Robert Butler

Hometown: Louisville, KY
Undergraduate: Wake Forest University
Medical School: University of Louisville School of Medicine
Emergency Medicine Interests:
International medicine, Wilderness medicine
Interests outside of Medicine:
Travel (the higher GI illness: plumbing ratio the better), backpacking (trying to keep up with my dog), skiing, scuba diving, cooking, being demoted to sous chef when my wife grabs the spatula, trying new restaurants (when a recipe fails), reading - always on the search for new good authors - email me with suggestions, exploring New England for the best lobster roll
Why did you choose Brown Emergency Medicine? 
Choosing Brown was an easy decision for me ... Rhode Island had fresh lobstah.  Just kidding.  It combines the best of everything I was hoping for in a program: great location, strong academics and clinical training, and happy people I'd be excited to work with.  Brown has an enormous faculty with backgrounds and specialties as eclectic as my interests, so as a new resident just starting to dive into the different flavors of the field, it's great to know that no matter what I decide to do in the future, there will be supportive faculty with similar interests.  On top of being such a big academic institution, the huge patient volume of the hospitals makes the program strong in both aspects of EM training.  Providence is also a very live-able city in a great part of the country.  We are surrounded by restaurants, coffee shops and bars, all an easy walk from our house.  Coming from the South/Midwest where everything is a day's drive, having skiing, hiking, swimming at the beach, as well as Boston and New York all within several hours is heavenly.  Finally, the people I met at Brown are the happiest and most down-to-earth I met on the interview trail.  They are people with whom I'd have fun sharing an overnight shift.  There is a great dynamic between the residents and faculty, and everyone is not only bright and interesting, but seems genuinely happy to go to work every day.  Like I said, it was an easy decision.

Katherine Farmer

Hometown: Madison, CT
Undergraduate: Bates College
Medical School: University of Connecticut
Emergency Medicine Interests:
Medical education, wilderness medicine, pediatric EM
Interests outside of Medicine:
Any variety of outdoor activities…backpacking is a favorite! Running, cooking/baking, terrible 1990’s comedies.
Why did you choose Brown Emergency Medicine? 
First and foremost, it was the people. I immediately felt at home when I arrived for my interview day; everyone I met seemed approachable, fun and genuinely happy. It was easy to imagine myself heading to work with them each day (my expectations have thus far held true!). Opportunities for career exploration were also important to me. I still have many ideas of where I want my career to take me, and I have already met many faculty members and other residents with whom I share common interests. In addition to many months of elective time, there is a lot of support from the program to explore possible career paths and interests within emergency medicine. All of this, in addition to training in a high volume ED in a tiny city with a small town personality, with many beaches, mountains and my family close at hand…made Brown a perfect choice for me. It was one of those “I just know this is right” kind of feeling.

Seth Gemme

Hometown: Chester, MA
Undergraduate: Westfield State University
Medical School: University of Buffalo
Emergency Medicine Interests:
critical care, medical student education
Interests outside of Medicine:
spending time with my wife and our golden retriever, ice hockey, guitar, skiing, cycling, golfing
Why did you choose Brown Emergency Medicine? 
Brown has it all!  An enormous and diverse patient population, opportunities in every aspect of emergency medicine, supportive and down to earth residents and faculty, high quality didactics, and a high-tech simulation center.  In addition, the program leaders are always interested in what residents have to say.  They are open to criticism and suggestions, and actively make changes to improve the program and experience for the residents. 

Naomi George

Hometown: Arlington, MA
Undergraduate: Wesleyan University
Medical School: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Emergency Medicine Interests:
Global Health, palliative care, critical care
Interests outside of Medicine:
Good friends, good food, good beer. Outdoor stuff.
Why did you choose Brown Emergency Medicine? 
The wonderful people I met on my interview, the global health and academic opportunities combined with diverse patient population and pathology. Oh and because Providence is awesome.

Adam Janicki

Hometown: Dayton, NJ
Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania
Medical School: Tufts University Medical School
Emergency Medicine Interests:
Medical student and resident education, Toxicology, Ultrasound
Interests outside of Medicine:
Cooking, eating, bicycling, traveling
Why did you choose Brown Emergency Medicine? 
Brown was the perfect combination of academics and community.  With a diverse and expansive patient population, you are guaranteed to get great training, make an impact on the community, and potentially obtain great information to further the EM field.  Providence is definitely an underrated gem.  It offers both city and large town opportunities with great restaurants within walking distance, outdoor space with hiking/biking trails, skiing and snowboarding close by, and beaches less than 30 minutes away for the free days in the summer (yes, we have those).

Alexis Kearney

Hometown: Old Saybrook, CT
Undergraduate: Middlebury College
Medical School: Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Emergency Medicine Interests:
International Emergency Medicine, Disaster Preparedness, Infectious disease epidemiology and outbreak response
Interests outside of Medicine:
Traveling, trying new restaurants, skiing, brewery tours
Why did you choose Brown Emergency Medicine? 
For me, Brown was the perfect match and fulfilled everything I was looking for in a program. Not only is Providence close to my family and friends, but the program itself offered unique opportunities and a large faculty to help me achieve my goals. Brown is a strong, 4-year, academic program, with the backing of a well-respected university. This ultimately translates into unparalleled access to resources, diverse faculty members, each with their own niche, and opportunities to pursue research interests both domestically and abroad. The fact that the hospital is both an adult and pediatric level 1 trauma center, serves a mix of patient populations, and provides extensive critical care training was just icing on the cake!

