Emergency Medicine - Faculty

   

Program Director
- Bryan Judge, M.D., FAAEM, FACMT

Dr. Judge graduated from Wayne State University School of Medicine and the GRMEP Emergency Medicine Residency Program. Following graduation, he completed a fellowship in medical toxicology at Indiana University in Indianapolis. Dr. Judge has served in a number of faculty roles before becoming the Program Director of the Emergency Medicine Residency Program. The interface with people that occurs during his job has been essential in providing him with much satisfaction and helps keeps ignited his passion for 'what he does' and 'why he does it'. He enjoys going to work every day and connecting with faculty, medical students, and residents in order to deliver compassionate and quality care for patients.

He has four children and his spare time is spent with family and friends. He enjoys cooking, erging, hunting, rowing and writing. His next academic accomplishment is to complete a master's degree in health professions education in order to keep bringing innovative educational ideas and methods to the program.


 

Associate Program Director/Educational Assistant for Toxicology
- Brad Riley, M.D.

 In 2009 Dr. Riley was named Associate Program Director of the EM Residency Program. Dr. Riley attended the University of Michigan for both undergraduate and Medical School. He then completed a residency in Emergency Medicine at Butterworth, followed by a fellowship in Medical Toxicology in Phoenix, Arizona. He returned to Grand Rapids in 2006 and is an Attending both in the Emergency Department as well as on the Medical Toxicology service. In his spare time he enjoys photography, fly fishing and playing on the "Medicine Men" hockey team. He is married with three children.

 

 

 Associate Program Director & Educational Assistant for the PGY 2 Curriculum
-Jason P. Seamon, D.O., MHS, FACEP, FAAEM

Dr. Jason Seamon was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  He graduated from the University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2000, and subsequently completed a  Traditional Internship at Cook County Hospital in 2001.  He is a graduate of the MERC/MSU Emergency Medicine Residency program.  Dr Seamon held the title of Core Faculty member and the Director of Emergency Ultrasound at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Columbus, Ohio from 2006-2009.  Most recently, Dr Seamon comes to us from the University of Kentucky where he was the Residency Program Director for Emergency Medicine.  Jason rejoined GRMEP/MSU in the summer of 2011.  He enjoys spending time with his wife and their two dogs.  He is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys fishing, hiking, and backpacking.  His clinical areas of interest are Academic Emergency Medicine and Wilderness Medicine.

 

Other Core Faculty



Director of the Division of EM - MSU/CHM
Michael D. Brown, M.D., FACEP, MSc

 

Graduated from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in 1986 where he now is a Professor of Emergency Medicine and Epidemiology. Following completion of the Butterworth Emergency Medicine Residency in 1990, he worked as a flight physician for Butterworth AeroMed and served as Associate Program Director for several years prior to being appointed Program Director from 2001 to 2008. He served in the role of Director until 2008.

He enjoys teaching residents and students the principals of evidenced-based medicine and currently serves as an Editor of the  EBEM section for the Annals of Emergency Medicine. Dr Brown also serves on the ACEP Clinical Policies Committee and has been involved in a number of other collaborative research projects. To serve as a proper role model for wellness, he explains that he must spend X amount of time on Lake Michigan. Unfortunately, we have yet to figure out what the X factor is.....

 

Educational Assistant for Patient Care Competency
Colleen Bush, M.D., FACEP

Dr. Bush graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, did training at Butterworth Hospital (Spectrum Health) in Grand Rapids, serving a year as Chief Resident. After graduation in 1996, she took a position as Medical Director at Gerber Memorial Hospital, a rural hospital in West Michigan. After 2 years, she transitioned to the Spectrum Health - Butterworth ED. She is the Educational Assistant for Patient Care Competency for the Emergency Medicine residency. She enjoys the variety of tertiary teaching hospital care and participates in ultrasound teaching and research. Most of her free time is spent with her two kids, with occasional rounds of weed-pulling in the garden and spouting the benefits of healthy living to the residents.

