital ERs.”
By building out subspecialties in Education, EMS, Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Ultrasound the team hopes to grow the opportunities for education and patient care in the community even further. "The knowledge and expertise of our faculty expands beyond simply bedside teaching in the emergency department" explained Dr. McDowell. "These new divisions will help foster further growth of the Department and affords us opportunities to make impacts on this community like never before."
Dr. McDowell announced the new division structure in November. Division Chiefs consist of James Waymack, MD (Education), Tyler Fulks, MD (EMS), Myto Duong, MD, MB, BCh, BAO (Pediatric Emergency Medicine), and Jonathan Dela Cruz, MD, RDMS, CHSE, FACEP (Ultrasound).
"I couldn't be more excited" stated Tyler Fulks, MD, Chief of the Division of EMS. Dr. Fulks is a graduate of SIU School of Medicine as well as the SIU Emergency Medicine Residency Program. "The opportunity to help grow the program that shaped me is something I do not take lightly." Dr. Fulks hopes to expand SIU's excellence in Emergency Medical education to the prehospital realm as well. "Through collaboration with our community partners, The SIU Division of EMS will undoubtedly help transform the education and delivery of prehospital care in our region."
The Department of Emergency Medicine will show continued growth into next academic year, with plans to add an additional faculty member with subspecialty training in Toxicology. SIU Emergency Medicine currently offers eight residency slots per year.
