Elizabeth M. Phillips

Elizabeth M. Phillips, MD, MA, serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where she focuses on ethics, health policy, end-of-life care, and medical innovation. Nationally, she chairs the MedChi Committee on Ethics and Judicial Affairs and serves on the American College of Emergency Physicians Ethics Committee while maintaining active membership in the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine, American Medical Association, and National Medical Association.

Her academic foundation includes a BA in Medical Ethics & Religion from Duke University (2005) and a dual MD/MA Bioethics degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (2011), followed by Emergency Medicine residency at George Washington University Hospital where she served as Chief Resident. Prior to medical school, she conducted NIH research on race, ethnicity, and genetics in the National Human Genome Research Institute.

Dr. Phillips' research program critically examines ethical dilemmas in emergency settings, particularly regarding end-of-life decisions, health disparities, and genomic ethics. Her work bridges clinical practice with policy development, emphasizing innovation in emergency care delivery and the social implications of medical technology. This dual focus manifests in both clinical ethics frameworks and entrepreneurial ventures addressing operational challenges in emergency departments.

Her publication portfolio demonstrates consistent thematic focus across emergency medicine ethics and genomic sociology, with recent works analyzing palliative care integration, resuscitation ethics, and race in genomic research. These studies collectively advance understanding of how ethical frameworks can be operationalized in high-acuity clinical environments while addressing systemic disparities.

Her scientific recognition includes the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps Grant (2015), multiple National Medical Association Excellence in Research Awards (2011-2012), and the Gold Humanism Honor Society distinction (2013). Additional honors comprise:

• George Washington Business Competition Finalist for Bleed Freeze device (2015)
• NMA Post Graduate Section First Place Poster (2014)
• EMRA Emergency Department Directors Academy Award (2014)
• ACEP Medical Student Professionalism and Service Award (2011)
• Inamori Center Research Fellow Grant (2009)
• AMA Minority Scholars Award (2009)

Dr. Phillips secured $50,000 through the NSF I-Corps grant to launch Emergency Medical Innovation, LLC following development of her epistaxis device during residency. Her grant portfolio reflects sustained support for ethics research, including the Inamori Center fellowship and AMA Minority Scholars Award. Through MedChi and ACEP committee leadership, she actively shapes state and national health policy while mentoring future emergency physicians in ethical practice.

As co-founder of Emergency Medical Innovation, LLC, she directs translational research converting clinical observations into practical emergency care solutions. Her national committee roles within ACEP and SAEM position her at the intersection of clinical practice, policy development, and academic innovation in emergency medicine ethics.