 


Educational Assistant for PGY 3 Curriculum and Emergency Medical Services
Todd Chassee, MD

Dr. Chassee graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School and trained in Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. After graduating in 2006, he and his wife, Amanda -- both natives of West Michigan -- decided to return to Grand Rapids. Todd is now the Educational Assistant for EMS Education and Administration for the third year residents. In 2008 Dr. Chassee accepted the position of Medical Director for Kent County EMS. Todd enjoys college football, traveling, and hiking. He and his wife have a golden retriever.

 

  

 

Educational Assistant for Medical Knowledge Competency & Assistant for Off-Service and Undergraduate Education
Matt Emery, M.D., FACEP

Dr. Emery graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and the Emergency Medicine Residency at Butterworth. He worked for three and a half years at a busy community hospital in Muskegon, Michigan, prior to joining the staff here in 1995. He is an ABEM oral board examiner and serves as the Educational Assistant for Medical Knowledge Competency and the Educational Assistant for Off-Service & Undergraduate Education for the Emergency Medicine residency. He is Associate Director for Academic Affairs for the Division of Emergency Medicine at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, and serves on the college's Block III Committee. He is also lead clerkship director for the college's fourth year elective in Emergency Medicine. He is actively involved in his son's Boy Scout troop, and tends a vegetable garden with his daughters. Other hobbies include web-site development, reading military history and classical fiction, as well as travel.


 

Pediatric Emergency Medicine
John Hoyle, M.D., FACEP, FAAP

Dr. Hoyle graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in 1994 and subsequently entered the Methodist/ Indiana University Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics combined residency program. While a resident he spent 4 years as a flight physician and also served as a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue physician. John joined the faculty in 1999 and currently is the Associate Director of the Spectrum Health/ Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Pediatric Emergency Department and holds an Assistant Professor appointment with MSU-CHM. John also serves on the Steering Committee of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN), a network made up of 22 hospitals throughout the country to promote research into pediatric emergency care issues. He is a co-investigator on a PECARN study that is trying to develop a neuroimaging clinical decision rule for pediatric blunt head trauma. He has published papers on pediatric psychiatric emergencies, resident training flight physician training, and disaster airway management. His professional interests include disaster medicine, analgesia and sedation and, of course, emergency pediatrics. In his off time, he likes to hunt (he has a Pope and Young entry for an elk), hike, back pack and ski with his wife and two sons.


 

Research Director
Jeffrey S. Jones, M.D., FACEP

Dr. Jones graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and the emergency medicine training program at Akron General Medical Center. After residency, Jeff completed a Research Fellowship. He joined the teaching faculty at Butterworth in 1988 and assumed the role of Research Director. Doctor Jones was awarded the "Excellence in Teaching" award from the Michigan Chapter of EMRA as well as the EMRA's National award in 1994. He is active in research related to virtually all aspects of emergency medicine. He is a reviewer for the Annals of Emergency Medicine, American Journal of Emergency Medicine as well as Academic Emergency Medicine. Doctor Jones holds the academic appointment of Associate Professor at MSU-CHM.

 

Educational Assistant for Ultrasound
Dale E. McNinch, D.O., FACEP

Dr. McNinch graduated from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, he did his training in Dayton, Ohio, then served 3 years as a USAF flight surgeon in N.C. He was an aeromedical flight physician for 10 years. Doctor McNinch had eight years of experience working in a smaller rural ED before joining the EM teaching staff at Butterworth Hospital (now Spectrum Health- Butterworth Campus) in 1987. He served as Vice-Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine for over 10 years. Doctor McNinch serves as the Educational Assistant for ED Ultrasound and EKG. He holds the academic appointment of Assistant Professor at MSU-CHM. He regularly participates as faculty or course director for the MCEP EM Ultrasound Course. He is the volunteer medical director for the Mel Trotter Ministries rescue mission and serves on the Kent County EMS Governing Board. He has been actively involved in medical mission trips to Honduras for several years (and is still trying to learn medical Spanish!) He enjoys church activities, sailing, white water rafting, camping, and backpacking.


