EMS Fellowship

University of Wisconsin Accredited EMS Fellowship

The Department of Emergency Medicine sponsors an accredited EMS fellowship to board-eligible candidates. Our program combines ground, aeromedical and tactical EMS exposure with advocacy, administrative, research, and leadership activities that are found at no other program in the U.S. Graduates leave Madison as highly-trained medical directors with the knowledge, vision, and passion to change the way modern healthcare is delivered.

Our program trains physicians in medical direction for ground transport, disaster preparedness, event medicine, tactical EMS, advocacy, QA/QI, and prehospital research. By immersing the fellow in an incredible variety of experiences and allowing time for exploration of individual interests, graduates are fully prepared to lead exceptional medical oversight of pre- and out-of-hospital emergency care systems with advanced competencies in EMS system design, administration, and clinical care.

Graduates of our program are also well-prepared to pass their ABEM EMS board certification upon completion of the fellowship.

Program Details

• Accredited: Yes, ACGME
• Length of Fellowship: 1 year
• Number of Positions: 1
• Participates in NRMP Match: Yes
• Start: July 1, 2023
• Apply by: September 15, 2022

University of Wisconsin Section of EMS

The UW EMS Section provides medical direction for several agencies in Dane County, Wisconsin. We directly contract with police, fire, EMR and paramedic services staffed by volunteer and professional responders. Fellows interface with EMS and disaster medicine leaders while engaging with a variety of local EMS systems.

Areas of Expertise

The core component of the UW EMS fellowship is practical experience with ground transport EMS services. The fellow will be scheduled to perform ride-alongs, online and offline medical oversight, QA/CQI activities, and EMS advocacy at the local and state levels for 35-40 hours per week. This experience will provide the fellow with comprehensive, hands-on experience in ground transport of patients of all ages and with multiple skill levels of providers, including physician response vehicle coverage.

The operational experiences are supplemented with administrative, academic, and research components. The EMS fellow participates in the NAEMSP Medical Director Course, serves on county- and/or state-wide committees, publishes research in EMS journals, and teaches all levels of providers in Dane County. Our affiliation with the UW School of Medicine and Public Health provides access to unparalleled clinical researchers and educators. In addition, the fellow may participate in air medical transport depending upon the level of candidate interest and availability. 

While exceptionally robust, the fellowship is still flexible enough to allow time for self-directed projects. There are opportunities for experiences with law enforcement, the UW Emergency Education Center, and the UW Simulation Center. The culmination of this fellowship will be an EMS physician who is qualified to be a leader in prehospital medicine. The graduating fellow will also be well-suited to pass their ABEM EMS subspecialty board certification upon completion of the program. 

EMS Faculty

The fellow will have the opportunity to work closely with core prehospital faculty in the Department of Emergency Medicine, including:

	Michael Mancera, MD, FACEP, FAEMS Fellowship Director Dr. Mancera completed his Emergency Medicine Residency at Michigan State University in Grand Rapids and an EMS fellowship at the University of Indiana. He serves as Medical Director for several EMS agencies in Dane County and is a member of the State of Wisconsin Physician Advisory Committee. His interests include out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and prehospital education as driven by quality assurance efforts. Dr. Mancera's profile | mmancera@medicine.wisc.edu

		Michael Lohmeier, MD, FACEP, FAEMS EMS Section Chief Dr. Lohmeier completed his emergency medicine residency and EMS fellowship at Washington University in Saint Louis. Dr. Lohmeier is dedicated to improving EMS education for all levels of learners and has worked extensively with emergency medicine and trauma physicians. He has been EMS Section Chief at UW since 2016 and has gained a robust working knowledge of the prehospital EMS system across Dane County. Dr. Lohmeier's profile | mtlohmei@medicine.wisc.edu

	Megan Gussick, MD Assistant Medical Director, EMS Section Dr. Gussick completed her Emergency Medicine residency and EMS fellowship at the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Gussick serves as Medical Director for the Madison Fire Department and the Dane County Sherriff Tactical EMS Response Team. She is a flight physician with our world-class HEMS service, works with our nation's veterans at Madison's VA hospital, and oversees the EMS selective at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Gussick's profile | mgussick@medicine.wisc.edu

		Michael Spigner, MD, EMT-P Dr. Spigner completed his emergency medicine residency at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and fellowship in EMS with the University of New Mexico Health System. Dr. Spigner has experience as a flight physician and in medical direction with large EMS consortiums, including rural, tribal, National Park Service, and law enforcement partners. Dr. Spigner's profile | mspigner@medicine.wisc.edu

	Michael Kim, MD, FAAP Medical Director, Pediatric EMS Dr. Kim completed his residency in pediatrics at the University of Chicago Medical Center and a pedatric emergency medicine fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Kim helped to found the pediatric emergency medicine program at UW Health in 2007. He also serves as Co-chair of the Wisconsin Emergency Medical Services for Children. His academic interest is focused on the advancement of pediatric emergency care locally and statewide within EMS services and emergency departments. Dr. Kim's profile | mkkim@medicine.wisc.edu

Salary & Benefits

Fellows are compensated at the PG4 annual stipend rate established by Graduate Medical Education Office at UW Health. Annual stipend rates will be based on the mean levels reported in the Council of Teaching Hospitals annual survey and will be adjusted on a yearly basis as necessary. To learn more about determination of stipends and ample benefits offered, please visit UW Health's GME website. In addition, travel funds and support for education are included.

Application Process

Candidates must be a BC/BE physician having graduated from an accredited Emergency Medicine residency program. Applications for the 2023-2024 academic year are due by September 15, 2022. Applications must include the following materials:

1. Completed EMS Fellowship application form
2. Current CV
3. Three (3) references, one of which must be the applicant’s Residency Program Director
4. One (1) letter of recommendation
   • Letters should be emailed directly from the letter writer to Megan Childers, MHA at mchilders@medicine.wisc.edu.
5. Personal statement detailing why your interest in pursuing an EMS fellowship at UW

To express interest in the EMS fellowship for a July 2023 start date, please contact our Prehospital Manager & EMS Fellowship Program Coordinator, Megan Childers, MHA at mchilders@medicine.wisc.edu.