Dear Faculty, Staff & Alumni,

It is with great pleasure and a touch of nostalgia that we announce the well-deserved retirement of Dr. Jeffrey T. Mitchell, who has dedicated an incredible 50 years to the State of Maryland, including 44 remarkable years at UMBC and within our department.

Throughout his tenure, Dr. Mitchell has been a cornerstone of our department's success, contributing immeasurably to our growth and achievements. He has not only witnessed our department's evolution but has also played a pivotal role in shaping its history with unwavering dedication, passion, and expertise. Among his many contributions, he developed and taught several courses such as Search and Rescue, Disaster Management, and Emergency Response to Crisis.

Dr. Mitchell's career began as a firefighter and paramedic, and he later served as a regional coordinator of emergency health services for the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems. He is also the co-founder of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF), a nonprofit organization that supports traumatized emergency and military personnel through education and assistance. Dr. Mitchell is deeply revered in the EMS community, where his guidance and expertise have helped many providers cope with trauma and loss, empowering them to continue their vital work.

In a testament to his dedication, Dr. Mitchell worked tirelessly up to his very last day, participating in multiple interviews for a new tenure-track professor position within our department.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Mitchell and wish him a retirement filled with joy, relaxation, and new adventures.

Please join us on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, from 3-5 pm for the Emergency and Disaster Health Systems Graduate Speaker Seminar Series via WebEx. The speaker's information and seminar topic can be found below. Please help us welcome this week’s speaker by attending the seminar, and please bring your questions and discussion points!

We hope to see everyone there!

All majors are welcome!

Speaker Information:

Dr. Ben Lawner, DO, EMT-P

Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine

EM Physician, University of Maryland Medical Center

Medical Director, Baltimore City Fire Department, Maryland ExpressCare, PHI Air Medical EMS Liaison

Seminar Topic:

"Baltimore City Fire Department's Behavioral and Community Paramedicine & State of paramedicine and practice of prehospital care" 

Speaker Bio:

Ben's interest in emergency medicine began at an early age. He considered paramedics Johnny Gage and Roy DeSoto as childhood friends and was often spotted at daycare donning a plastic "squad 51" fireman's hat. After "Emergency!" was cancelled, he inexplicably clung to the TV set for career counseling. Disappointed by the surgeons of, "Trapper John, MD," Ben turned to Howie Mandel (St Elsewhere's Dr.Wayne Fiscus) for further inspiration. True to his out-of-hospital roots, Ben completed EMT school in 1994 and secured his first pair of trauma shears. Until 2001, Ben worked for Alachua County Fire Rescue as a lead paramedic / firefighter. Fortunately for the population of north central Florida, Ben was never detailed to a fire suppression apparatus and remained "stuck on the box (ambulance)." He graduated from Nova Southeastern University's College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2005 and completed his emergency medicine residency training at the University of Maryland. He served as a Chief Resident and Faculty Development Fellow for the 2008-2009 academic year and is completed an EMS fellowship jointly sponsored by UMBC, UMD, and the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS). Ben's current academic interests include medical education, critical care transport, and resuscitation. In 2018, he was recognized with the Street Medicine Society's John P. Pryor Award for his ongoing commitment to prehospital medicine. 

Ben Lawner currently serves as the Medical Director for the Baltimore City Fire Department and the Maryland ExpressCare Critical Care Transport Team. In 2023, he was recognized as the EMS Physician of the Year by the Maryland Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians. He is a board member and Fellow of the Air Medical Physician Association. 

Location: 900 Walker Ave, Room 114, or online via Webex

Join Webex Meeting

Meeting number:

2633 827 4060

Meeting password:

36350242

Join by phone

+1-202-860-2110 United States Toll (Washington D.C.)

Attendee access code: 36350242

Global call-in numbers

Please note that the Dept of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems (EDHS) has temporarily moved (due to renovations of Sherman Hall) to the 900 Walker Building. Address is 900 Walker Ave. (building located behind the Walker Apartments, towards Wilkins Ave.) in the main EHS classroom Walker 114. Enter the front doors and follow the signs to the department area & classroom (Room 114). Link to map (see upper right corner on Walker Avenue, it is the building entitled Baltimore County Courthouse): https://mcac.umbc.edu/maps-and-directions/

Please join us on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 3-5 pm for the Emergency and Disaster Health Systems Graduate Speaker Seminar Series via WebEx. The speaker's information and seminar topic can be found below. Please help us welcome this week’s speaker by attending the seminar, and please bring your questions and discussion points!

We hope to see everyone there!

All majors are welcome!

Speaker Information:

Wendy Dunaway, MS

UMBC Public Policy PhD Candidate

Seminar Topic:

“Exploration of EMS Workforce Retention”

Speaker Bio:

Wendy Dunaway is a Critical Care Paramedic practicing in Wisconsin and a Public Policy Ph. D. candidate at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Active in EMS since 2005 in 911 response and interfacility capacities, Wendy seeks to improve EMS infrastructure policy to make EMS a nationally sustainable, essential service.

Location: 900 Walker Ave, Room 114, or online via Webex

Join Webex Meeting

Meeting number:

2633 827 4060

Meeting password:

36350242

Join by phone

+1-202-860-2110 United States Toll (Washington D.C.)

Attendee access code: 36350242

Global call-in numbers

Please note that the Dept of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems (EDHS) has temporarily moved (due to renovations of Sherman Hall) to the 900 Walker Building. Address is 900 Walker Ave. (building located behind the Walker Apartments, towards Wilkins Ave.) in the main EHS classroom Walker 114. Enter the front doors and follow the signs to the department area & classroom (Room 114). Link to map (see upper right corner on Walker Avenue, it is the building entitled Baltimore County Courthouse): https://mcac.umbc.edu/maps-and-directions/