 

Assistant Program Director & Educational Assistant for PG 1 Curriculum
Eric VanDePol, M.D.

Dr. VanDePol attended Iowa State University and is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Medicine. Eric is another graduate from the emergency medicine residency at Spectrum Health - Butterworth Campus and serves as the educational assistant for the PGY 1 curriculum. He enjoys upland bird hunting, working on his house, landscaping, driving his tractor and spending time with his dog.

 


Educational Assistant for Medical Knowledge & Off-Service Competencies
Rebecca Andrews-Dickert, M.D.

Dr. Andrews-Dickert went to University of Chicago for her undergraduate degree followed by a 3-year hiatus from education during which she worked in research and traveled overseas. She then went to Michigan State University for medical school and did her residency at Butterworth Hospital. She and her husband have two daughters. Dr. Andrews-Dickert spent part of her childhood at a mission hospital in Zambia, Africa and continues to enjoy traveling and has an interest in international medicine.

 

 

 Other Faculty

Nate Bishop, M.D.

Dr. Bishop is originally from Grand Rapids and graduated from Grand Valley State University before attending Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. He then completed his training at Garden City Hospital in Garden City, MI in June 2007 where he served as Chief Resident during his senior year. Dr Bishop is also a flight physician with Aero Med.

  Jason Bowman, M.D.

Dr. Bowman is a graduate of the GRMERC/MSU Program in Emergency Medicine as of June 2007. Dr. Bowman graduated with a Doctorate of Medicine from Indiana University School of Medicine. His many interests include running, weight lifting, fishing and coaching football to name a few.

  

Allen Bragdon, M.D.

Dr. Bragdon is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and completed his Emergency Medicine Residency at Spectrum Health/MSU Program in Emergency Medicine in 2001. He not only works for Emergency Care Specialists (ECS), but he is a flight physician with AeroMed. Dr. Bragdon has his private pilot's license and is a volunteer pilot for Lifeline, Inc. He also has his U.S. Coast Guard Masters License and is board-certified in emergency medicine. Dr. Bragdon is married with three children and enjoys cultivating orchids, sailing, and naps in a shady hammock.

 Chris Cahill, D.O.

Dr. Cahill graduated from Michigan State University and completed his residency at Metro Hospital here in Grand Rapids. He and his wife Jill enjoy golf, cooking and the Chicago Cubs.

Randy Chilcote, D.O., FACEP

Dr. Chilcote graduated from the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed a Transitional Year with Grace Hospital in Detroit and his emergency medicine residency training with St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio where he was Chief Resident during his last year of training. After graduation from residency, he joined ECS on staff at the Spectrum Health - Blodgett Campus and later at the Butterworth Campus. He is board-certified in emergency medicine and licensed to practice medicine in Michigan and Ohio. Dr. Chilcote is married with five children.

Trevor Cummings, MD

Dr. Cummings graduated from Wayne State Medical School and attended undergraduate at Michigan State University. He completed his residency at GRMEP. Trevor is married with two children.

 

Matt Denenberg, M.D., FACEP, FAAP

 Dr. Denenberg graduated from the University of Michigan before completing medical school at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. He completed dual residency training in both Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine at Wayne State University/The Detroit Medical Center. Currently, he is the medical director for pediatric emergency medicine at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. He recently completed a Masters of Arts in Bioethics, Humanities, and Society at Michigan State University.   Prior to working in Grand Rapids, he worked in Alaska and Detroit.  He has traveled on medical missions in Asia with Operation Smile, and traveled to Haiti for earthquake medical relief. His primary interest is clinical pediatric emergency medicine with an emphasis on patient safety.  During his time off, he enjoys outdoor adventure/travel, running and time with his family.

John Deveau, D.O.

