Contact: Ian Clark
(608) 890-5641
iclark@uwhealth.org
MADISON, Wis. — The founding chair of the University of Wisconsin’s new department of emergency medicine is a proven local leader with a national reputation for excellence.
Dr. Azita G. Hamedani will serve as the Wisconsin Chair of Emergency Medicine, an endowed chair position in the new academic department of the School of Medicine and Public Health. Hamedani has served as the chief of the division of emergency medicine, which has been a component of the department of medicine, for five years before its transformation into a free standing department. She earned a medical degree from Yale, completed her residency at Harvard, and also holds a master’s degree in public health.
“I feel so fortunate to be able to continue to lead emergency medicine into its next chapter here at UW-Madison,” said Hamedani. “Our success to date is a testimony to the incredibly talented group that has come together for the singular goal of advancing all aspects of emergency care for the citizens of Wisconsin.”
July 1 marks the official beginning of the new department.
Patient volumes in the UW Hospital emergency department have been growing consistently for nearly a decade, marking a 50 percent increase over the last seven years. This growth has occurred in tandem with the department’s academic faculty and educational and research programs.
“Emergency medicine embodies the university’s commitment to improving the lives of the people of Wisconsin in a very tangible way, providing life-saving care to people experiencing medical crises,” said Dr. Robert N. Golden, dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health. “Under Dr. Hamedani’s leadership, I have no doubt that emergency medicine will flourish not only as an outstanding clinical service, but also as a leading academic enterprise.”
The endowed Wisconsin Chair of Emergency Medicine was made possible by a gift from James Berbee and Karen Walsh of Madison.
“The mission of the department of emergency medicine, under the leadership of Dr. Hamedani, fits perfectly with our priorities,” said Walsh and Berbee. “We are happy to participate in the founding of this new department by endowing the named chair. We embrace the importance of high-quality emergency care in our community.”
