LLU EMERGENCY MEDICINE
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LLUMC Faculty

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Tamara Thomas, MD

Dean, Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Contact
   email: tthomas@llu.edu
Professional
Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: global health, faculty development, disaster response
Current Research: career development, learning for the long-term
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Personal
Hometown: Spokane, WA
Hidden Talents: fantasy football
Favorite Pastimes: exploring, reading, cooking, hiking, skiing
Favorite Past Job: lifeguard on the lake – can life get any better than that?
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Padawan for life long learning; fantasy life- Wonder Woman
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Solomon Islands, Afghanistan
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: hiking, gardening, cooking


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Lea Walters, MD

Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact
   email: ewalters@llu.edu
  
Professional
Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: disaster medicine, intergenerational communication
Current Research: Working in Fours: a toolkit to facilitate intergenerational communication in the emergency department. In process: a qualitative study of emergency department staff responding to the San Bernardino terrorism attack.
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Personal
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Hidden Talents: according to my husband, Cliff, I can make dogs howl (with my singing!) I can undo all knots.
Favorite Pastimes: hiking with our dogs, but I also love knitting and reading.
Favorite Past Job: teaching high school science
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: has to be Nancy Drew. I mean who wouldn’t!  Great friends, perfect hair, cute little sports car, smart, and always on an adventure!
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: The Galapagos. That was on my bucket list and it was an incredible trip!
Most Interesting Fact About You: Sorry, I can’t tell you that! 😄 But one thing most people don’t know about me is my mother was Filipino and I make delicious lumpia and pancit!
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: I love the shops and restaurants in Redlands. I live in the mountains, so I’m close to beautiful hiking trips.


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Besh Barcega, MD

Global Health Fellowship Co-Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact
email: bbarcega@llu.edu
Professional
Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency: Pediatrics, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Fellowship: Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: teaching situational awareness, patient/family centered care

Personal
Hometown: Philippines
Hidden Talents: it’s so hidden, even I can’t figure it out
Favorite Pastime: reading, traveling 
Favorite Past Job: it was NOT being a venipuncture tech
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Hercule Poirot
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: most recently- Waimanalo Beach in Oahu 
Most Interesting Fact About You: attended 3 different schools for 1st grade

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Emily Barrett, MD

Associate Medical Director, Adult ED, Department of Emergency Medicine
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Contact:
    email: ecbarrett@llu.edu
  
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Professional
Medical School: University of Illinois at Chicago
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: health disparities, information technology
Current Research: ED utilization and social determinants of health

Personal
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Hidden Talents: I’m good with power tools and home repair
Favorite Pastime: cuddling my new puppy
Favorite Past Job: stagehand
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Emily from “Emily’s Runaway Imagination”
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: London
Most Interesting Fact About You: I used to work in computer security on Wall Street before going to medical school
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: hiking with my puppy, going to restaurants, relaxing in my pool/hot tub


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Deena Bengiamin, MD

Associate Residency Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Medical Education Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine
Ultrasound Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine

Contact:
email: dbengiamin@llu.edu
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Professional
Medical School: UC Irvine School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, UC Irvine Medical Center
Fellowship: Medical Education, UCSF Fresno
Academic Interests: medical education, simulation, faculty development

Personal
Hometown: Irvine, CA
Hidden Talents: crocheting
Favorite Pastime: spending time with my family, cooking and baking
Favorite Past Job: Santa's helper
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Jasmine
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Florence, Italy and Varanasi, India
Most Interesting Fact About You: I was born in Egypt and grew up in Oman
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: exploring the outdoors


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Steven Bolger, MD

Emergency Medicine Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine
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Professional
Medical School: NYU School of Medicine
Residency: UCLA Medical Center/Olive View-UCLA Medical Center
Fellowship: Simulation, Mount Sinai Morningside and West
Academic Interests: Simulation and medical education

