Charles (Chuck) J. Gerardo, MD, has been named the chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine in the School of Medicine, effective immediately.
Gerardo has served as interim chair since July 2022, when the former Division of Emergency Medicine in the Department of Surgery was elevated to department status. He previously served as chief of the division.
Gerardo joined Duke’s faculty in 2000. During his time in the division and then the department, he has served in multiple leadership roles including director of undergraduate medical education, director of the Emergency Medicine Global Health Program, and vice chief of clinical operations. His research focuses on U.S. and global snake envenomation and has established him as an internationally recognized expert. He uses a variety of methodologies from transitional science and clinical trials to machine learning and implementation science. Gerardo is a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the National Hispanic Medical Association.
Since its inception, the Department of Emergency Medicine has provided high-quality, timely, and compassionate emergency care for patients; unsurpassed educational opportunities for residents and fellows; and cutting-edge research for the betterment of emergency care on a global scale. The department maintains designations as a Level One trauma center, stroke center, and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention center. The department currently comprises seven divisions, sections, and programs, and 66 faculty members involved in patient care, research, education and training, and community engagement.