WELCOME
Welcome and thank you for your interest in our program! For decades, Vanderbilt Emergency Medicine has been a leader in education and clinical excellence. We are on a mission to train the future leaders in emergency care who will be ready for any job. Here at Vanderbilt, you will not only learn in one of the highest acuity EDs in the country, but you will also learn skills for managing your career, life, and wellness. I would invite you to explore our pages and learn more about our residency program. I would also encourage you to follow us on Instagram to learn more about what is going on day-to-day here in Nashville and at Vandy.
ABOUT US
Since 1992, the VUMC EM residency has been serving the complex needs of our region. Our vision is to leverage our unique training environments to train resident physicians to deliver timely, safe, effective, equitable, and personalized care to any patient, anytime, anywhere. Our graduates will be prepared for patient-centered leadership in the next generation of emergency care.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center is located in the heart of Nashville, TN. It is a quaternary care center serving the citizens of Tennessee in addition to parts of 4 neighboring states. VUMC is a leading research organization devoted to patient-centered research and receives research funding from many federal sources, Our department is a leader in emergency care research and enrolls thousands of patients per year in multiple high quality, multicenter studies. It is an NIH-designated comprehensive cancer center, comprehensive stroke center, and the only Level I adult trauma, Level I pediatric trauma, and comprehensive burn center in middle Tennessee. In addition to our residency program, VUMC is also home to more than ninety other training programs with over one thousand residents and fellows which means that you will learn alongside other superior trainees from across the country. We look forward to hearing from you and thank you again for your interest in our program.
Matthew Pirotte
Program Director
Dr. Pirotte did his undergrad at the University of Kansas and medical school at Loyola University in Chicago. Following this, he completed his residency in emergency medicine at Northwestern where he served as chief resident. He has been an attending in the emergency department at both Loyola and more recently Northwestern and served as both assistant clerkship director and assistant residency director. Dr. Pirotte is passionate about teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels with a focus on procedures, practice transition, and personal finance. He lives in 12 South with his wife Christiana (an anesthesiologist at Vanderbilt), their 2 children Zoe and Tommy, and their beloved English Springer Spaniels Lilly (9) and Archie (2). In his free time, Dr. Pirotte enjoys reading novels, entertaining, cooking, outdoor sports, and gaming.
Kaitlin Ray
Assistant Program Director
Dr. Ray is a native of Nashville and joined our faculty in 2022. She obtained her undergraduate degree at Duke University in Biosocial Health and served as Captain of the Swim and Dive Team. She subsequently pursued her medical education at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. Dr. Ray then went on to complete her Emergency Medicine residency at Northwestern University in Chicago. There, she served as Chief Resident and completed the Medical Education Clinical Scholars Program. After residency, she was as an Assistant Program Director at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She now serves as an Assistant Program Director at Vanderbilt, practicing in the main university ED as well as the VA. Her interests include competency based medical education, resident feedback and assessment, and mentorship of trainees. Outside of medicine, she loves being outdoors and spending time with her family and miniature dachshund Hank!
Joe Sikon
Assistant Program Director
Dr. Sikon grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. He completed his medical training in 2016 as a part of the six-year accelerated B.S./M.D. program through Kent State and Northeast Ohio Medical University. From there he and his wife moved to Nashville where he completed his Emergency Medicine Residency at Vanderbilt in 2019, and his Fellowship in Simulation in 2020. Since then, Joe has worked actively with resident education at Vanderbilt as a faculty member, primarily as a part of the Simulation Division. He was appointed as an APD in 2022. When he's not at work or in the sim lab Joe likes to spend his time lifting at the gym, cooking, and spending time with his wife and chocolate Labrador, Chessie.
Catherine Burger
Assistant Program Director
Dr. Burger is an assistant professor with the Department of Emergency Medicine. She completed her undergraduate degree in biology and history at the University of Michigan followed by her medical degree from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. After graduating from the Vanderbilt University Emergency Medicine Residency, she then completed Chief Residency at Vanderbilt as well. After five years serving as faculty at Vanderbilt, she completed a fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine 2021. Shortly after finishing her fellowship, she became assistant program director in 2021. She enjoys international medicine, running, volleyball and cooking.
Ti James
Chief Resident
Dr. James was born, raised, and educated in Arkansas, which is known as the Natural State and the home of the Diamond Mines State Park. She attended the University of Arkansas where she majored in Chemistry. She then obtained her medical degree and Master of Public Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Having always dreamed of a career as an Emergency Medicine physician, she was thrilled to match at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2022. She is now serving as a 2024-2025 Chief Resident for our program. She also serves as a resident course coordinator for undergraduate medical education programming. Her professional interest includes advocacy, medical education, and program recruitment. She enjoys fashion, traveling, and trying new restaurants.
Millie Cosse
Chief Resident
Dr. Cosse grew up in New Mexico, aka The Land of Enchantment. She earned her bachelor’s degree in EMS as well as her MD from the University of New Mexico. She is interested in rural and critical access medicine. She lives in 12 South with her husband Ryan and dogs Chama and Noly. In her free time, she enjoys playing piano, riding motorcycles, and reading.
Sarah Brown
Chief Resident
Hey, I'm Sarah! I am originally from sunny Albuquerque, New Mexico. I went to the University of New Mexico and graduated with a degree in Biochemistry. I kept the momentum going and went to medical school at my alma mater. Fate took a playful turn when I crossed paths with my partner-in-crime, Riley, while we were working at a local urgent care clinic. Before we knew it, we found ourselves saying 'I do' in a Vegas wedding back in 2022. Life's twists and turns, right? We have loved living in Nashville. The foodie scene is incredible, and we love going to Preds Hockey games, and walking at Percy Warner. We love to travel and together have been to many incredible places including Belize, Spain, and Greece! Back home, Sherlock and Watson, our furry troublemaker cats, keep us on our toes with their antics. I’m planning to stick around the Nashville area pursuing a community emergency medicine job next year. I am excited to serve in the role of Chief!
Elizabeth Fischer
Associate Program Manager
Elizabeth has been at Vanderbilt since May 2016 and is the newest member of our team. She is transferring to us from the Department of Surgical Sciences, where she was the assistant to the Chief Business Officer, as well as assisting the General Surgery Residency Program Director for the past 2 ½ years. Elizabeth is a proud mom to three boys (Aaron, Wyatt & Jaxon) and two dogs (Link and Bogie). In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her wife and boys, go hiking, and take family vacations.
Tammy Tankersley
Program Coordinator
Tammy is a Nashville native and has been with VUMC for 15 years. She is the proud mom of one daughter (Alyssa), and her two handsome Golden Retrievers, River and Raine (River pictured). In her spare time she enjoys working in her yard, walking on trails with her Golden boys, crafting and spending time with family and friends.
Please reach out to her with any questions you may have about our program.
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