Dr. Deveau attended Michigan State University and obtained his Masters in Public Health in Toxicology from the University of Michigan (Yes, his temporary defection to the "dark side"...i.e., U of M). He then worked for Amoco oil company for 3 years before he decided to retire from corporate life to the cushy life of medicine. MSU allowed him to return to the motherland (Spartan Country) even after the "Go Blue" betrayal, where he completed Medical School and Residency at Sparrow. He has four loves in his life, his wife Denise, and daughters Isabella, Fracesca, and Gianna. In his spare time, he enjoys swimming, biking, and running (in that order). Dr. Deveau is the founding member of the ER triathlon team presided over by tri-wenc Dr. Puetz. Additional hobbies include taxonomy of rare crickets, glass blowing.

Matthew Flannigan, DO

Dr. Flannigan decided to make Michigan his new home after graduating from Aquinas College (Grand Rapids, MI) with degrees in Biology and Spanish. After attending Michigan State University - College of Osteopathic Medicine he completed and osteopathic internship at Sparrow Hospital (Lansing, MI). He then served as chief resident and graduated from MSU-Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency in 2008. Matt was excited to continue his career in Grand Rapids with its high acuity of emergency patients, growing medical education community, and sizeable Hispanic community that allows him to frequently practice speaking Spanish. Dr. Flannigan continues to be extensively involved with ultrasound education and administration. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife Miriam and twin girls Mackenzie and Caitlin. He also enjoys long distance running, ice hockey, snowboarding, camping, foreign travel and going out for dinner and drinks with friends.

Steffen Genthe, M.D.

Dr. Genthe completed undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan and Grand Valley State University and graduate studies at Grand Valley State University. He earned his M.D. from the college of Human Medicine at Michigan State University and completed his EM residency at the GRMERC program. He is an AOA member and his EM interests include observation medicine. He enjoys historic homes, cooking, wine, marathons and gardening. He is a very slow triathelete, but is faster than Dr. Cummings. Steffen is married with two children.

 

Jeremiah Johns, M.D.

Dr. Johns graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine, and completed his Emergency Medicine Residency at Spectrum Health/MSU Program in Emergency Medicine in June 2007. He is also an Aero med flight physician. He likes to spend his free time camping and riding off-road motorcycles.  Dr. Johns and his wife have three sons.

 

Ken Johnson, M.D.

Dr. Johnson is a Grand Rapids native (born at Butterworth Hospital, in fact). After completing medical school at Wayne State University, Dr. Johnson did his Emergency Medicine residency at Butterworth Hospital. He went on to work three years at Hackley hospital in Muskegon, Michigan before returning as an attending faculty member in July 1998. He and his wife Sheila have four children. He enjoys sports, travel and reading.

Josh Kooistra, D.O.

Dr. Kooistra, originally from Grand Rapids, attended undergraduate at Hope College and went to medical school at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency with GRMERC at Spectrum Health Butterworth. He and his wife have two kids, Ben and Sam. In his spare time, he enjoys skiing, running, and golf.

Robert A. La Fleur, M.D., FACEP

Dr. La Fleur graduated from Calvin College, the University of Colorado Medical School, and the Butterworth Hospital Emergency Medicine Residency program, Doctor LaFleur has special expertise in the area of Documentation and Reimbursement for our corporation. He is also the President of MMS, www.mms.med.pro our billing and management company. Doctor LaFleur holds the academic appointment of Assistant Professor at MSU-CHM. He is a member of the Luke Society, an international medical mission organization, and helps supervise one of its programs in Honduras.

Warren F. Lanphear, M.D., FACEP

Dr. Lanphear graduated from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and the Emergency Medicine Residency at Butterworth Hospital. He worked for three years in the National Health Service in West Virginia and following that joined the teaching staff at Butterworth Hospital. In addition, he has served as a flight physician for Aero Med, has volunteered at a local healthcare center for the underprivileged, and has been on medical missions to Honduras. Doctor Lanphear is the President of Emergency Care Specialists and holds the academic appointment of Assistant Professor at MSU-CHM. He enjoys hiking, golf, indoor soccer, skiing, and Little League baseball.

