Chattanooga Emergency Medicine Fellowships
Emergency Medical Services Fellowship
UTHSC College of Medicine-Chattanooga proudly offers an ACGME-accredited Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Fellowship.
This is the first accredited EMS fellowship in Tennessee and continues to be a valuable learning opportunity for physicians interested in pre-hospital medicine and transport medicine.
The fellowship is a one-year program covering all aspects of EMS practice.
Each section of the program emphasizes a different aspect of EMS with related readings and text assignments, including:
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- Pre-hospital experience: major time in the pre-hospital response and setting
- Didactic sessions: held weekly to discuss each topic and facilitated by core faculty
- Journal Club: organized and presented by the fellow and held at a faculty member's house or as a night out with faculty (depending on work schedules)
- Mentorship: by assigned core faculty mentors
Fellows are also expected to continue practicing clinically (a monthly obligation of four clinical shifts) in the ED at Erlanger Health System.
The monthly schedule is flexible to meet the individual fellow’s needs. After completing all orientation and training, the fellow typically has most monthly meetings on Tuesday mornings, a 12-hour flight shift on Wednesdays, and weekly didactics on Thursday mornings. All other days are free for ground response with Hamilton County EMS, research/teaching, responding to SWAT or search and rescue calls, or additional ED shifts (with pay) as desired. Weekends are usually free unless working in the ED or on a call-out.
EMS Fellowship Director
EMS Fellowship Director Dr. Frank Tift graduated summa cum laude from Wake Forest University and earned his doctorate from Medical College of Georgia. Upon completion of his Emergency Medicine residency at Georgetown University, he came to Chattanooga for EMS Fellowship.
He is board certified in Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services from the American Board of Emergency Medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the National Association of EMS Physicians.
Dr. Tift is actively involved with multiple EMS agencies serving Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and North Carolina. He serves as the Assistant Medical Director for Erlanger Health System's award-winning LIFE FORCE Air Medical Service, named Flight Program of the Year in 2024 by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS).
Dr. Tift holds the rank of Clinical Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine with UTHSC College of Medicine-Chattanooga.
EMS Fellowship Applicants
Applicants interested in the EMS Fellowship should send the following materials to the EMS Fellowship Director:
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- CV;
- Personal Statement;
- Letters of Recommendation:
- 1 from your residency Program Director (required)
- 1 from an EMS physician you have worked with (preferred but optional)
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For more information contact:
Dr. Frank Tift, EMS Fellowship Director
frank.tift@erlanger.org
Advanced Emergency Ultrasonography Fellowship
Our Advanced Emergency Ultrasonography Fellowship is a one-year, non-ACGME accredited program sponsored by the Department of Emergency Medicine and our Emergency Medicine Residency. The program has Continuing Accreditation from the Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship Accreditation Council (EUFAC) and also participates in the NRMP Emergency Medicine Fellowship Match.
Graduates of our Advanced Emergency Ultrasonography Fellowship who achieve certification from the American Board of Emergency Medicine are eligible to seek certification by sitting for the ABEM Advanced Emergency Medicine Ultrasonography Focused Practice Designation (FPD) exam.
Ultrasound Directors and Fellow
Ultrasound Program Director Dr. Ben Smith is a board certified emergency medicine physician and core faculty member of the UTHSC College of Medicine-Chattanooga Emergency Medicine residency. He is also an internationally recognized educator in point of care ultrasound (POCUS).
Dr. Smith was named the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Outstanding Speaker of the Year in 2021 for his teaching excellence. ACEP also awarded Dr. Smith an Innovation in Clinical Ultrasound distinction in 2017 for his work in developing software and social media tools that advance the field of ultrasound. In 2020, the Society for Clinical Ultrasound Fellowships recognized Dr. Smith with its iAward: Innovations and Impact for pushing the limits of the clinical ultrasound subspecialty through new teaching methods, high impact social media, FOAMed, and peer-reviewed research.
One of Dr. Smith's most noted achievements is the creation of CoreUltrasound.com, the highest-ranked POCUS educational site online with more than 1.2 million views. His other digital education tools include Ultrasound of the Week (ranked in the top 20 of ALiEM social media sites) and the websites 5minsono.com and CriticalCareNow.com.
Dr. Smith is a graduate of University of Tennessee College of Medicine. He completed Emergency Medicine Residency at University of Alabama-Birmingham as well as the ACEP Teaching Fellowship.
Dr. Smith holds the rank of Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine with the UTHSC College of Medicine-Chattanooga.
In addition to his clinical skills, Dr. Smith is a avid photographer whose works adorn the halls of Erlanger Hospital. He is also an accomplished brass musician and has performed in Erlanger Medical Mall with Ultrasound Fellowship Director Dr. Eli Wyatt.
Ultrasound Fellowship Director Dr. Eli Wyatt is a board certified emergency medicine physician who joined the faculty in 2023. He is a graduate of University of South Carolina School of Medicine. He completed his Emergency Medicine Residency and Ultrasound Fellowship here in Chattanooga. In addition to mentoring fellows, residents, and students, Dr. Wyatt is an instrumental contributor to CoreUltrasound.com.
Dr. Wyatt currently holds the rank of Clinical Instructor of Emergency Medicine with the UTHSC College of Medicine-Chattanooga. He is the faculty coordinator of the Emergency Ultrasound elective for medical students.
Dr. Wyatt is also Medical Director for Erlanger Health System Western Carolina in Murphy, NC.
When he isn't working, Dr. Wyatt devotes his time to his family and hobbies, including playing piano and 3D printing his own tools and medical equipment.
The 2025-26 Advanced Emergency Ultrasonography Fellow is Dr. Andy Glass.
Dr. Glass is a graduate of Emory University School of Medicine. He completed his Emergency Medicine Residency here in Chattanooga. His training under Dr. Smith and Dr. Wyatt during residency further solidified his interest in point-of-care ultrasound. As a fellow, Dr. Glass assists with the clinical education of residents and rotating medical students.
When he is not holding an ultrasound probe, you can find Dr. Glass in local coffee shops or on hiking trails with his wife, their baby, and their two Great Danes.
Fellowship Pre-Requisites & Requirements
The Ultrasound Fellow is hired as an attending physician and holds a faculty appointment with UTHSC College of Medicine-Chattanooga. Salary and benefits are provided directly by the emergency medicine physician group ApolloMD. The Ultrasound Fellow must meet three pre-requisites listed below by the time he/she enters the fellowship:
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- Be a graduate of an accredited emergency medicine residency;
- Be a licensed physician in Tennessee;
- Be credentialed as a member of the Erlanger Medical Staff
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Review the most current training requirements as approved by the Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship Accreditation Council. The 2023 Core Curriculum for an Advanced EM Ultrasonography Fellowship is provided by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.
Interested applicants for the Advanced Emergency Ultrasonography Fellowship should direct their inquiries to:
Dr. Eli Wyatt, Ultrasound Fellowship Director
elijah.wyatt@erlanger.org