Global EM contributors and colleagues

The development of Emergency Medicine residency training in Guyana has paid dividends and fostered progress on many levels. 

This progress has been the work of colleagues from Vanderbilt, Guyana and beyond:

John Paul Rohde - grew up in Guyana in the 1980s and will always consider Guyana to be home. Led the first Vanderbilt visit to Guyana in 2002 and worked with Project Dawn, GPHC, the Guyana Ministry of Health, and the University of Guyana to create the platform for ongoing collaboration.  Core faculty member in the Emergency Medicine residency at GPHC.

Nicolas Forget – the inaugural Director of the Masters in Emergency Medicine program at GPHC and the “Father of Emergency Medicine” in Guyana.  Nico and his wife Dr Ruth Derkenne (Family Medicine and Obstetrics) have had an incalculable impact on the development of graduate medical education in Guyana.  Their legacy in the development of Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, and Obstetrics is monumental.

Jeff McKinzie - first Division Head of Global Emergency Medicine at Vanderbilt and early pioneer of the Vanderbilt partnership with GPHC

Les Wooldridge – world class resuscitation guru and American Heart Association content expert who brought resuscitation training to Guyana as an early educational initiative.  His personal style and teaching talent created the credible foundation of resuscitation education on which the EM residency at GPHC was later built.

Seth Wright – second Division Head of Global Emergency Medicine at Vanderbilt and founder of the Fellowship program who mentored JP Rohde and 6 Fellows, recruited and mentored Nico Forget, and built the Division of Global EM into what it is today.

Keith Wrenn – Legendary teacher of Emergency Medicine who gave generously of his time and tirelessly of his effort to provide critical training to the early residency classes.

Corey Slovis – Legendary teacher of Emergency Medicine and former Chair of Vanderbilt Emergency Medicine under whose tenure the Guyana partnership was started, nurtured, and developed with his generous support.

Ian Jones – Strategic advisor on program development, early residency class educator, and constant supporter of the program.

Larry Stack – Legendary medical photographer and teacher of visual diagnosis who was an important educator of early residency classes.

Kristen Dettorre – First Vanderbilt Global EM fellow, who created the first GPHC residency curriculum and remains a major contributor to the GPHC residency program, co-directing with Dr. SriDevi Jagjit. Kristen has been Vanderbilt’s Global EM Fellowship Director since 2018 and now leads the Global EM Division as Director. She is one of the creators and educators for the Vanderbilt Collaborative for Global Health Equity training program available to all VUMC residents and fellows.  Core faculty of the EM residency at GPHC.

Shannon Melvin Langston – international man of mystery, former paramedic of 13 years, and second Vanderbilt Global EM fellowship graduate who leads the Guyana National EMS System project with Dr. Zulfikar Bux.  Core faculty of the EM residency at GPHC.

Tiffany Alexander – Filled Nico Forget’s gigantic shoes to become the 2nd GPHC EM residency Program Director, laboring tirelessly on behalf of the residency with an inspirational commitment to excellence and an unparalleled personal humility. Transitioned from academic medicine in 2018 to pursue community EM position.

Jordan Rupp – Vanderbilt Global EM and Ultrasound fellowship trained co-founder with Brian Bales of the GPHC Emergency Ultrasound fellowship and the global ultrasound non-profit Global Sounds.  Core faculty of the EM residency at GPHC.  (Jordan may almost rival Tiffany in the personal humility department.)

Brian Bales – Vanderbilt Global EM and Ultrasound fellowship trained co-founder with Jordan Rupp of the GPHC Emergency Ultrasound fellowship and the global ultrasound non-profit Global Sounds.  Core faculty of the EM residency at GPHC.

Jaime Cirbus – Vanderbilt Global EM fellowship graduate and previous Director of International Education supporting the GPHC EM residency program from 2020-2022. Worked innovatively with Dr. Zelda Luke-Blyden, the previous GPHC EM Program Director, to rapidly adapt the curriculum to Covid-19 pandemic constraints. Transitioned from academic emergency medicine in 2023.

Ken Iserson – Veteran academic emergency physician, author, educator, and wilderness medicine expert from the University of Arizona who serves as a core faculty member of the EM residency at GPHC.

Lacey MenkinSmith – Previous Director of the Global Emergency Medicine fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina who serves as a core faculty member of the EM residency at GPHC.

Joe Reardon – Vanderbilt Global EM fellowship graduate whose ambitious fellowship project successfully reviewed and updated the GPHC Masters in EM residency curriculum.

Catherine Burger – long-time recurring contributor to EM resident education in Guyana and now Peds EM specialist with a vision for enhancing Peds EM training in Guyana.

Stephan Russ – long-time recurring contributor to EM education in Guyana and master facilitator and collaborator on big ideas. Closely involved and heavily engaged since the earliest days of the partnership.  Key contributor to National EMS System, Masters in EM program, Emergency Nurse Residency program, and GPHC A&E architectural redesign projects among others.

John Morris – Master creator of systems of care and invaluable mentor who has given abundantly of his time and unequaled expertise to make the Guyana National EMS System project possible.

Jessica VanMeter – If Nico Forget is the Father of Emergency Medicine in Guyana, then Jessica is the “Mother of Emergency Nursing”, serving as the inaugural Director of the Bachelor’s Program in Emergency Nursing at GPHC

Sally Dye – VUMC trauma program educator and long-time recurring contributor to Emergency Nursing education in Guyana and Associate Director of the Emergency Nurse Residency program.

