9:15 – 10:05am | Heat Emergencies: Marathon Runners to Panting Pups

Michael T. Hilton, MD, MPH, FACEP, FAEMS
Assistant Medical Director
Sollis Health

Michael Hilton, MD, MPH, is the assistant medical director of Sollis Health, a private group of forward-thinking health care professionals and physicians focused on creating the best medical experience possible – for any issue, at any time. He also provides event medical coverage for long distance races in the New York City area through the MedPrep Group. Prior to this, Dr. Hilton was an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Associate Medical Director for EMS and Disaster Preparedness at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s/West, an Airway Management Physician for the New York Jets, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and an attending physician at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. While in Pittsburgh, Dr. Hilton provided event medical coverage for the Pittsburgh Marathon, EQT 10 Miler, Pittsburgh Regatta, Pitt and Steelers Football games and numerous other outdoor events. He is board certified in Emergency Medicine and EMS, having completed his emergency medicine residency and EMS Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, in 2012 and 2014, respectively. He received his Master of Public Health degree with a certificate in Public Health Disaster Preparedness and Response from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health in 2014, his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2009, and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University in 2005. He was the 2012 recipient of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine/Physio-Control EMS Research fellowship, a 2015 recipient of the National Association of EMS Physicians Fellowship Award, and a 2015 recipient of the Allegheny County EMS Champions Award. In 2018, he received commendations and citations from the New York State Senate, Westchester County Board of Legislators and County Executive for exemplary service and outstanding professionalism and patient care.

Dava Cazzolli, DVM, DACVECC
Staff Doctor, Emergency & Critical Care
Animal Medical Center

Dr. Cazzolli is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care. She received her DVM in 2005 from Cornell University, after which she completed an internship in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery at AMC.  After her internship, she stayed on staff as an emergency doctor for 6 years, later completing a residency in Emergency & Critical Care at the AMC.  After a brief departure, Dr Cazzolli returned to AMC as a staff doctor in 2018. Her professional interests include fluid therapy, sepsis and respiratory emergencies.

Dr. Cazzolli is originally from Syracuse, NY and now resides in Westchester with her husband, 2 children and dog.

10:05 – 10:55am | Submersion Injury: A case of drowning and successful management in dogs and humans

Shweta Iyer, MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine
Weill Cornell Medical College

Dr. Shweta Iyer specializes in Pediatric Emergency Medicine. She is an assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and an assistant attending physician at NewYork Presbyterian Hospital.

She graduated from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and completed her residency in Pediatrics at Cohen Children’s Medical Center-Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. She subsequently completed a fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at NYU Langone School of Medicine-Bellevue Hospital Center.

Dr. Iyer has an interest in medical education.

Christine Keyserling, DVM, DACVECC
Staff Doctor, Emergency & Critical Care
Animal Medical Center

Dr. Christine Keyserling is one of our staff criticalists here at the Animal Medical Center, working both in our Emergency Room and Intensive Care Unit. Dr. Keyserling obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. After initially considering going into human medicine, she altered her course load and extracurriculars to be on the pre-veterinary path- and eventually received her degree in veterinary medicine from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. She then went on to Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington DC where she completed a one-year rotating internship. Then, Dr. Keyserling began her residency in Emergency and Critical Care here at the Animal Medical Center, where she was hired as staff doctor after completing her three-year residency.

Dr. Keyserling is originally from the Northern Virginia/Washington DC area. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, a research chef, and two cats, Macaroni and Muenster Cheese.

11:10 – 12:00pm | Species-specific host response to anaphylaxis: updates on antigenic causes, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment

Mia S. Friedman, MD
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
Weill Cornell Medical College

Dr. Mia Friedman is a board-certified physician who practices emergency medicine and pediatric emergency medicine at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center and NYP-Lower Manhattan Hospital.  A graduate of the University of California-Berkeley, Dr. Friedman earned both a master’s degree and her medical degree from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. She completed her residency training in Emergency Medicine at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York and a fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

Dr. Friedman is an assistant professor of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College and is board certified in emergency medicine and pediatric emergency medicine.

Lisa Bazzle, DVM, DACVECC
Staff Doctor, Emergency & Critical Care
Animal Medical Center

Dr. Bazzle is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care and is currently a staff doctor at the Animal Medical Center. Dr. Bazzle received her DVM with distinction from Cornell University, after which she completed an internship in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 followed by a residency in Small Animal Emergency & Critical Care at North Carolina State University in 2015.

