Christine Gummerson, MD Honored as Consultant of the Year

The Department of Emergency Medicine has honored Christine Gummerson, MD, a PGY4 resident in the Department of Neurology, with the Consultant of the Year Award. She was formally presented with the Award at the Emergency Medicine commencement on June 22, 2023. Cardiovascular Medicine Clinical Fellow Jiun-Ruey Hu, MD, MPH was also recognized.

The Consultant of the Year Award was voted on by residents in the Department of Emergency Medicine. With this award, they have specifically acknowledged Dr. Gummerson not only for her outstanding dedication to her myriad responsibilities as a consultant, but also for her unwavering professionalism and commitment to improving the lives of her patients.

“Dr. Gummerson is so deserving of this award because she is an excellent physician who goes above and beyond for her patients. She has exceptional bedside manners, and her patients love her,” said Wendy Sun, MD, in an email to Neurology Department leadership. Dr. Sun was emergency medicine chief resident at the time of the Award and is now an administration fellow and instructor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine.

As a consultant in the Emergency Department (ED), Dr. Gummerson has proven to be a quick thinker and adept at responding to rapid changes.

“…we are called to assist in caring for patients with a variety of different symptoms that can herald an underlying neurologic condition (e.g. headache, confusion and/or difficulty communicating, weakness, numbness, dizziness, visual changes, and/or involuntary movements). We are often involved in immediately assessing and triaging patients who present to the ED with symptoms of ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, or uncontrolled seizures, such that we can help to facilitate additional specialized care and identify time-sensitive treatment options,” she said.

Her ability to remain steady and focused when faced with many challenges and pressures has not gone unnoticed by her peers.

“[Dr. Gummerson’s colleagues in the ED] also love working with her because she is an excellent communicator who closes the loop on the plans for our patients in a timely manner. She is incredibly thorough, level-headed, and unflappable no matter how many stroke alerts or consults she gets in the ED. She always has a positive attitude and shows the utmost professionalism,” added Dr. Sun.

Dr. Gummerson’s background prepared her well for her role as a consultant. Growing up, she observed her father work long hours as an ED clinician, was herself a scribe in a community ED in Maryland, and credits an ED team’s swift action with saving a loved one from neurologic devastation following a bleed from a ruptured intracerebral aneurysm. Supplementing her medical training, her personal experience in the ED space fuels her passion for serving patients in a demanding environment. She has often reflected on the honor of being a source of comfort for patients during a frightening neurologic emergency.

“One of the most rewarding parts of my job is to be able to join a patient at their bedside during a stroke code, introduce myself as part of the ED Neuro team, and say ‘We are going to do everything we can to keep you safe. Try to stay with me. A lot of things are going to happen very quickly right now, but I am going to be with you each step of the way.’”

Having received an award for her own unique contributions to the ED, when asked what allows her to excel and stand out as a consultant, her response was simply “the team.”

“For every patient I see, there is an expansive support network behind me helping to facilitate and improve upon their care…every tPA administration, every thrombectomy, every success story no matter the diagnosis…each of those moments reflects a concerted effort by a myriad people, so I really feel that this award reflects all of their work too.”

Following this accolade, Dr. Gummerson plans to pursue dual training in movement disorders and cognitive neurology and become involved with trainee education and mentorship. While her future plans differ from her time in the ED, her experience treating high-risk patients, leading as part of a team, and commitment to patient wellbeing will continue to serve her well.