Ali Grubbs – VUMC nurse leader and former emergency nurse involved from the beginning of the Vanderbilt/GPHC partnership in Emergency Nursing education.  Key contributor to the creation of the Emergency Nurse Residency curriculum.

Morgan Vero Rohde – VUMC cardiothoracic CRNA and former emergency nurse involved from the beginning of the Vanderbilt/GPHC partnership in Emergency Nursing education.  Key contributor to the creation of the residency curriculum.  Recently facilitated a new partnership between Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia and GPHC in support of nurse anesthesia education.

Emily McBride – VUMC nurse leader and former emergency nurse involved from the beginning of the Vanderbilt/GPHC partnership in Emergency Nursing education.  Key contributor to the creation of the residency curriculum

Jan Dahlke – VUMC emergency nurse case manager and key contributor to the creation of the Emergency Nursing residency program.

Jason Reed – VUMC Lifeflight nurse and former emergency nurse who was a key contributor to the creation of the Emergency Nursing residency curriculum

Emily Evans – VUMC critical care/emergency nurse practitioner and key contributor as an educator in the Emergency Nursing residency program.

Shannon Elrich - VUMC critical care nurse practitioner and key contributor as an educator in the Emergency Nursing residency program

Kevin High – Master educator in airway management and trauma team resuscitation who has provided valuable airway and resuscitation training for GPHC physicians and nurse 

Jeff Gray – Vanderbilt EMS communications guru who helped design and implement the communications platform for the Guyana National EMS System.

Donald Blair – Vanderbilt Medical Center’s chief architect who donated his time and expertise to generate blueprints for a redesign of the Accident and Emergency Department facility at GPHC.

Now, the residency program has retained 100% of its Guyanese graduates in Emergency Medicine practice in Guyana.

Zulfikar Bux – Inaugural graduate of the GPHC/Vanderbilt/University of Guyana Masters in Emergency Medicine in 2013, first promoted to rank of Consultant, now Head of GPHC Accident & Emergency Department, and Guyana National Director of Emergency Medical Services

Tracey Bovell – Class of 2014 graduate and 2nd promoted to rank of Consultant.  Leader in Trauma education and Disaster Preparedness.  Chief Medical Officer of the Guyana Covid-19 Specialty Hospital.

Zelda Luke – Class of 2015 graduate and first local Program Director of the Masters in Emergency Medicine residency program from 2018-2022.

Balram Doodnauth – Class of 2015 graduate, previous Assistant Director for A&E Operations and graduate from A&E Administration fellowship training program.

Batukhan Wilson – Class of 2015 graduate with clinical focus in critical care medicine.  Leader in the national Covid ICU.

Sri Devi Jagjit – Class of 2015 graduate and first to complete the Vanderbilt/GPHC Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship.  Now director of ED Ultrasound at GPHC and US fellowship director.  Internationally acclaimed US research in publication. Serves as current program director for the Masters in EM Residency training program.

Esan Reid – Class of 2015 graduate and active duty Guyana Defense Force Medical Corps Officer.  GPHC staff Emergency Medicine physician and leader in remote/hinterland search and rescue operations.

Priscilla Joseph – Class of 2016 graduate and Guyana regional hospital staff Emergency Medicine physician.

Rajiv Singh – Class of 2017 graduate, Guyana regional hospital staff Emergency Medicine physician and current Ultrasound Fellow. 

Hemchand Jhagru – Class of 2017 graduate and now Chief Oral Boards Examiner for the GPHC Masters in Emergency Medicine program and Head of Accident & Emergency Department, New Amsterdam Hospital, serving Guyana’s second largest city.

Dwayne Kellman – Class of 2018 graduate, GPHC staff Emergency Medicine physician, core faculty to Masters in Emergency Medicine residency training program.

Rayal Jhagru – Class of 2018 graduate, GPHC staff Emergency Medicine physician, graduate from Ultrasound Fellowship training program, Director of Simulation Education and core faculty to Masters in Emergency Medicine residency training program.

Andy Walcott – Class of 2019 graduate and GPHC staff Emergency Medicine physician.

Melissa Rickett – Class of 2019 graduate and GPHC staff Emergency Medicine physician.

Dellon Durga – Class of 2020 graduate, GPHC staff Emergency Medicine physician.

Vedprakash Etwaria – Class of 2021 graduate with impressive performance on Masters written and oral exams despite 2 years of training in pandemic context with hybrid remote/in-person learning platform. Core faculty and research coordinator for Masters in Emergency Medicine residency training program.

Odesia Lowe – Class of 2022 graduate, GPHC staff Emergency Medicine physician.

Gerald Thompson – Class of 2022 graduate, GPHC staff Emergency Medicine physician.  

Lucieanna Mohan – Class of 2022 graduate, core faculty to Masters in Emergency Medicine residency training program with emphasis on pediatric emergency medicine education.

Steve Harikishun – Class of 2023 graduate, GPHC staff Emergency Medicine physician

Sirpaul Rampersaud – Class of 2023 graduate, GPHC staff Emergency Medicine physician. 

Ivelyn Pluck – Class of 2024 graduate, GPHC staff Emergency Medicine physician, pursuing pediatric EM fellowship training.

Orin Lewis – Class of 2024 graduate, GPHC staff Emergency Medicine physician.