Personal
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Hidden Talents: Surviving on a diet consisting primarily of nuts, granola, and Greek yogurt
Favorite Pastimes: Running, hiking, and trying new vegetarian restaurants
Favorite Past Job: Lifeguard
Fictional Character you most identify with: Jon Snow from Game of Thrones
Favorite place you’ve visited: Paris


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Lance Brown, MD

Vice-Chair for Operations, Department of Emergency Medicine
Head, Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Contact
    email: labrown@llu.edu
Professional
Medical School: Harvard Medical School
Residency: Emergency Medicine, LA County/USC
Fellowship: Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: educational debt, foreign body management
Current Research: abdominal pain in children
Personal
Hometown: I grew up in Michigan
Hidden Talents: I can put central lines in left handed
Favorite Pastime: triathlons
Favorite Past Job: emergency physician, Tuba City, AZ
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Hubert J Farnsworth
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Putrajaya, Malaysia
Most Interesting Fact About You: I have completed several Ironman races
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: swimming

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Eric Chao, MD

Emergency Medicine Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine
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Professional
Medical School:
NYU Grossman School of Medicine  
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital
Academic Interests: operations, education, wellness, telemedicine
 
Personal
Hometown: Honolulu, HI
Hidden Talents: being loud enough to karaoke without needing a microphone
Favorite Pastimes: NYT crossword, board games, running (sometimes), traveling, napping
Favorite Past Job: busking with my cello in Waikiki
Fictional Character you most identify with: Neville Longbottom
Favorite place you’ve visited: Rome, Italy. Carbs and culture, what more could you want?


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Lynda Daniel, MD, PhD

 Associate Dean, Curriculum Evaluation and Learner Assessment, School of Medicine
Contact
    email: LDaniel@llu.edu
Professional
Medical School:  Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency:  Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Advanced Degree:  PhD in Leadership, Andrews University
Academic Interests: undergraduate medical education
Current Research:  education
Personal
Hometown:  Berrien Springs, MI
Hidden Talents: score keeper for volleyball and basketball at Mesa Grande Academy
Fictional Character You Most Identify With:  Albus Dumbledore
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: New Zealand, Iceland
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area:  find locally-owned restaurants

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Viam Dinh, MD

Ultrasound Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact
    social media: @viamdinh
Professional
Medical School: University of California San Francisco
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Fellowship:  Ultrasound and Critical Care Fellowships, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: critical care ultrasound
Current Research:
critical care ultrasound, medical student ultrasound
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Personal
Hometown: Orange County, CA
Favorite Pastimes: tennis, yoga, paddle boarding
Favorite Past Job: working at the swapmeet
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Vietnam
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: apple picking, hiking, yoga, tennis, eating great food


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Seth Dukes, MD

EMS Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact
email: wdukes@llu.edu
Professional
Medical School: University of Texas Medical Branch
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Fellowship: EMS and Disaster Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University
Academic Interests: prehospital medicine, tactical medicine
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Personal
Hometown: Houston, TX
Hidden Talents: I can fall asleep almost anywhere
Favorite Pastimes: playing sports (football, soccer, basketball, etc)
Favorite Past Job: SWAT medic
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: this was the hardest question to answer...going with Papa Smurf (football nickname, you can ask me about it and I will explain it)
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Zurich, Switzerland
Most Interesting Fact About You: I don’t know if it is the most interesting, but I have congenital radioulnar synostosis on the right
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: many great restaurants to enjoy, get a workout in or play intramurals at the Drayson Center, jump some EMS calls


