The Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Louisville, established in 1971, is the second oldest full academic Department of Emergency Medicine in the United States. The Emergency Medicine residency-training program enrolled its first resident on June 1, 1972 and was granted approval for six residents in each year of a two-year program. At that time, Dr. Donald M. Thomas, founder and former chair, directed and developed what was known as the Emergency Service of Louisville, which was essentially a few dedicated treatment rooms. His contributions in terms of resident education, training and the development of emergency systems were instrumental and laid the groundwork for generations of physicans to come.

In 1991, Dr. Daniel F. Danzl assumed the chair position and continued to move the program forward to its current status of twelve resident positions in each year of a three-year program that is housed at a state-of the-art facility. His expertise in the specialty, numerous publications and contributions to national emergency medicine organizations provided the impetus for growth and leadership as the department continues to meet the challenges of patient care, education and research.

Our current chair, Dr. J. Jeremy Thomas, assumed the position in 2020. With the formation of UofL Health and the joining of multiple regional hospitals into this healthcare network, our department will provide an ever-expanding and improving clinical environment to train the next generation of emergency physicians.