Daniel O’Donnell, MD, is a professor of clinical emergency medicine and currently practices at Eskenazi Health Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital. He completed his emergency medicine residency at Indiana University School of Medicine in 2007 and his EMS fellowship in 2008. In June 2019, O'Donnell was appointed chief of Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Previously, O'Donnell served as the medical director for Indianapolis EMS and the Indianapolis Fire Department. O'Donnell also serves as the medical director for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police SWAT team. He is the chief of the Division of EMS as well as the fellowship director for the IU School of Medicine EMS fellowship program.
O'Donnell will present "Beyond the Lights and Sirens: Emerging Topics in Prehospital Medicine" at the Airway, Breathing, Celebration CME event as part of the Department of Emergency Medicine residency program's 50th anniversary celebration. He said, "I will address up-to-date literature in EMS. My hope is that attendees will take this knowledge and think about ways to better integrate prehospital medicine into the overall care of their patients."
Question: Looking back on your training, what drew you to this residency program, and what experience or moment continues to stand out for you today?
O'Donnell: The variety of experiences at IU. In one place, I saw all that emergency medicine has to offer. This led me into my ultimate career of EMS.
Q: In what ways did this program shape your approach to emergency medicine and influence your career path or leadership journey?
O'Donnell: The breadth of experiences tied with variety in training sites nudged me towards a specialty in EMS with practicing emergency medicine in an urban county hospital.
Q: What lesson, value, or habit from residency still guides your work as an emergency physician today?
O'Donnell: "Don’t do anything you wouldn’t want broadcast on the evening news." This was an old saying from Carey Chisholm that serves me often in my day-to-day work.
Q: As you reflect on your career and the evolution of emergency medicine, what does the program’s 50th anniversary mean to you personally?
O'Donnell: It is an honor to be part of a storied program such as the Department of Emergency Medicine. When you look at the numbers trained, lives touched and overall impact, it is quite humbling.
Q: What are you most excited about when you think about the future of emergency medicine and the next generation of physicians?
O'Donnell: They can lead the way of change for the future of medicine. Emergency medicine is at a unique crossroads, and we can help shape what healthcare looks like in the future.
Q: What advice would you offer current residents or early-career emergency physicians as they navigate their training and careers?
O'Donnell: Push yourself out of your comfort zone in residency.