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Molly Estes, MD

Clerkship Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact
    email:  mestes@llu.edu
    social media:  @molly_estes
Professional
Medical School:  Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency:  Stanford/Kaiser Emergency Medicine Residency Fellowship: Medical Education, Stanford University
Academic Interests:  medical education and anything else that pushes learning to the next level
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Personal
Hometown: Victorville, CA
Hidden Talents: piano, volleyball, softball and I can make some pretty fantastic chocolate chip cookies
Favorite Pastimes: reading a good book, cooking or hanging out with friends
Favorite Past Job: I was a lab tech in college. One of my jobs was to keep the turtle aquariums clean.  One day, I got bit by one of the turtles.  Small problem…. He wouldn’t let go!  I stood there for several minutes trying to get him to let go of my palm without ripping a chunk of skin off while my boss laughed at me. ☺
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: When I was growing up, I loved Sherlock Holmes, and I feel like an ER doc definitely has some need of detecting skills. Also, I have the exact same hair as Merida from Disney’s Brave.
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: I have so many favorites! Florence, Giant’s Causeway in Ireland, and Machu Picchu to name a few.
An Interesting Fact About You: I grew up in Southern California, and used to make an annual pilgrimage to Disneyland.
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: lots of fun things in town including a community theater, tons of restaurants, and Redland’s Market Night (think farmer’s market).


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Liz Fierro, MD

Associate Residency Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Pediatric Emergency Medicine Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine

Contact
    email:  lfierro@llu.edu
    social media:  @liz_fierro_md
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Professional
Medical School: UC Davis School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Fellowship: Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: PEM, education, diversity in EM, women in EM, technology in EM
Current Research: resident education, influence of media on pediatric ED presentations

Personal
Hometown: Richmond, CA
Hidden Talents: Fixing things.  Getting backstage (or front row).  I refuse to fall down, so I fall up. 
Favorite Pastimes: spending time with the people I love, yoga, dancing, spending time outside, watching soccer, looking up quotes to match my mood. 
Favorite Past Job: teacher
Fictional Character You Most Identify With Want To Be Like: Rainbow Brite
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Peru
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: try new restaurants, checking out beautiful places in SoCal, backpacking, boating around Lake Arrowhead. 



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Casey Graves, MD

Associate Clerkship Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact:
email: cgraves@llu.edu
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Professional
Medical School: University of Michigan Medical School
Residency: Emergency Medicine, University of South Carolina-Palmetto Health
Academic Interests: Wilderness Medicine

Personal
Hometown: Berrien Springs, MI
Hidden Talents: slack-lining
Favorite Pastime: cycling
Favorite Past Jobs: high ropes course instructor
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Tom Sawyer
Hobbies: triathlon sports, kiteboarding, backpacking, SCUBA diving
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Jordan
Most Interesting Fact About You: I’ve been known to chase bears away from my food when they come to steal it in the middle of the night
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: cycling, climbing, hiking


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Steven Green, MD

Emergency Medicine Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine


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Professional
Medical School: UC San Diego School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: Annals of Emergency Medicine editor, International Committee for the Advancement of Procedural Sedation
Current Research: procedural sedation guidelines & consensus statements, methodological appraisal of clinical decision rules
 
Personal
Hometown:
Santa Barbara, CA

Favorite Pastimes: travel, hiking, restaurants
Favorite Past Job: flipping hamburgers at the McDonalds across from Redlands High School
Fictional Character you most identify with: Bertie Wooster
Favorite place you’ve visited: Dordogne, France


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Mindi Guptill, MD

Medical Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Global Health Fellowship Associate Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact
    email: mguptill@llu.edu
    social media: @docmcgup
Professional
Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: women in medicine, global health, educational innovation in EM
Current Research: TB seasonality in Rwanda, IPV among physicians, generational communication
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Personal
Hometown: Loma Linda, CA
Hidden Talents: organizing children
Favorite Pastimes: reading, camping
Favorite Past Job: Human Resources for Health faculty in Rwanda
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Boracay Island, Philippines
Most Interesting Fact About You: born in Karachi, Pakistan
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: hike in the “Loma Linda hills” and have Parliament mochas


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Zan Jafry, MD

Ultrasound Fellowship Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
 Contact
email:  zjafry@llu.edu
social media:  @EDechographer
Professional
Medical School:  American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center
Fellowship: Emergency & Critical Care Ultrasound, Loma Linda University
Academic Interests:  resuscitative transesophageal echocardiography, medical education, physician coaching, advanced cardiac ultrasound
Current Research:  TEE in the ED, POCUS for the diagnosis of HOCM,
integration of POCUS training into undergraduate medical curricula

