Fellows - Department of Emergency Medicine

EMS Fellows

Current EMS Fellows

Adam Benzing, M.D.

Contact information: benzing@uthscsa.edu

Medical School: Howard University College of Medicine

Residency: University of Central Florida – Greater Orlando

Hometown: Parsonsfield, ME

Why did you pursue this fellowship? My long time interests include wilderness, international, and disaster medicine – all of which fall under the umbrella of pre-hospital medicine. Before medical school my career was in emergency management. An EMS fellowship encompasses all my interests and previous experience – and with lights and sirens.

Why did you pick UT Health San Antonio for your fellowship? It’s a great EMS program. Texas has the added benefit of delegated practice which means opportunities for cutting edge pre-hospital practice.

What hobbies do you have, and what do you do in your free time? All things outdoors, especially hiking, camping, canoeing/kayaking, primitive camping and outdoor survival skills. I also enjoy woodworking, but am currently without a shop. My perfect day is a hike with my wife and son. Lately my free time has been consumed with unpacking, Honey-do lists, yard work, and wrestling with my 16mo old son, Elijah.

What is your favorite place to visit / things to do in San Antonio? I’m only recently arrived to San Antonio, but I was very impressed with the weekend farmers market at the Pearl.

Amninder Singh, M.D.

Contact information: singha1@uthscsa.edu

Global Health Fellows

Current Global Health Fellows

Andrew L. Stricklin, M.D.

Contact information: stricklinA@uthscsa.edu

Medical School: Texas A&M University College of Medicine

Residency: UT Health San Antonio, Department of Emergency Medicine

Hometown: Colleyville, TX

Why did you pursue this fellowship in Global Health? Global health is what initially got me interested in medicine. I always knew since I started studying medicine that I would like to pursue a career in Global Health. During medical school, I fell in love with Emergency Medicine and learned about the massive need for Emergency Medicine in many countries around the world, and during residency made the decision to further learn how I could bring Emergency Medicine to places around the world that do not have it.

Why did you pick UT Health San Antonio for your fellowship? I completed Residency at UT Health San Antonio, and during my time here, I was able to go on multiple global health trips to help start Emergency Medicine Residencies in countries that do not have formal training programs in Emergency Medicine. The commitment of the Global Health leadership at the program to getting its residents to as much global health experience really impressed me, and my desire to continue to work on projects I started during residency are the main reasons why I chose to stay at UT Health San Antonio for my fellowship training. I am so excited and feel very lucky to get to stay and continue to train here.

What hobbies do you have? What else do you do in your free time? Playing the piano is something that has been a hobby of mine since my early childhood, and has been a hobby that I have continued to practice throughout my life. I enjoy playing anything but especially classical music and ragtime. I enjoy the beautiful culture and environment around the city of San Antonio, the Texas Hill Country and the rivers in the surrounding region during the warmer weather. I also enjoy swimming, playing tennis, a good Sci-Fi novel, video games, and college football.

What is your favorite place to visit/thing(s) to do in/memory from living in San Antonio? There is so much to see and do in San Antonio. I enjoy spending time downtown in the Southtown area, eating and hanging out around the Pearl Brewery, and kayaking and tubing on the many surrounding rivers during the Summer months. I would have to say my favorite memory from living in San Antonio would be one of the many times I have gone floating on the Guadalupe river with my friends.

Combined Ultrasound/Global Health Fellows

Current Ultrasound / Global Health Fellows

Ryan Joseph, D.O.

Contact information: josephR1@uthscsa.edu

Medical School: UNT Health Science Center – Texas, College of Osteopathic Medicine

Residency: Texas A&M Corpus Christi – Christus Spohn Medical Center

Hometown: Tomball TX

Why did you pursue this fellowship in Ultrasound / Global Health? Ever since I’ve wanted to become a physician it was because of my desire to help those with limited or no access to medical care. I also enjoy discovering new things or overcoming new obstacles, and I feel as though global health is still a frontier of sorts. With that said, ultrasound has helped us deliver better care to those in need especially in resource limited settings. Through this fellowship I’ll have the opportunity to refine my ultrasound skills while teaching providers in underserved areas to use ultrasound as well. In my opinion, these two areas complement each other very well and will hopefully help people get the better healthcare that they deserve.

Why did you pick UT Health San Antonio for your fellowship? Being a part of UT Health San Antonio has been a goal of mine since medical school, and that desire has only been strengthened by the growth of the department of emergency medicine. The leadership at UT Health San Antonio is very supportive of whatever goals or aspirations we’ve set for ourselves and has the resources to help you achieve those goals. Not to mention, I think San Antonio is the best city to live in and hopefully raise a family one day.

What hobbies do you have? What else do you do in your free time? Writing down all of my hobbies is difficult, and according to my wife, I’ve probably got too many. I really enjoy exercising, specifically crossfit, mountain and road biking, and running. I obviously enjoy travelling, which is inherent to the desire to practice global health. I also enjoy spending time with my wife and our dog Gracie. Together, we like to visit breweries and wineries, hike, kayak, and explore the beautiful Texas hill country. I like to try new things so I’m always getting new hobbies and they sometimes just depend on the people I’m around!

What is your favorite place to visit/thing(s) to do in/memory from living in San Antonio? In and around San Antonio I like to do the things I mentioned above, as well as try all of the different food options. I like to experience different cultures, and food is an easy way to do that right here in San Antonio. I also enjoy exploring the Riverwalk (I know touristy) and going to some of the small towns surrounding San Antonio that each have their own character and something different to offer.

Elijah J. Katz, M.D.

Contact information: katzE@uthscsa.edu

Medical School: University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

Residency: UTHSCSA

Hometown: Davenport, IA

Why did you pursue this fellowship in Ultrasound / Global Health? Seeing the potential of point of care ultrasound both in the ED and in resource limited settings during my residency training inspired me to pursue a combined fellowship with global health, where I hope to refine my skills to make use of POCUS in new and innovative ways, work towards excellence in teaching, so that I can bring these skills to the international arena.

Why did you pick UT Health San Antonio for your fellowship? San Antonio offered both excellent facilities, patients, most especially mentors and an overall unique opportunity.

Abishek Roka, M.D.

Contact Information: roka@uthscsa.edu