Message from the Chair

As we begin another academic year in the Department of Emergency Medicine, I’m reminded of the incredible legacy we have built over the past four decades. This year marks the 40th anniversary of our Emergency Medicine Residency, a milestone that gives us an opportunity to celebrate the generations of physicians who have trained here and the successful program we have built. 

This summer, we welcomed 16 new interns to the department. We are grateful they chose UMMC to begin their emergency medicine careers, and we look forward to watching them develop as clinicians, educators, and leaders. 

This issue highlights several examples of how the work of our Department of Emergency Medicine reaches well beyond the walls of the emergency department. 

Dr. Risa Moriarity has taken on a new role as UMMC’s chief faculty affairs officer, bringing her longstanding commitment to mentorship and faculty development to an institution-wide position. Her leadership is a wonderful example of the many ways members of our department contribute to UMMC beyond their individual roles. 

We are also proud of the continued growth of our emergency care resources. The opening of the dedicated Psychiatric Emergency Services unit represents an important step toward providing specialized, compassionate care for patients experiencing a mental health crisis.  

Our AirCare team continues to extend their mission across Mississippi and beyond with the addition of a fixed-wing aircraft to its fleet. Together, these efforts reflect our commitment to meeting patients where they are and providing the right care when they need it most.  

Our department’s reach extends to public health as well. The Mississippi Poison Control Center’s new Medical Cannabis Hotline provides patients and health care providers with timely guidance as medical cannabis use continues to evolve in our state. It is another example of the important role our faculty and programs play in protecting and improving the health of Mississippians.  

Most of all, this issue is a reminder that our department’s greatest strength is its people. Forty years of residency training represents hundreds of physicians, educators, researchers, and leaders who have carried the lessons of UMMC Emergency Medicine into communities across Mississippi and around the world. 

Thank you to everyone who has helped build this department and to those who continue to move it forward. I’m proud of what we have accomplished together and excited for what the next 40 years will bring.