Personal
Hometown: Detroit Metropolitan Area, MI
Hidden Talents: remixing foods in the kitchen
Favorite Pastime:  travel, reading
Favorite Past Job:  flight doc
Most Interesting Fact About You:  I'm way too interested in Jeopardy
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area:  bowl


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Sharmin Kalam, MD

Medical Director, Advanced Urgent Care, Department of Emergency Medicine
Ultrasound Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine

Contact:
    email: skalam@llu.edu
    social media: @KalamSharmin (Twitter)
Professional
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Sinai Grace Hospital/Detroit Medical Center
Fellowship: Ultrasound, Yale University
Academic Interests: ultrasound and global health
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Personal
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Hidden Talents: basketball, photography
Favorite Pastimes: travel, photography and watching TV, foodie
Favorite Past Job: worked for Air Tahiti Airlines
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Daenerys Targaryan (aka Mother of Dragons)
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Bora Bora, Tahiti
Most Interesting Fact About You: before medical school, I was training for Muay Thai boxing competitions


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Mike Kiemeney, MD

EM Residency Program Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact
social media:
@MikeKiemeney
Professional
Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, East Carolina University/Vidant Medical Center
Academic Interests: graduate medical education, wellness, emotional intelligence
Current Research: entrustable professional activities, medical education, wellness, emotional intelligence
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Personal
Hometown: Chino Hills, CA
Hidden Talents: seeing over crowds, telling amazing dad jokes
Favorite Pastime: playing with my kids, watching the Dodgers and Lakers, concerts, reading, telling amazing dad jokes
Favorite Past Job: chemistry and math tutor in college
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Jolly Green Giant
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Maui, HI
Most Interesting Fact About You: The first time I traveled outside the country was to Papua New Guinea for 1 month on a medical mission trip as a medical student.
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: eat, hike in the hills, tell amazing dad jokes


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Eugene Kim, MD

Global Health Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact:
email:  euskim@llu.edu
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Professional
Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Michigan State University/Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies
Fellowship: Global Health, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: global health, PA/NP education

Personal
Hometown: Mountain View, CA
Hidden Talents: I have the unique gift of getting delayed every time I travel (longest was 3 days in Tchad)
Favorite Pastime: traveling the world, golfing, hiking, amateur photography, basketball, hanging out with family and friends
Favorite Past Job: Volunteer team doctor for a minor league hockey team and USTA Juniors National Tournament
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Ted Mosby from HIMYM
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Cinque Terre, Arches National Park, Istanbul
Most Interesting Fact About You: I mostly play guitar and piano now, but I used to play trombone, cello and the harp
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: golfing, hiking


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Heather Kuntz, MD

Associate Pediatric Emergency Fellowship Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact
    email: hkuntz@llu.edu
    social media: @pedsdr_maru
Professional
Medical School: Medical College of Wisconsin
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Fellowship: Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: medical education, radiology
Current Research: UTIs in young children, Dartfish Intubation Study
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Personal
Hometown: Milwaukee, WI
Hidden Talents: climbing ropes, juggling, playing violin
Favorite Pastimes: beach days, surfing
Favorite Past Job: life-guarding
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Hermione – if only I had magic!
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Great Barrier Reef
Most Interesting Fact About You: I joined the Redlands circus
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: hike with friends and dogs on the various trails around


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Jean Lo, MD

Toxicology Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact:
email: clo@llu.edu
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Professional  
Medical School: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center
Fellowship: Toxicology, University of California San Diego Medical Center
Academic Interests: medical toxicology (CO poisonings, envenomations and drug interactions), trauma and neurologic emergencies
Current Research: anticoagulants, envenomation

