Larissa Velez

Dr. Larissa Velez is a Clinical Professor and full-time faculty member at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern), where she holds multiple leadership roles. She serves as Vice Chair for Education in the Department of Emergency Medicine and Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, overseeing over 180 training programs across the institution. Her clinical practice is based at Parkland Health & Hospital System, the nation's busiest single-location emergency department, and she works as clinical toxicology staff at the North Texas Poison Center. Previously, she led the Emergency Medicine Residency Program as Director for eight years. Dr. Velez’s expertise spans clinical toxicology, emergency medicine, and medical education, with a focus on improving patient care systems and residency training.

• Education: BA in Sciences (University of Puerto Rico), MD (University of Puerto Rico), residency in Emergency Medicine, and fellowship in Toxicology
• Licensed in Texas and certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine

Her research emphasizes toxin exposure management, drug overdose mechanisms, and healthcare system optimization. Key areas include synthetic drug toxicities (e.g., bath salts), antidote efficacy (e.g., fomepizole, hydroxocobalamin), and pediatric medication errors. Recent work evaluates handoff protocols and care transition algorithms in emergency settings.

Her 29+ publications span case studies, clinical guidelines, and textbook chapters on topics like hydrofluoric acid toxicity, electrolyte disorders, and veterinary medication exposures. Her administrative roles ensure institutional oversight of residency/fellowship programs involving 1,500+ trainees annually.