Welcome to the '21-'22 Leadership and Advocacy Fellows!

VACEP’s Leadership and Advocacy Fellowship Program began in 2016 and, since then, we have welcomed 15 incredible, early-career emergency physicians into our leadership team.

Our Fellows’ projects have covered a wide variety of topics within emergency medicine and have created substantive improvement in areas that affect your daily practice.

This year, we are welcoming five new Fellows into our program - our cohort ever - and are exciting about how they will impact the practice of EM in the Commonwealth.

Benjamin Blackwood, MD

Emergency Physicians of Tidewater

Dr. Blackwood returned to EVMS a few years ago after completing his residency and working at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Rhode Island.

When asked why he wanted to become an L&A Fellow, Dr. Blackwood said the following:

”At every stage in my medical career, I have sought leadership roles, and have used those positions to advocate fiercely for those I represented. I have learned how to develop innovative strategies to effect change within existing systems. Throughout these experiences I have maintained an intentional mind to the complexity of the problems we face, and the far-reaching consequences well-intentioned but misguided solutions can have”

Darwin Castillo, MD, MBA, FACEP

Commonwealth Emergency Physicians

Dr. Castillo is a former Major in the US Air Force who has volunteered on many humanitarian missions and has completed an MBA with a healthcare focus.

Here’s what Dr. Castillo said about the importance of programs like the L&A Fellowship:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has further revealed the many difficulties emergency physicians face and the urgent need for change throughout the healthcare system. As regulations tighten, population ages, and reimbursement structures shift, physicians must have a voice in advocating for patients and innovating the practice of emergency medicine.”

James Humble, MD

VCU Health/Carilion Clinic

Dr. Humble has been a Residency Representative from VCU to our Board of Directors for the past few years and has been a valuable member of our team. He is a member of SAEM

Here’s what Dr. Humble said regarding his where he’d like to focus his work for EM in VA:

“I am especially interested in the field of wellness and would like to continue focusing my work in this area. The past two years have been very difficult for physicians and patients alike and this stress has been felt hardest amongst emergency physicians. Likewise, the report from ACEP regarding the surplus of emergency physicians is extremely concerning and needs to be addressed to help ensure that we are not left fighting amongst ourselves for limited positions in our field, leaving many left in the cold.”

Scott Sparks, MD, RDMS, RDCS, FACEP

Riverside Regional Medical Center

Dr. Sparks is currently the System Medical Director for Emergency Ultrasound at his organization and is one of VACEP’s representatives to the VDH Task Force on Survivors of Sexual Assault.

Here’s what motivated Dr. Sparks to apply for our Fellowship:

“I am a change-of-career physician, having previously served as an Army Ranger and former Neuroscience researcher. I transitioned to medicine to take my combat and academic experiences and directly affect patient care. After early career leadership and teaching experiences, I have discovered a clearer purpose outside of clinical medicine; the need to improve hospital processes and billing.”

Theodore Tzavaras, MD

Emergency Physicians of Tidewater

Dr. Tzavaras has focused his medical education and work in Virginia and received the SAEM Medical Student Excellence in Emergency Medicine Award while completing his MD at EVMS.

Here’s more about what Dr. Tzavaras hopes to accomplish in his career and as a L&A Fellow:

“As Emergency Medicine doctors, we are advocates for each patient that enters our emergency department. However, when it comes to legislative action, hospital metrics, and everything in-between, we must be our own safety net. There is much more I know I could do. Through the fellowship, I hope to better understand effective advocacy for the field of emergency medicine. I look to leave the field more robust than when I discovered it as a 3rd year medical student.”