Personal
Hometown: Alhambra, CA
Hidden Talents: long distance running
Favorite Pastime: hanging out with family and friends
Favorite Past Job: worked at a bowling alley in high school
Hobbies: running
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Paris, New Orleans (great food and music)
Most Interesting Fact About You: I enjoyed a solo drive from Iowa City to New Orleans during medical school
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: visit Redlands


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James Moynihan, DO

Medical Director, Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Quality Improvement Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact
    email: jmoynihan@llu.edu
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Professional
Medical School: College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Residency: Pediatrics; Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital
Fellowship: Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: patient safety, improvement capability,
execution of strategic improvement initiatives to produce system-level results
Current Research: enhancing the experience and outcomes of the patients, engaging physicians in a shared quality agenda

Personal
Home State: New England
Hidden Talents: wouldn’t you like to know!
Favorite Pastime: crew
Favorite Past Jobs:  chauffeur & au pair
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Jean Valjean
Hobbies: exploration at the kitchen table
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Grandma’s on Thanksgiving
Most Interesting Fact About You: my wife
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: Go to my kids’ performances


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Patrick Osak, DO

Emergency Medicine Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine


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Contact
    email: posak@llu.edu
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Professional
Medical School: Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Academic Interests: medical education
 
Personal
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Hidden Talents: I speak Polish fluently
Favorite Pastimes: cooking with family
Favorite Past Job: ice cream scooper (best job perks-- free ice cream!)
Fictional Character you most identify with: Mickey Mouse, or whoever my kids are obsessed with at the moment
Favorite place you’ve visited: Poland... It's beautiful and my extended family lives there
What do you like to do in the Loma Linda Area: Explore new restaurants and hiking


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Melanie Randall, MD

Pediatric Emergency Medicine Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine
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Professional
Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Fellowship: Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: congenital cardiac disease, pediatric trauma, pediatric toxicology
Current research: pediatric pancreatitis

Personal
Hometown: Grand Terrace, CA
Hidden Talents: changing a diaper in the dark
Favorite Pastime: succulent cultivation, watching cartoons with my kids
Favorite Past Job: swimming instructor
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes
Favorite Place You've Visited: Te Anau, New Zealand
Most Interesting Fact About You:  I was born at Loma Linda University Medical Center
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area:  avoid rattlesnakes while hiking in the hills


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Jon Roper, MD, MPH

Global Health Fellowship Co-Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Professional
Medical School: New York Medical College
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Fellowship: Global Health, LAC-USC/Keck School of Medicine
Academic Interests: global health, academic systems development in LMICs, tropical medicine, austere medicine, residency education, teaching
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Personal
Hometown: Redondo Beach, CA
Hidden Talents: I do a pretty solid Chewbacca impression
Favorite Pastimes: nature and landscape photography, culinary and cultural global exploration
Favorite past job: DJ
Favorite place you’ve visited: Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
What do you like to do in the Loma Linda area: mostly garden in my backyard, tend to house plants, explore the architecture of the areas (many Queen Anne Victorians), and find new places to eat or drink with my wife.


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Daniel Rossie, MD

Quality Improvement Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
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Professional
Medical School: Temple University School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: ED throughput, bedside resident training
Current Research: traumatic arthrotomy work up in pediatric patients

Personal
Hometown: Granada Hills, CA
Hidden Talents: cat dad/cat whisperer
Favorite Pastimes: napping, watching the Dodgers or the LA Kings
Favorite past job: baseball umpiring
Fictional character you most identify with: Pablo from Backyard Baseball
Favorite place you’ve visited: The north shore of Oahu
What do you like to do in the Loma Linda area: explore the many restaurants of downtown Redlands, hiking in the nearby mountains


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Brian Savino, MD

EMS Fellowship Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact
    email: psavino@llu.edu
    social media: @EMSavvy
Professional
Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Western Michigan University School of Medicine
Fellowship: EMS, University of California San Francisco
Academic Interests: EMS
Current Research: comparing direct versus video laryngoscopy for prehospital intubation
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Personal
Hometown: Riverside, CA
Hidden Talents: toddler wrangler, burrito connoisseur
Favorite Pastimes: guitar, hiking
Favorite Past Job: wakeboard instructor
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: John McClane. Yippee-ki-yay!!
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Florence, Italy
Most Interesting Fact About You: I’ve intubated while lying, sitting and standing. That’s why EMS is the best!
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: head up the mountains – camping, hiking, lakes!