12:00pm – 12:30pm | Keynote Address – Curious Creatures: How Toddlers Find Trouble and Other Toxic “Tails”

Rama Rao, MD
Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine
Weill Cornell Medical College

Rama B. Rao, MD completed medical school and internship at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, followed by a residency in Emergency Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Jacobi Medical Center from 1993-1996. She pursued a fellowship in Medical Toxicology at the New York City Poison Control Center in conjunction with New York University School of Medicine/Bellevue Hospital Center where she served as faculty for the department of Emergency Medicine for 10 years, with a dual board in both emergency medicine and medical toxicology. From 2006-2008 she was on faculty at the NYU Masters of Global Public Health Program where she taught courses in Global Environmental Health and Acute Public Health Emergencies.  She has been awarded Physician of the Year 1991 from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the Leo M. Davidoff Award for excellence in teaching medical students at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine, Clinical Teacher of the Year from Bellevue Emergency Medicine Residency, and recipient representative for the Off-Service Rotation of the Year from the University of Alberta, Department of Emergency Medicine on behalf of the New York City Poison Control Center. She has published numerous textbook chapters in emergency medicine and medical toxicology, as well as manuscripts in several peer-reviewed journals including Annals of Emergency Medicine and the New England Journal of Medicine. She is a Fellow of the American College of Medical Toxicology and currently serves on the American Board of Emergency Medicine Sub-Board in Medical Toxicology.  She joined the faculty in the Department of Emergency Medicine the New York Presbyterian Hospital: Weill-Cornell Medical Center in 2008 where she currently practices emergency medicine and directs the medical toxicology consultation service. Her most favorite of all her activities: patient care.

1:30 – 2:20pm | The Shocking Truth about Electrical Injury: A Comparison between Human and Small Animal Medicine

Yaffa M. Vitberg, MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine
Weill Cornell Medical College

Yaffa M. Vitberg, MD is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and an Assistant Attending at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.  Additionally, she is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Vitberg received her undergraduate degree from Brandeis University in 2003 where she received the merit-based Justice Brandeis Scholarship.  During her undergraduate sophomore year, she was selected for early admission to Tufts University School of Medicine, where she earned her medical degree in 2007.  Upon graduation, Dr. Vitberg was awarded the Sydney S. Gellis Award in Pediatrics for outstanding achievement in the field of Pediatrics.   Her pediatric internship and residency training were completed at NewYork Presbyterian – Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, where she served an additional year as Chief Resident.  Dr. Vitberg went on to complete a fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at NewYork Presbyterian – Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center in 2014.

Dr. Vitberg has presented her research at numerous scientific conferences throughout the United States.  She is a dedicated teacher and has taught in numerous capacities for the Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine and the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine.  Dr. Vitberg has volunteered in Uganda as a health education instructor while seeing patients in Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda.  She has also spent time in the emergency room setting in Jerusalem, Israel.

Dr. Vitberg plays the cello in both the Cornell Music and Medicine Orchestra and the Columbia University Medical Center Symphony Orchestra.

Ann Marie Zollo, DVM, DACVECC
Staff Doctor, Emergency & Critical Care
Animal Medical Center

Dr. Ann Marie Zollo obtained her undergraduate degree from Williams College and her degree in veterinary medicine from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Following graduation from Cornell, Dr. Zollo completed both a general internship and emergency and critical care residency at The Animal Medical Center. Dr. Zollo achieved board certification in emergency and critical care, and has remained at The Animal Medical Center as a staff criticalist since completing her residency.

Dr. Zollo is originally from the New York City area, and she now resides in Manhattan with her husband and their two cats, Izzy and Lola.

2:20 – 3:10pm | Burn Injuries: Species-Specific Differences

Shari Platt, MD
Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Weill Cornell Medical College

Dr. Shari L. Platt is the Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Director of the Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellowship program, and the Medical Director of the American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Life Support program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

After receiving her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Platt entered medical school at the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, earning her medical degree (M.D.). She completed her residency in pediatrics at New York Hospital and a fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine at the New York University School of Medicine/Bellevue Hospital Center. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Platt is a dedicated teacher and has taught in numerous venues for the Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine and the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. She is committed to fellow and resident education and research. She has a dedicated interest in Evidence Based Medicine and in teaching this tool to residents and fellows. Dr. Platt is also involved in numerous administrative activities, including membership in hospital and departmental committees, such as trauma, quality assurance, operations, and division chiefs. She is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine Section member as well as a member of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association.

Joel Weltman, DVM, DACVECC, PHD
Staff Doctor, Emergency & Critical Care
Animal Medical Center

Dr. Weltman is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care and has been a staff doctor at the AMC since 2017. Dr. Weltman received his DVM in 2009 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, after which he completed an internship at the AMC followed by a residency in Emergency & Critical Care at Cornell University. Dr. Weltman also received his PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2017. His professional interests include high quality clinical research and evidence-based medicine.

Dr. Weltman is originally from Madison, Wisconsin and now resides in Washington Heights with his dog Brisket and his cat Ketone.

Opening & Closing Remarks

Katherine Quesenberry, DVM, MPH, DABVP (Avian)
Staff Doctor, Head of Avian & Exotics
Animal Medical Center

Dr. Katherine Quesenberry has been practicing avian and exotic pet medicine exclusively for nearly 30 years. She is recognized both nationally and internationally as a leader in this field of veterinary medicine. Dr. Quesenberry has trained more than 16 residents in avian and exotic pet medicine, most of whom are now board certified and are leaders in the field throughout the country. Dr. Quesenberry has co-edited several books, including Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, which is a best-selling veterinary textbook, Avian Medicine and Surgery, and Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Pet Medicine I and II. Dr. Quesenberry is the Scientific Editor for the Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery, an international journal published by the Association of Avian Veterinarians. She has lectured extensively throughout the United States and Europe about veterinary care of birds, small mammals and other exotic pets.