Stuart Malafa, M.D.

Dr. Malafa graduated from the University of North Dakota and completed his residency at Butterworth. He and his wife have five children. In his free time, Dr. Malafa enjoys hunting, hockey (roller), Ham Radio, Flying R/C. He really is getting old but still enjoys clinical and academic emergency medicine.

 

Daniel Mercier, M.D.

Dr. Mercier is a graduate of the GRMERC/MSU Program in Emergency Medicine. He obtained his Doctorate of Medicine from Wayne State University School of Medicine. Dr. Mercier enjoys spending time with family, U of M athletics, kayaking, world travel and pop art.

Greg Mervenne, M.D.

Dr. Mervenne completed his undergraduate work at Michigan State University and medical school at MSU-CHM. Prior to completing his emergency medicine residency at Butterworth Hospital in 1998, he completed a three-year pediatric residency at DeVos Children's Hospital. Dr. Mervenne is Vice-Chairman of the Emergency Department and Division Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. His non-Pediatric EM interests include karate, skiing, softball and his family.

Gary Mikula, D.O.

Dr. Mikula attended Grand Valley State University in biomedical sciences.  Was an orderly in the ED at Butterworth from 1987-1991.  Went to MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine for medical school.  Residency in Lansing Michigan through Sparrow/Ingham Regional Medical Center.  He and his wife have four beautiful children.  In his spare time, Dr. Mikula enjoys fishing, playing with my kids..and fishing.  Love the Chicago Cubs, Bears, and Bulls.

Stephanie Penton, M.D.

Dr. Penton is a graduate of the University of Florida and the University of Miami School of Medicine.  She did her residency at Wayne State University - Detroit Receiving Hospital.  Stephanie and her husband Ryan then moved to the Grand Rapids area.  She is one of our volunteer faculty with Michigan State University-GRMERC.  Dr. Penton's interests include hiking with her dogs, traveling, and photography.  She works at the Butterworth, Blodgett, and United Memorial campuses.

Trieu Pham, M.D.

Dr. Pham went to the University of Michigan undergrad/medical school in the combined Inteflex program and graduated 1994 and completed residency at Butterworth in 1997. He has lived in West Michigan his entire life. Dr. Pham and his wife have two sons, a dog, a cat, and lots of chickens on 80 acres in Lowell. Interests are hunting, fishing, archery, woodworking, and wildlife habitat projects.

Scott A. Poortenga, M.D.

Dr. Poortenga graduated from the University of Illinois Medical School and the Emergency Medicine Residency program at Butterworth Hospital in 1988. Following this he relocated to the Michigan north country where he worked as an emergency physician for the next five years. In July of 1993, Scott left his practice of emergency medicine and re-entered training and completed a Hand Fellowship at the Blodgett and Butterworth Hospital. Following this, he practiced hand surgery for six months back in Alpena, Michigan. He found he missed the educational setting and returned to Butterworth Hospital to practice emergency medicine with a keen interest in teaching our emergency medicine residents hand anatomy and repair in the emergency department setting. Scott is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine and his personal interests include basketball, hunting, fishing and his family.

Catherine Puetz, M.D

Dr. Puetz is a graduate of the University of North Dakota Medical School. She has completed both Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine residencies here on the Spectrum Health Campus. She currently serves as the Associate Medical Director of the ED/Cardiovascular Medicine and Observation Medicine. She likes to think that she is a better triathlete than her male partners in ECS and she is quickly reminded that she is not, but she swims better than Drs. Deveau and Throop. She continues to run a vigorous campaign for teacher of the year with her sunny disposition (Just ask the interns), however she does not give hugs.

