Overview of Program
Established in 2013, our EMS program was one of the first ACGME accredited fellowships at the University of Florida. Located in Central Florida and affiliated with one of the largest quaternary care centers in the area, fellows that train here have the advantage of working in a healthcare system that takes care of patients in over 13 surrounding counties. UF is also a level 1 trauma center, a level 1 pediatric trauma center, a comprehensive stroke and STEMI center, and a burn center. Our EMS physicians provide medical direction to 5 major regional transport agencies and more than a dozen non-transport EMS agencies spanning urban, suburban, and rural populations alike.
Mission and Vision
Our mission is to develop well-rounded EMS physicians prepared for the full spectrum of EMS medical direction challenges, guided by a deep commitment to their patients, their community, their EMS agencies, and life-long learning. We support this mission through a robust EMS curriculum and a broad variety of leadership opportunities, field experiences, hands-on learning scenarios, and clinical settings.
Our vision is to prepare a generation of talented EMS physicians to serve as leaders in the world of pre-hospital medicine.
Goals and Purpose
- Train critically thinking EMS physicians who leave our program prepared to thrive as Medical Directors and EMS physicians at community, state, and national levels.
- Prepare our graduates to lead large organizations, excel at system-level design, and innovate EMS medicine through continuous quality improvement.
- Equip our graduates to translate complex medical topics into educational content that speaks to medical professionals at all levels of training.
- Instill a life-long love of EMS and scholarship in pre-hospital medicine!
Eligibility
This program accepts two fellows each academic year. Residency training in Emergency Medicine must be from an ACGME accredited program and completed by the time of matriculation. Applicants must be a board-eligible or board certified. This program does not accept J-1 Visa applicants at this time. Once a letter of offer is extended, employment will be contingent on a positive result from a criminal background screening, procurement/maintenance of a Florida Medical License and ability to meet requirements for appointment as a Faculty member.
Key Curriculum Themes
While the curriculum follows the standards set forth by the ACGME, our faculty is committed to optimizing the fellowship experience for each fellow based on their personal interests and ambitions. As part of the EMS fellowship, fellows act as assistant medical directors for Alachua County Fire Rescue, serving a population of nearly 250,000 people. In addition to this fire-based service, fellows are also exposed to third party systems, non-transport agencies, a university EMS system, and critical care transport through other affiliated agencies. Additionally, fellows are encouraged to take an active role in molding and individualizing the experience by utilizing the multitude of resources available through the UF Health system. Opportunities range from pre-hospital medical education, critical care air transport, tactical EMS, simulation medicine, research, event medicine, among others.
Other opportunities include, but are not limited to:
- Teaching opportunities locally and nationally
- Critical care air transport with ShandsC​air
- ClinCon State EMS Conference
- Mass Gathering Medicine with UF Football
- Disaster Planning for Leesburg Bike Fest
- Attendance at NAEMSP medical directors’ course
- Attendance at one conference of each fellow’s choosing
- Opportunity to contribute to the NAEMSP blog
- Tactical EMS with the Gainesville Police Department and Alachua County Sheriff’s Office
- International EMS development
- Extrication experience
- Direct medical oversight with a dedicated Physician Response Vehicle
- Participation in monthly QA activities
- Participation in paramedic clearance
- Journal Club
Clinical Responsibility
The fellows in this program are appointed as resident housestaff in the Department of Emergency Medicine. They have a core clinical commitment of 672 hours working as Attending Physicians in one of the four UF Health Gainesville Emergency Departments over the course of their fellowship year. Options for additional hours with extra pay available.
Salary and Benefits
2023-2024 Housestaff Annual Stipends
PGY 4 – $90,532.00
PGY 5 – $93,387.00
PGY 6 – $96,344.00
PGY 7+ – $99,123.00
Benefits
Generous stipend for academic enhancement and conference attendance/presentations.
GatorBites meal program.
15 days of paid vacation. 10 days of paid sick leave.
Fellows are employed by the University of Florida College of Medicine and are considered to be PGY4-7+ housestaff for salary and benefit purposes. Please see the Housestaff Benefits webpage for more information on insurance, retirement plan, leave policy, malpractice insurance, and additional services included.
Ample moonlighting opportunities within the UF Health system at the Main ED, Pediatric ED and two freestanding EDs (Springhill and Kanapaha) for additional income, all covered by malpractice insurance and sovereign immunity.
Application Process
This fellowship program participates in the NRMP Match. Applications should be submitted directly to the fellowship program coordinator using their email information below. Applications should include three letters of recommendation (one from the resident program director if currently a resident), the applicant’s CV and a personal statement (not to exceed one page). Any other questions regarding applying should be directed to our fellowship program coordinator below.
Applications may only be submitted between August 1, 2023, and October 15, 2023; and Match Day will happen on November 8, 2023.
Program Faculty and Staff
Program Director
Jason M Jones M.D., FACEP, FAEMS
Core Program Faculty
Torben K Becker MD, PhD, MBA, RDMS, FAWM, FAEMS, FCCM
Other EMS Faculty
Peter Alexandrov M.D., M.S.
Alicia Buck M.D.
Liam C Holtzman D.O., FACEP
Charles Hwang M.D., FACEP, FAEMS
Alison Leung M.D.
Joel Rowe M.D.
Fellowship Program Coordinator
William C Mitchell
Graduated and Current Fellows
- 2013-2014
Karl Huesgen, MD (now: University of Missouri Director of EMS Education)
Jason Jones, MD (now: University of Florida EMS Program Director) - 2014-2015
Desmond Fitzpatrick, MD (now: Orange County Office of EMS)
Joel Rowe, MD (now: University of Florida EMS Faculty) - 2015-2016
Jessica Gershen, MD (now: Halifax Health)
Matthew Tice, MD (now: Georgia Outpatient Services PC) - 2016-2017
Benjamin Abo, DO (now: Florida State University EMS Faculty)
Charles Hwang, MD (now: University of Florida EMS Faculty) - 2017-2018
Torben Becker, MD, PhD (now: University of Florida EMS Core Faculty)
Ideen Zeinali, MD (now: Dallas Baylor University Medical Center) - 2018-2019
Peter Alexandrov, MD (now: University of Florida EMS Faculty)
Joshua Gordon, MD (now: University of Florida EMS Faculty) - 2019-2020
Alicia Buck, MD (now: University of Florida EMS Faculty)
Alison Leung, MD (now: University of Florida EMS Faculty) - 2020-2021
Bethany Johnston, MD (now: Summa Health)
Austin Reed, MD (now: Ocala Regional Medical Center) - 2021-2022
Lauren Fisher, MD (now: St. Bernards Five Rivers Medical Center)
Chanteil Ulatowski, MD (now: Southeast Emergency Physicians with Bravera Health) - 2022-2023
Graham Clifford, DO (now: Queens Hospital Honolulu & West Oahu)
Daniyal Siddiqui, MD (now: AdventHealth Orlando)
2023-2024
Chimeziri Ahuruonye