Daniel Brenner, MD, PhD, completed his MD/PhD in neuroscience at Washington University and residency training in emergency medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital before joining the faculty at Indiana University School of Medicine in 2021. In 2025, he became the program director of the advanced emergency medicine ultrasound fellowship at Indiana University. He is a clinician-educator working at Eskenazi and Methodist Hospitals who does research as a side hobby with interests in point-of-care ultrasound, non-opioid pain management, evidence-based medicine, graduate medical education and ECG interpretation.
Brenner will present "Blink and You’ll Miss it: Rapid Ocular Diagnostics in the ED" at the Airway, Breathing, Celebration CME event as part of the Department of Emergency Medicine residency program's 50th anniversary celebration. He said, "Ocular ultrasound: it isn’t that hard, and it is supremely useful."
Question: As you reflect on your career and the evolution of emergency medicine, what does the program’s 50th anniversary mean to you personally?
Brenner: Emergency medicine has changed and continues to evolve. As we reflect on the long and storied history of the program, we must continue to innovate as physicians and educators to uphold this legacy.
Q: What are you most excited about when you think about the future of emergency medicine and the next generation of physicians?
Brenner: As subspecialization continues, emergency medicine stands out as one of the few remaining generalist specialties. As emergency medicine develops and integrates technology, bridging the divide between specialization and generalization will be one of the superpowers of emergency medicine.
Q: What advice would you offer current residents or early-career emergency physicians as they navigate their training and careers?
Brenner: It is easy to lose yourself in the day-to-day training grind (and somewhat necessary on some level). But try not to lose sight of the goal: a decades-long career of providing medical care. Take every rotation as an opportunity to develop skills and knowledge to support that long-term mission.
