The Center for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provides comprehensive EMS medical direction, quality improvement and systems design services for local EMS agencies and the communities they serve. This vital role helps to improve the quality of care patients receive in the prehospital setting.
The EMS physicians at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center are board certified emergency physicians with extensive training and EMS experience. Each has completed the requirements set forth by the State of Ohio for the position of medical director and has knowledge and training in the following areas:
- Medical aspects of care consistent with the mission profile of both ground and air ambulance services
- Aspects of ground service EMS units, including pertinent regulatory and safety issues, vehicle capabilities, and equipment requirements and performance
- Operational aspects of communications equipment and dispatch procedures
- Training in prehospital and interhospital transport issues and laws
- Medical control and medical command issues, such as protocols, standing orders, triage and the capabilities of care providers
- Quality improvement theories and applications
EMS Fellowship Program
The EMS Fellowship Program prepares emergency physicians to be leaders in prehospital care. Fellows gain excellent clinical experience in the prehospital setting by working with local EMS agencies to gain experience with ground, critical care and aeromedical transport.
Medical Directors
Travis Sharkey, MD, PhD
Medical Director – Ohio State Center for EMS
Medical Director – Worthington Fire Department
Assistant Fellowship Director – EMS Fellowship at Ohio State University
I started my educational pathway in computer science and engineering and electrical and computer engineering studying signal processing and artificial intelligence techniques. This led to a PhD in biomedical engineering while obtaining an MD through the Medical Scientist Training Program at The Ohio State University. I completed both an emergency medicine residency and EMS fellowship at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center before returning as faculty. As an EMS physician, I focus on strengthening educational opportunities directed at real-world experiences of our local EMS providers. As a researcher, I'm investigating the use of artificial intelligence and natural language processing to support accurate and efficient dispatch of EMS providers to get the right resources to the right people at the right time.
Ashley Larrimore, MD
Medical Director – MedFlight of Ohio
Medical Director – Newark Fire Department
Medical Director – Whitehall Division of Fire
I’m an assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine in the Department of Emergency Medicine.
I completed my undergraduate degrees at The George Washington University with dual majors in biology and religion. I received my medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine followed by a residency in emergency medicine at UMass Memorial Medical Center and a fellowship in emergency medical services at the University of Cincinnati.
I have a particular interest in air medical transport and have previously flown as a flight physician with UMass Memorial Life Flight and University of Cincinnati AirCare and am medical director at MedFlight of Ohio.
Creagh Boulger, MD
Medical Director – Columbus State Community College EMS Program
As a physician, my areas of interest include intimate partner violence, human trafficking, SA, trauma, EMS and ultrasound. I currently serve as medical director for the Paramedic Training Program at Columbus State Community College and Medical Director of the Forensic Nursing Program at OSU.
I was born and raised in central Ohio and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in chemistry and childhood studies from Case Western Reserve University. I continued my education in Dayton, Ohio, earning a medical degree from Wright State University. Following medical school, I did my residency here at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.
I love travel and any outdoor adventure, especially backpacking and boating. My husband, Nick, and I have two very active kids Rowan and Turner and a collection of pets.
Craig Key, MD
Medical Director – National Trail Raceway
My undergraduate education led to a degree in electrical engineering from The Ohio State University. After that, I obtained my medical degree from The Medical College of Ohio (now the University of Toledo Medical School). Following medical school, I completed a residency in emergency medicine at the Orlando Regional Medical Center in Orlando, Florida. Then I traveled to Houston to participate in an emergency medical services fellowship under the direction of Dr. Paul Pepe and remained there for five years as associate medical director of the Houston Fire Department.
Currently, I’m on faculty with The Ohio State University College of Medicine as assistant professor of emergency medicine. I enjoy teaching residents and participating with local EMS agencies. Among my academic activities, I have authored or contributed to many publications and professional presentations concerning the subject of out-of-hospital cardiac care and the need for early recognition, response and treatment of heart attacks. I have also developed and implemented research concerning the subject of out-of-hospital resuscitation and emergency medical dispatch.
I’m now drawing on my undergraduate training in electrical engineering as I become more interested in the application of technology to medicine and EMS. I have developed numerous websites and written iPhone apps dealing with teaching and practicing medicine.
Ashish Panchal, MD
Medical Director – Delaware County EMS
National Registry of EMT Medical Director
I’m an associate professor of emergency medicine for the Department of Emergency Medicine. I’m passionate about improving patient outcomes in the prehospital setting, and conducting research focused on prehospital airway management and improving outcomes from cardiac arrest. I began my career as a researcher and completed a PhD in cardiovascular physiology at Case Western Reserve University. Following this, I completed my medical training and residency at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Currently, I’m heavily involved in prehospital care being the EMS medical director for Delaware County EMS and the Delaware County Dispatch Center as well as associate medical director for the Worthington Fire Department. At The Ohio State University, I’m the program director for the ACGME-accredited EMS fellowship. On a national level, I’m the research and fellowship director for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, and part of the expert panels for the National EMS Scope of Practice Model Revision Project and the Evidence-Based Guideline for Naloxone. I’m also a member of the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care Scientific Subcommittee and am the chair of the 2018 AHA/ECC Guidelines Focused Update for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care.
Brooke Moungey, MD
Medical Director- Allen Township Fire Department
Medical Director- Marysville Fire Division
Medical Director- Northern Union County Joint Fire & EMS District
Medical Director- Southeast Hardin Northwest Union Joint Fire District
Medical Director- Union Township Fire Department
Medical Director- Union County Sheriff's Office
Associate Medical Director – Columbus State Community College EMS Program
I completed my medical training at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, followed by residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. During that time, I served as a Flight Physician for the University of Wisconsin’s Medflight program and subsequently completed Fellowship training in Medical Education.
I joined the core faculty at the Ohio State University in 2018 as an Assistant Professor in Emergency Medicine. Since that time, I have continued to focus on my passion for curriculum design and implementation in the education of medical students and resident physicians as well as EMS providers. I currently serve as the EMS Course Director for the EM and EM/IM residency programs which is designed to give resident physicians an appreciation for the challenges of patient care in the prehospital environment and teach them how to better support EMS providers. I also enjoy creating quality improvement initiatives and providing educational content to support our EMS agencies providing exceptional service to our communities throughout central Ohio.
Outside of work, some of my favorite past times include adding new books to my home library, enjoying firepits with friends, discovering new hiking trails, and traveling to explore new places and create memories with my loved ones.
Nicole McAllister, DO
Medical Director of Clinton Township Fire Department
Associate Medical Director of Delaware County EMS
Associate Medical Director of Columbus State Community College EMS Program
Medical Team Manager for FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Ohio Task Force 1
I’m an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at The Ohio State University in the Department of Emergency Medicine. I have had the opportunity to train and work in multiple states and systems, and have an appreciation for the variability in prehospital medicine. After completing my residency in Emergency Medicine in New York during COVID, I completed my fellowship training at The Ohio State University in EMS. I stayed on as faculty and am currently working both in the emergency department and in the prehospital setting.
Currently, I am active in many aspects of prehospital medicine. I am the Associate Medical Director at Delaware County EMS and the Medical Director of Clinton Township Fire Department. With a recent interest in disaster medicine, I have also worked to become a physician for the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Team Ohio Task Force 1. After finishing my fellowship, I also stayed on as a faculty advisor, helping to train fellows and residents with interests in the prehospital setting. My newest role will be help with medical direction at Columbus State Community College’s EMS Program.