Virtual 2021 Faculty

Michael F. Murphy is a Practicing Anesthesiologist with American Anesthesiology and Professor Emeritus at University of Alberta. He has designed and implemented EMS systems in eastern Canada and the Caribbean. He has also edited the Manual of Emergency Airway Management (Walls Murphy) and Difficult and Failed Airway Management (Hung Murphy).

Dr. Murphy’s advice to students is to always learn from masters, and focus on people who are truly doing things. He got into teaching so he could expand the impact of his work. “I have always felt I could save more lives by teaching,” he says. He finds the best part of his job to be learning that what he taught ended up saving a life.

“I get a great deal of reward in knowing that I have contributed to the next generation of airway educators, researchers and managers,” he says.

Dr. J. Adam Law received his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, where he is currently the Deputy Head of the Faculty of Medicine: Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine.

Law finds teaching to be a privilege, and loves being challenged by his students, whom he learns from every day. His advice to those learning more about airway management is to seek hands on experience, and to always start with the basics. “Get experience managing normal airways first,” he says. “That way you have a good base to the pyramid when it comes to managing difficult ones.”

When Law has a rare moment of free time, he likes to hike, play tennis, and spend time with family.

Dr. Calvin A. Brown III is the Vice Chair for Network Development at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Airway management is a challenging field, and Brown finds that time is often a precious resource. It’s important to always keep critical thinking skills sharp. “Emergency physicians are fortunate when there is time for a methodical, planned approach, however, we are often called upon to act suddenly with little or no information,” he explains. “Clear decision making and foundational knowledge of airway management will provide the best outcome for your patient.”

Outside of the office, Brown has recently re-entered the world of competitive Masters Track and Field.

Dr. Jarrod Mosier is Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medicine at the University of Arizona. He is board certified in both Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Medicine. He is clinically active in the ICU, ED, and serves as the medical director of the adult ECMO program. Dr. Mosier is a fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine and the American College of Emergency Physicians.

When it comes to airway management, Mosier finds it helpful to mentally visualize the procedure as you would if you were playing a sport. This allows planning ahead, so you don’t have to make crucial decisions in the heat of the moment. His favorite part about teaching is hearing from past students. For him, hearing that a technique or piece of advice he gave a student ended up saving a life is the most rewarding part of his job.

Mosier enjoys photography, particularly landscape photos. He has a website for his work.

Dr. Braude is Professor of Emergency Medicine and Anesthesiology and the Tim Fleming Endowed Professor of EMS at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. He is the EMS Section Chief and Director of the EMS Fellowship Program in the Department of Emergency Medicine.  Dr. Braude spent 10 years as a Flight Physician and Air Medical Director.

Currently he is a Medical Director of several agencies including Rio Rancho Fire Rescue and the UNM EMS Academy.  In addition, he remains active in the field through the UNM EMS Physician Field Response Program.  Dr. Braude is author of Rapid Sequence Intubation and Rapid Sequence Airway, 2nd edition: An Airway911 Guide, has nearly 50 peer-reviewed publications, is a regular contributor to EM:Rap and speaks nationally and internationally on airway topics.

Dr. Braude is Medical Director for The Difficult Airway Course: EMS and all other EMS programs offered by First Airway.

Dr. David Caro is the Medical Education Fellowship Program Director at the University of Florida College of Medicine for the Department of Emergency Medicine in Jacksonville. He is also the co-director for The Difficult Airway Course: Residency Edition™.

When it comes to managing difficult airways, Dr. Caro has one main piece of advice: always approach emergent airways with no less than three plans, so there is always something to fall back on should anything fail. He loves teaching, especially the moments where he can see students applying what they’ve learned to real life scenarios. His interest in teaching came from his parents, and the way they raised him. “Both of my parents took every opportunity to teach what they could as I grew up. Their modeling had a strong influence on my interest and desire to educate.”

Dr. Caro has three sons, and is married to a fellow emergency physician.

Dr. Erik G. Laurin is currently a Clinical Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of California, Davis. He is also the Director of the Emergency Airway Management Fellowship and the Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Laurin’s advice to those wanting to learn more about airway management is to say yes to any and all educational opportunities possible, both as a teacher or a student. When it comes to teaching, his favorite part of the job is expanding someone’s arsenal of techniques and knowledge so they can be better prepared for their next airway challenge. He also finds that he ends up learning just as much in return. “Likewise, I’m often taught by learners and improve my own skills,” he says.

When not working, Dr. Laurin and his wife are working on mastering the art of making wine at home.

Dr. Joshua Nagler is an Attending Physician in Emergency Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital. He is also an Associate Professor in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. He has received over ten teaching awards, including the Fellow Teaching Award from Boston Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Nagler finds that when working with children, airway systems must be managed differently. “For providers who infrequently care for critically ill children, it is important to develop a systematic approach to pediatric airway management and be comfortable with that system,” he recommends. When it comes to teaching, his favorite part of the job is seeing students’ faces light up when they solve challenging issues on their own, and realize that they have the knowledge they need in them.

Dr. Nagler is a big fan of the Boston Red Sox, and for the past nine years has traveled to an away game for the team with his son.

Dr. Matteo Parotto is Staff Anesthesiologist and Intensivist at Toronto General Hospital, as well as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesia and Interdepartment Division of Critical Care Medicine at the University of Toronto. He has had the pleasure of working with doctors from around the globe, and is part of the Canadian Airway Focus Group.

Dr. Parotto’s advice to those working in airway management is to never be afraid to ask for help, and always keep up to date with modern practices. One of the moments he found the most educational was as a medical student, when he observed a doctor preparing for the emergence phase from anesthesia. “There was nothing particularly challenging about it, and he must have done this thousands of times in his career,” he said. “And yet, he remained very focused, and approached it quite meticulously. It taught me the respect that we must always have in patient care.”

Outside of the office, Dr. Parotto is likes to play soccer, volleyball, and basketball when he gets the chance.

Dr. Leslie Simon is the Chair of Emergency Medicine at Mayo Clinic Florida. She was on active duty in the U.S. Navy for ten years, and was stationed in Guam, Spain, Jacksonville and San Diego, and did a combat deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Simon has trained thousands of providers in the Navy, Army and Airforce in difficult airway management over the last fifteen years.

Her advice to those in the field is to always practice. Practicing builds and sharpens your skillset. “More importantly,” Simon adds, “practice builds confidence, which is every bit as important as technical ability.” She loves to teach because it keeps her excited about her work, and gives her the chance to learn new things.

Simon is a mini-van-driving mother of four whose favorite sport is shoe shopping.

Jamie Todd is a Pre-Hospital Care Consultant for numerous industry sectors. He was in the first group of paramedics in the United Kingdom to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Pre-Hospital Care.

His advice when it comes to airway management is to always know the basics, and have them mastered to your very best ability. “In fact we call them ‘essentials’ rather than ‘basics’ as they will get you out of trouble almost every time,” he says. Prior to his career in Emergency Medicine, Jamie trained as a science teacher and worked in wilderness skills instruction. His favorite part of the job is the moment when he can see everything click for students.

Jamie has combined his EMS and wilderness skills in interesting ways. He has taken journalists around Mongolia for three months, and worked a ski race to the magnetic North Pole.

jamie@theairwaysite.com