Courtney MacKuen

Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC
Undergraduate: Grinnell College
Medical School: University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Emergency Medicine Interests:
Policy, working with underserved populations
Interests outside of Medicine:
Lots of things ... Cooking.  Camping.  Hiking with my pup.  Reading.  I read a lot - I have a secret interest in Science Fiction (don't judge).  I also just bought a sweing machine.  I would say I'm a 2 on a 10 point scale of proficiency with that.
Why did you choose Brown Emergency Medicine? 
I chose Brown because of the people.  I wanted to surround myself with people who are very involved in the national community of emergency physicians.  I also appreciated a very easy-going feel when I first visited Brown, and, in my short time here, everyone seems happy, laid back, and truly interested in serving the community.  Providence is a city with a large underserved population, and there is a large variety in the emergency cases we see here, including trauma.  It's also an easy city in which to live, and I wanted a place where I would be able to have a backyard for my dog but also enjoy the attractions of a large city.

Liz Samuels

Hometown:
Undergraduate: Reed College
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Emergency Medicine Interests:
ED-based public health interventions, quality and cost effective delivery of care, eliminating health inequalities, harm reduction
Interests outside of Medicine:
hanging out with my dog, bicycling, gardening, cooking, spending time in the woods, grassroots movements for social justice, sitting on my porch, travel, being crafty, New England autumn nights around a fire
Why did you choose Brown Emergency Medicine? 
Brown provides the perfect combination of a strong clinical education in a high volume ED with the academic rigor and mentor support I was looking for to train me as an Emergency Medicine Public Health clinician-researcher. 

Jenna Wheelhouse

Hometown: Nokomis, IL
Undergraduate: St. Louis University
Medical School: Boston University School of Medicine
Emergency Medicine Interests:
Wilderness, Ultrasound, International Emergency Medicine
Interests outside of Medicine:
Movies, travel, hunting for good restaurants, the great outdoors
Why did you choose Brown Emergency Medicine? 
When looking at residency, I wanted a hospital with a high volume of diverse, predominantly underserved population. I was also looking for a program with more elective time and supportive faculty.  Not only did Brown have all these characteristics, but on top of that, the residents are happy.  Since coming to Brown, I see that resident wellness is a top priority.

Taneisha Wilson

Hometown: Montego Bay, Jamaica
Undergraduate: Bowdoin College
Medical School: University of Connecticut
Emergency Medicine Interests:
Ultrasound, International Medicine, Toxicology
Interests outside of Medicine:
FOOD, Soap making, White Mountains.
Why did you choose Brown Emergency Medicine? 
Primarily because of the people and the learning opportunities which include the diverse patient population, and the chance to do research if I decide to do so. Providence is also really fantastic. If you're also interested in food (and spending as little money as possible), Providence is the place to be.

Wendy Wong

Hometown: Bellevue, WA
Undergraduate: Dartmouth College
Medical School: Tulane School of Medicine
Emergency Medicine Interests:
International health, Patient safety
Interests outside of Medicine:
Hiking, snowboarding, kayaking, basically any excuse to be outside
Why did you choose Brown Emergency Medicine? 
Originally from Washington state, I've hit all the coastlines and was not geographically limited in where I went for residency.  I looked at 3 and 4-year programs throughout the country, but what resonated with me was the comprehensive education and diverse clinical exposure that Brown offers.  This program has the resources to allow their residents to explore and develop their careers in EM.  The fourth year is not just an extension of third year (ie, another year of just working ED shifts) but instead is full of elective time - hopefully time for me to figure out what kind of ER doc I want to be when I grow up.  They are also dedicated to providing youwith what you need to succeed, be it funding, support, mentorship, iPads, etc.  The curriculum is really well-planned and constantly changing to improve it even more.  To me, a program that isn't afraid of change reflects good leadership who truly listens and values resident opinions.  At the end of interview season, I asked myself, "What am I afraid of most?"  Sick kids.  I wanted to make sure the residency I chose would have peds EM exposure interspersed with my adult EM shifts.  Not just to keep me on my toes, but also to account for the seasonal variation of peds EM.  What finally sealed the deal for me was the interview experience - it was fun!  The residents are as diverse as the faculty, with really friendly and chill personalities.  Basically the kind of people I would want to hang out and drink a beer with ... even after a crazy overnight shift.  I am so glad I ended up here!  ...AndI'm sure you will be too!

Roger Wu

Hometown: Hsinchu, Taiwan
Undergraduate: Northwestern University
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Emergency Medicine Interests:
Quality & Safety, Operations, Organizational Strategy, Health IT
Interests outside of Medicine:
Brazilian jiu-jitsu, climbing, surfing, hanging out with my overactive English bulldog
Why did you choose Brown Emergency Medicine? 
I chose Brown for the 1) Clinical experience - Rotating here as a medical student, I experienced first-hand the diversity and acuity of pathology at the RIH ED.  The catchment area is large, and there is no other competition for the region's sickest patients.  The curriculum is thoughtfully designed with graded responsibility and strong exposure to critical care and pediatrics.  2) Resources - There is financing, faculty support, and ample elective time to pursue any interest you might have in emergency medicine.  3) People - The departmental leadership and residency program leadership are strong and dedicated.  The faculty and residents are laid-back and fun-loving.