Dale Ray, M.D

 
Graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School and the Grand Rapids Emergency Medicine Residency at Spectrum Butterworth. Following graduation, he joined the teaching faculty. Dr. Ray has served in a number of faculty and administrative roles and was the Program Director of the Emergency Medicine residency from 2009 to 2011 and holds the academic appointment of Assistant Professor at MSU-CHM. The rewards of resident education keep him continuously revitalized. His particular niche is to develop new programs for residency improvement.
His main extracurricular interests are related to upland bird hunting, the training of his bird dogs, and working with others in the training of their dog. His string of dogs includes an English Setter, Italian Spinone, Pointer, and a Lab. His Spinone was recently a feature and cover dog of Versatile Hunting Dog Magazine. He also likes to fly fish, especially for bonefish—but there are only so many hours in a day!

Gretchen Roe, M.D.

Dr. Roe graduated in June of 2007 from the Emergency Medicine Residency - Carolinas Medical Center where she served as Chief Resident. Gretchen and received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Michigan. She is married and enjoys tennis, sailing, skiing and playing the piano.

Ralph N. Rogers, M.D., FACEP

Dr. Rogers graduated from the Medical College of Virginia and the Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Butterworth Hospital, he joined the teaching faculty here in 1984. Doctor Rogers developed and implemented the air medical program at Butterworth Hospital and currently serves as the Medical Director and Chief Operating Officer for Aero Med where he also is a flight physician. Doctor Rogers is actively involved in the training programs in Advanced and Basic Trauma Life Support, as well as Pediatric Advanced Life support. He is President of our EM corporation. Doctor Rogers holds the academic appointment of Associate Clinical Professor at MSU-CHM. In addition to air medicine services, special areas of interest include pediatric emergency medicine, hyperbaric medicine, medicolegal and physician management. He also serves as President of the Medical Staff at Spectrum Health. He has received an MBA from the University of Southern Florida. He enjoys hockey, both on and off the rink.

Andy Rusk, M.D.

Dr. Rusk attended Medical School at Indiana University and completed his residency at GRMERC/MSU / Butterworth Campus in June 2006. Dr. Rusk is an avid fisherman.

Tom Sapp, M.D.

Dr. Sapp graduated from the University of North Dakota and completed his residency at Michigan St. Univ.-KCMS (Kalamazoo). Dr. Sapp and his wife have with three children. In his spare time, he enjoys camping, golf, scuba diving and spending time with his family.

James Schweigert, M.D.

Dr. Schweigert is a native of Michigan having been born and raised in Midland. He attended Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and did a Transitional residency at Butterworth Hospital before spending three years in the Navy as a general medical officer. He served with the Marines during Desert Storm and then continued to "see the world" while working in the ED at US Naval Hospital Guam. Doctor Schweigert returned to Butterworth Hospital to complete his training in emergency medicine. Upon graduation from residency, he went to Myrtle Beach, SC and practiced EM for three years before returning to work at both Spectrum Health campuses. He is now the Medical Director for the ED's. Doctor Schweigert is married to the love of his life, Lisa, with three children. He enjoys boating, wakeboarding, fishing, cheering for MSU, bike riding and hiking with his family.

Wade Thompson, M.D.

Dr. Thompson graduated and completed Residency at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He and his wife have three boys and will soon be welcoming a little girl. He enjoys skiing, NASCAR, volleyball, and swimming in his free time.

John C. Throop, M.D.

Dr. Throop attended The University of Michigan and is a graduate of Wayne State University School of Medicine. John graduated from the University of Virginia residency program in 2001, where he served as Chief Resident. He is married with two daughters and enjoys camping, gardening, and endurance sports. Despite Dr. Puetz's claims, she has never actually beaten Dr. Throop in a real race, while Dr. Deveau merely suffers from Ironman envy.

Barbara N. Wynn, M.D., FACEP

Dr. Wynn graduated from the University of Michigan School of Medicine and did her Emergency Medicine Residency training at the University of Illinois. She worked full-time in a busy community ED for five years before she joined the Butterworth Hospital Emergency Department staff in 1992 and currently serves as the department chair as well as coordinates the PGY 1 curriculum. She is also Medical Director for the YWCA based sexual assault program which sees over 200 patients a year. Doctor Wynn enjoys out-of-door activities and time with her family.