EMS and Disaster Medicine

Overview

The Los Angeles County EMS Agency and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine sponsor a 1-year EMS and Disaster Medicine Fellowship with opportunity for additional research training and an advanced degree via a 2-year extended Fellowship track.

We are accredited as an EMS Fellowship Training Program by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

The fellowship is a unique collaboration between the Los Angeles County EMS Agency, which is one of the largest EMS Agencies in the world, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and the Department of Emergency Medicine at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Our goal is to create a fellowship experience that prepares the physician to become a specialist in EMS and Disaster Medicine. This training will be sufficient to allow the fellow to pursue a career as an EMS medical director for a local EMS agency or for a fire department, an academician implementing EMS research, a clinician in emergency medicine or pediatric emergency medicine with expertise in EMS, and/or as a national expert in EMS and Disaster Medicine.

Fellowship Faculty

Nichole Bosson, MD, MPH, FAEMS
Assistant Medical Director, LA County EMS Agency
EMS Fellowship Director
Faculty, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine

Shira A. Schlesinger, MD, MPH, FACEP
Director, EMS and Disaster Preparedness Programs
Associate EMS Fellowship Director
Medical Director, South Bay Disaster Resource Center
Faculty, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine

Marianne Gausche-Hill, MD, FACEP, FAEMS
Medical Director, LA County EMS Agency
Faculty, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine

Clayton Kazan, MD, FACEP, FAEMS
Medical Director, LA County Fire Department

Denise Whitfield, MD, MBA, FACEP
Director of Education and Innovation, LA County EMS Agency
Faculty, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine

Dipesh Patel, MD, DTMH, FAAEM
Medical Director, Paramedic Training Institute
Faculty, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine

Tabitha Cheng, MD
Associate Medical Director, UCLA Center for Prehospital Care
EMS Medical Director, Burbank Fire Department
Faculty, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine

Clinical Experience

• 6 clinical shifts/month in the emergency department at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center – a high-volume LA County Hospital, Level I Trauma Center, Pediatric Medical Center, STEMI Center and Disaster Resource Center. Duties include supervising resident physicians and medical students and providing patient care.
• Online medical direction at Harbor-UCLA Base Hospital.
• Field care with LA County Fire Department and other LA County Provider Agencies. Duties include medical direction and direct field care.
• Participation in local EMS specialty training (e.g., Tactical EMS, Urban Search & Rescue, etc.)

Administrative Experience

• Attendance at Los Angeles EMS Agency’s Medical Advisory Council and Pediatric Advisory Committee quarterly meetings and other relevant local and regional EMS meetings.
• Membership in the EMS Medical Directors Association of California (EMDAC) and attendance at quarterly meetings.
• Participation in the following activities at the LA County EMS Agency: system development, protocol revision, disaster preparedness activities, and mass gathering planning.
• Attendance at Harbor-UCLA departmental faculty and fellow meetings.
• Participation in hospital-based EMS activities including EMS Quality Improvement programs, Disaster preparedness meetings and exercises, and resident EMS training. 

Teaching Experience

• Teaching and curriculum development for paramedic trainees at the J. Michael Criley Paramedic Training Institute.
• Contribution to the EMS system annual continuing education ‘EMS Update’.
• Delivery of a Grand Rounds presentation, for Harbor-UCLA Department of Emergency Medicine during normally scheduled conferences.
• Preparation of Tape Reviews and teaching emergency department residents at the Harbor-UCLA Base Physician Course.

Research Experience for 2-Year Candidates

Fellows completing the 2-year fellowship will be expected to participate in research training through attainment of an advanced degree (MPH/MS) and conduct of a hypothesis driven research project.

Compensation and Benefits

• Fellows will receive a highly competitive compensation.
• Fellows will be provided shared office space, secretarial support, a computer, and access to the Department’s medical library, copy machine, and facsimile equipment.
• Benefits include medical and dental insurance and 4 weeks paid vacation per year.
• Additional educational funds will be provided as available to support educational expenses and scholarly presentations at state or national conferences.

Eligibility

Qualified candidates have completed or will complete an emergency medicine residency or pediatric emergency medicine fellowship and wish to pursue a career in EMS/Disaster Medicine. There is one position available each academic year.  Candidates must be able to obtain a California Medical License prior to beginning fellowship.

Application

Candidates should complete and return the Fellowship Application: Application deadline: September 1st of the application year

Nichole Bosson, MD, MPH, FAEMS
Director, EMS Fellowship
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine
1000 W Carson St. Box 21, Torrance CA 90509
Phone: 562-378-1602
Email: nbosson@dhs.lacounty.gov

Jeanne Austin
Coordinator, EMS Fellowship
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine
1000 W Carson St. Box 21, Torrance CA 90509
Phone: 424-306-5427
Email: jaustin@dhs.lacounty.gov