Please note that ALL eligible US faculty members have an ABEM Focused Designated Practice in Advanced Emergency Medicine Ultrasonography.
Tim O'Connor, MD
Fellowship Director
Dr. O'Connor is a Rochester local who attended residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital under the mentorship of Bon Ku.
My sojourn in the community ended when I came home to URMC in 2013. I did fellowship with Jefferson Svengsouk here and took over the fellowship in 2016. I love spreading the POCUS gospel at home and abroad."
Pastimes: reading, travel and lacrosse
POCUS favorite: USGPIV
Appetizer: crab cakes
Best Books I read in 2020: Range, Where the Line Bleeds, 1491
Jefferson Svengsouk, MD, MBA
Assistant Director of Emergency Ultrasound
Dr. Svengsouk founded the URMC Emergency Ultrasound Program in 2001 after obtaining ultrasound training at the Jefferson Ultrasound Radiology Education Institute (JUREI) and at SUNY Buffalo, Erie County Medical Center.
Over the following decade he served as Director of Emergency Ultrasound, and Director of Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship.
He is subspecialty board certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, with clinical practice both in Emergency Medicine and on the inpatient Palliative Care service, and he presently serves as Assistant Director of the Division of Emergency Ultrasound.
Highlights:
One of Rochester Magazine’s “Interesting people of Rochester 2017: 15 notables worth knowing”
- Student of Iaido, Japanese sword martial art
- Plays therapeutic music on Native American flute for patients at the bedside, and performs with his band “Cobbs Hill Consort” at the Rochester Fringe Festival
- Comfort food: Lao sausage, sticky rice, and jeow
- Highlights aspects of wellness in life on his Instagram account @sonolucent
Kayla Dewey, MD
Raised in California and Rochester, Dr. Dewey returned to Rochester a few years ago after completing her residency and fellowship at Georgetown/Medstar Washington Hospital Center (go Nats!).
As part of our ultrasound division, she is the ultrasound elective director for the medical school.
I love working with our team and our awesome residents and medical students! When not at work, I enjoy traveling, running around after my nieces and nephews, and helping my husband curate our wine collection."
Favorite movie: I would rather put fav TV show, which is definitely The West Wing
Best book of last year: Becoming by Michelle Obama
Nights or weekend: Nights!
Side dish that makes you think of yourself: mashed potatoes – traditional and comforting!
Favorite POCUS application: thoracic and US-guided IVs
Fresh Mex, middle eastern or Vietnamese food for lunch: Middle Eastern
Erika C. St James, M.D.
Born and raised in Pittsford, NY. Medical school at Upstate in Syracuse and Residency at UCONN in Connecticut. Completed Ultrasound Fellowship in Buffalo, NY in the same class as John. Stayed on in Buffalo for 7 years, ran the ultrasound division and fellowship there for 4. Returned home to Rochester and is excited be part of the URMC.
Pastimes: Paddleboarding, Skiing, planning Disney trips and spending time with my dogs.
Nights or weekend: Weekend nights, because why not?
Side dish that makes you think of yourself: Balsamic Glazed Roasted Brussel Sprouts: because they can seem odd at first, but are delicious, complex and crunchy when cooked well.
Favorite POCUS application: Cardiac, particularly in dyspnea
Favorite food: Vegan food, veggie ramen, veggie sushi
Michael Lu, MD
Division Director
Dr. Lu is currently the Director of the Emergency Ultrasound Division at URMC, and has been in Rochester since 2007. He grew up overseas in Taiwan, and came back to the United States after high school. He earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan, and completed his emergency medicine residency training here at the University of Rochester.
Dr. Lu joined the faculty group after residency, working in both the adult and pediatric ED at our main site as well as our free-standing community ED. He has remained closely involved with the education aspect of academics, with a particular focus and passion for procedural instruction and hands-on learning through bedside teaching and simulation.
Emergency ultrasound quite naturally fits into these categories, and over the years I have had the pleasure to watch our division grow and the honor to work with a great team of dedicated ultrasound faculty."
Favorite movie: I’m a big Star Wars nerd
Best book of last year: most recently reread The House of God, working on its sequel
Nights or weekends: weekends (starting to feel old, can’t do too many nights)
Side dish that makes you think of yourself: stinky tofu (Taiwanese night market staple; name is self-explanatory, but it is so good)
Favorite POCUS application: cardiac
Favorite food for lunch near the office: Vietnamese, ramen, bubble tea
John DeAngelis, MD
John DeAngelis is the newest addition to the Ultrasound Faculty.
He trained in Rochester but only recently returned after completing a Fellowship In Buffalo, NY, and a stint in Boston, MA. He is part of both the ultrasound and research divisions which allows his role to include clinical ultrasound research. He is currently involved in several ultrasound projects with his focus in pre-hospital ultrasound use. He also remains active in resident education.
He is a dedicated nocturnist, but when you see him during daylight hours he is always willing to grab a beer or lunch at one of the local spots. A dedicated hobbyist, he has an ever growing menagerie of outside interests.
I fell in love with ultrasound because it makes me a better doctor, and has gotten me out of some tough spots.”
Favorite movie: Big fan of Wes Anderson films
Best book of last year: My favorite this year was Death at Intervals by Jose Saragamo
Nights or weekends: Nights all the way!
Side dish that makes you think of yourself: Fried Pickles, seems odd, but always good
Favorite POCUS application: Biliary
Favorite food for lunch near the office: The little Pita place
Howard Lin, MD
Originally from Fairbanks, Alaska, Dr. Lin attended his residency at the University of Rochester. He then went to the University at Buffalo for ultrasound fellowship and came back to URMC as faculty in 2017.
He is mostly involved with residency education/ultrasound track. He also helps with faculty credentialing and manages point-of-care ultrasound at one of our regional sites.
Favorite movie: I don’t know if I have an actual favorite movie. I guess The Dark Knight if I had to pick one but according to Tim O’Connor, I apparently need to give Predator 2 a second chance.
Best book of last year: Currently reading Franklin Barbeque A Meat-Smoking Manifesto. Good read for anyone interested in trying to do at home traditional BBQ.
Nights or weekend?: Weekends
Side dish: I do enjoy me some nachos.
Favorite POCUS application: Shoulder blocks and reductions.
Favorite food: Fresh mex, Middle Eastern, or Vietnamese food for lunch: Sometimes I just have a craving for two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun. I may not have the most refined palate.