SPOTLIGHT
PAYING IT FORWARD: GUIDING THE PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT GRANT FUNDING An interview with Dr. Manish N. Shah, 2023-2024 SAEMF President Manish N. Shah, MD, MPH, is the chair of the BerbeeWalsh Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, where he is also a professor of emergency medicine, population health sciences, and geriatrics. As a clinician, researcher, and educator, Dr. Shah has dedicated his career to improving prehospital and emergency department care delivered to acutely ill older adults, specifically individuals living with dementia. His work focuses on developing, testing, and implementing innovative approaches to providing older adults with acute illness care that are safe, convenient, and effective. His pioneering efforts have helped to establish the field of geriatric emergency medicine and have advanced the role of ambulance-based paramedics to support community health efforts — now known as “community paramedicine.” Over his career, Dr. Shah has authored more than 175 publications and has received over $150 million in grants and contracts as principal or co-investigator.
SAEM PULSE | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024
In recent years, Dr. Shah’s efforts have also focused on training and developing the next generation of academic emergency medicine faculty, particularly researchers. He has mentored many students, residents, fellows, and faculty, including on career development awards, and until recently led the NIH-funded KL2 program at UW–Madison. Many of his mentees are now successful academicians and leaders in emergency medicine and beyond.
12