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Dustin Smith, MD

Vice Chair for Academic Affairs, Department of Emergency Medicine
Medical Director, Medical Simulation Center

Contact
email: ddsmith@llu.edu
social media: @DustinsTw1tter (Although 140 characters just doesn't usually work. I'd rather grab coffee and actually laugh together in person)
Professional
Medical School: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Fellowship: Global Health, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests:  education, simulation
Current Research: education, simulation, empathy
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Personal
Hometown: Langhorne, PA
Hidden Talents: My kids say I can always tell when someone is lying. That’s a parent win!
Favorite Pastime: anything that involves time with family, preferably outdoors
Favorite Past Job: rose nursery grunt.  I am sure it didn't have a job description other than "get that kid to do it, he's only here for the summer"
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Hobbes – still laugh out loud when reading those comics
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Quartier-Morin, Haiti
Most Interesting Fact About You: I always get pulled aside for secondary screening at airports. Every. Single. Time. In fairness, I do have some weird stamps on my passport
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: Go out to eat with my wife.  Less of a foodie and more of a "that place will either kill us with a GI bug or be really good" kind of experience


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Jen Tango, MD

Emergency Medicine Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine
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Professional
Medical School: University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center

Personal
Hometown: Lancaster, CA
Hidden Talents: tripping when there is nothing around to trip on
Favorite Pastime: soccer, snorkeling, camping, hiking and anything else I can do outside
Favorite Past Job: an AEMT at a superbike racetrack
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Ace Ventura, Pet Detective. "I'm a doctor, not a pool man!!!"
Favorite Place You've Visited: Ireland, India, Alaska
Most Interesting Fact About You: I once fell off the Great Wall of China.


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Heather Tassone, DO

Ultrasound Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine
Professional
Medical School: Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Fellowship: Emergency Ultrasound, Carolinas Medical Center
Academic Interests: emergency ultrasound, lifestyle medicine, intimate partner violence
Current Research: emergency ultrasound, intimate partner violence
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Personal
Hometown: Syracuse, NY
Hidden Talents: locating  misplaced household items of my children and husband, Amazon Prime flash ordering, ballet and jazz dancing
Favorite Pastimes: cooking, gardening, traveling, camping, hiking, NP visits, OCR & generally anytime spent being outdoors with family.
Favorite past job: martial arts instructor.
Fictional character you most identify with: Korra (the Legend of Korra)
Favorite place you’ve visited: That is a tough one!—there are so many unique places in each country I have visited that I cherish for different reasons.
What do you like to do in the Loma Linda area: family biking, walking our dogs, hiking the mountains, & trips to the beach.


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Rachael Tena, MD

Emergency Medicine Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine
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Professional
Medical School: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: resident teaching & simulation teaching
 
Personal
Hometown:  Eureka, CA
Hidden talents: DIY amateur
Favorite pastimes: playing with my son, hiking, trying new eateries
Favorite past job: working at my friend's baby store in college
Fictional character you most identify with: hmm...I guess Robin Scherbatsky from How I Met Your Mother
Favorite place you’ve visited: Lagos, Portugal
What do you like to do in the Loma Linda area:  mountain hiking, attempting to snowboard, visiting the old college stomping grounds at UC-Riverside and seeing their botanical gardens


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Cory Toomasian, MD

Quality Improvement Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Professional
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: medical student and resident education
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Personal
Hometown:
Menlo Park, CA and Ann Arbor, MI
Hidden talents: I speak Mandarin Chinese (真的!) 
Favorite pastimes: swimming, hiking, long drives for weekend camping
Favorite past job: I used to run anesthesia on sheep and pigs!
Fictional character I relate with most: Forrest Gump ("I'm not a smart man, but I know what love is" also "JENNNNNY")
Favorite place: Yosemite NP
Loma Linda area activities: exploring area mountains, dodging rattlesnakes, hunting for special hole-in-the-wall restaurants


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Stephanie Tseeng, MD

Ultrasound Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact: 
email: TTseeng@llu.edu
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Professional
Medical School:  Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University
Residency/Fellowship: Emergency Ultrasound, Stroger Hospital of Cook County Health and Hospital System
Academic Interests:  ultrasound
Current Research:  ocular ultrasound

Personal
Hometown:  Abilene, TX & Chicago, IL
Hidden Talents: Chinese watercolor painting
Favorite Pastime: napping while my baby is asleep, binge watching Netflix
Favorite Past Job:   behavioral genetics research assistant
Fictional Character You Most Identify With:  Christina Yang of Grey’s Anatomy
Hobbies:  rock climbing, DIY home decor projects
Favorite Place You’ve Visited:  Thailand
Most Interesting Fact About You:  ran with the bulls in Spain
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area:  avoid transfer calls


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Debbie Washke, MD

Global Health Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact
   email: dwashke@llu.edu
Professional
Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Fellowship:  Global Health, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: international medicine
Personal
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Hidden Talents: singing with celebrities
Favorite Pastimes: If it's Fall: football and anytime: travel
Favorite Past Job: teaching microbiology - so fun!
Hobbies: photography, cooking, travel
Favorite Places You've Visited: tie between anywhere in Italy and Kenya
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: I love the Redlands Downtown Market Night on Thursdays - during spring and summer

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Brian Wolk, MD

Associate Residency Program Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Toxicology Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine

Contact
    email: BWolk@llu.edu
Professional
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, University of Massachusetts
Fellowship:  Toxicology, University of Massachusetts
Academic Interests: toxicology, education
Current Research: envenomation
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Personal
Hometown: Boston, MA
Hidden Talents: useless trivia
Favorite Pastime: skiing
Favorite Past Job: firefighter (volunteer)
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: ‘Dug’ (the dog) from ‘Up’
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Switzerland
Most Interesting Fact About You: During medical school, I went backpacking solo (in the rain) and smashed my face on a rock. I put on a butterfly dressing and didn’t seek medical attention until 2 days later when someone noted it looked gnarly. By then, the laceration was already starting to heal and they wouldn’t close it- luckily it healed well
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: hiking


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Tim Young, MD

Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
Contact
    email: tpyoung@llu.edu
    social media: @timpyoung
Professional
Medical School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Residency: Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Fellowship: Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center
Academic Interests: medical education, pediatric resuscitation, simulation, technical skills, teaching and learning using technology
Current Research: simulation for teaching medical student acute care skills, sports performance analysis software for teaching intubation, TED-style resident grand rounds presentations
Personal
Hometown: Fontana, CA
Hidden Talents: fast reflexes - honed by years of my kids knocking things off of tables and my ability to pick out fake American accents on TV and in movies
Favorite Pastimes: currently watching Stranger Things with headphones after my kids go to bed and then being unable to fall asleep. Millie Bobby Brown is British.
Favorite Past Job: demolition worker or batting cage attendant
Fictional Character You Most Identify With: Cameron Frye from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Hobbies: watching Angels baseball, playing wiffle ball/baseball/softball with my kids, daytime surf trips to Orange County, trips to San Diego with my wife while the kids are in school, playing guitar, trailer camping
Favorite Place You’ve Visited: Cusco/Machu Picchu
Most Interesting Fact About You: I was once hit by a foul ball at a baseball game and was carted out of the stadium. This was before the fast reflexes.
What Do You Like To Do In The Loma Linda Area: drive-in movies at Mission Tiki with my kids, eating at Eureka Burger, the State, or Dhat Island and dessert at A La Minute.

Location

Contact Us

11234 Anderson St
Loma Linda, CA 92354
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