Internationally-Recognized Emergency Medicine Pioneer Dr. Brian Browne to Step Down as Department Chair at UM Medicine

Dr. Michael Winters to Serve as Interim Department Chair

Brian J. Browne, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, longtime Professor and Founding Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and award-winning pioneer in the field of emergency care, today announced his decision to step down as department chair effective September 1, 2025. Michael E. Winters, MD, Professor of Emergency Medicine and Vice Chair for Clinical and Administrative Affairs, has agreed to serve as Interim Department Chair beginning on that date. Dr. Browne will remain on the faculty until the end of 2025, when he plans to retire.

Dr. Browne joined the UM School of Medicine in 1985 after completing one of the nation’s first fellowships in emergency medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School.  He joined the Maryland faculty as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery (which staffed a small emergency room at the time). In 2006, he became the Founding Chair when he established Emergency Medicine as its own department. Over the years, he expanded the modest emergency room into a department of 85 full-time, board-certified faculty. The residency program, which did not exist before he arrived, has trained more than 50 residents annually across four tracks: Emergency Medicine; EM combined with Internal Medicine; EM combined with Pediatrics; EM combined with Critical Care. Under his innovative leadership, Maryland’s program became a model for clinical care and education in emergency medicine worldwide.

Transformative Impact

"Dr. Browne has been a transformative academic and clinical leader in emergency medicine," said UM School of Medicine Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, who is also Vice President for Medical Affairs, UM, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor.  “During his tenure, he built a department that has set the global standard for emergency care, education and innovation around the world, for which we will be forever grateful. Emergency Medicine is now a required clerkship for all medical students. We are fortunate to have Dr. Winters to serve as Interim Chair, who I am confident will continue this exceptional leadership during this transition and beyond.”

Dr. Browne, who also serves as Physician-in-Chief for Statewide Emergency Medicine Services, has been widely acclaimed for his visionary leadership in expanding emergency medical care across the State of Maryland. His efforts were instrumental in creating a robust, statewide emergency care network, elevating the standard of care, particularly in historically under-served communities throughout the Baltimore metropolitan region, and expanding access to those in need.

This pioneering network seamlessly linked hospitals across Baltimore, Central Maryland, and the Eastern Shore and integrated a community emergency medicine system spanning nine hospitals statewide. It has become a cornerstone of Maryland’s public health infrastructure, serving hundreds of thousands of patients annually at its peak and delivering timely, high-quality care to those who need it most.  After the emergency services improved at these previously independent community hospitals, they requested to join the University of Maryland Medical System to become the system we know today.

Beyond its clinical reach, the network stands as a model of excellence in medical education. It provides unparalleled training environments for residents and medical students, fostering the development of future leaders in emergency medicine and reinforcing Maryland’s reputation as a national leader in healthcare innovation.

Dr. Browne also spearheaded Maryland ExpressCare, a critical care communications and transport service that streamlines consultations between community physicians and university specialists. It now carries over 11,200 patients annually by ground ambulance and helicopter, accounting for a quarter of the medical center’s admissions, and is now a part of the greatly expanded UM Access Center.

“Dr. Browne has been a remarkable leader in emergency care across the nation, and the University of Maryland Medical Center has been fortunate to benefit from his guidance,” said Bert W. O'Malley, MD, UMMC President and CEO. “Over the years, he has played a key role in transforming our Department of Emergency Medicine into an exceptional hub for both clinical excellence and academic innovation. Thanks to his passionate and forward-thinking leadership, the department has attracted some of the most talented professionals in the field and trained countless doctors. Dr. Browne’s impact will forever be remembered through the programs he created and the many lives he has touched. On behalf of everyone at UMMC, I want to sincerely thank him for his incredible service and warmly wish him all the best in his retirement.”

Emphasis on Training and Education

During Dr. Browne's tenure, the Department also made a fundamental impact on education. The Department’s faculty includes some of the world’s most accomplished clinicians, teachers, researchers, and leaders in emergency medicine, with wide-ranging interests in emergency care, cardiopulmonary and brain resuscitation, clinical toxicology, prehospital care, emergency medical services, disaster preparedness and response, use of ultrasound in the emergency department (ED), and the incorporation of simulation into medical education.

“When I arrived at Maryland, it was quite a challenging situation,” Dr. Browne said.  “At the same time, I could see the tremendous potential and opportunity that existed here.  Amidst the challenges, we continuously persevered. Now, jump ahead 40 years and I am surrounded by great academic leaders, outstanding clinicians, world renowned teachers, tremendous residents and staff. It has truly been a team effort all the way, and I owe everything to the people around me. We all share the mission of caring for our community, and we are all grateful for the opportunities we have been able to pursue over the years.”

Dr. Browne earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Syracuse University, completed master’s level coursework at Niagara University and Roswell Park Memorial Institute, and received his MD from SUNY Downstate Medical Center. He trained in internal medicine at St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center in New York before pursuing emergency medicine at Harvard’s MGH.

Dr. Winters to Serve as Interim Chair

Dr. Michael Winters joined the University of Maryland faculty in 2004 after completing the Combined Emergency Medicine/Internal Medicine (EMIM) Residency Program at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), serving as Chief Resident in his final year.  He holds bachelor’s degrees in both Biomedical and Electrical Engineering from The Johns Hopkins University, an MD from the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, and an MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.  From 2006 to 2018, Dr. Winters served as the Program Director for the Combined EMIM Residency Program, founded and co-directed the Combined Emergency Medicine/Internal Medicine/Critical Care Program at UMMC, and served as Medical Director for the Adult Emergency Department at UMMC. In 2018, he became Vice Chair for Clinical and Administrative Affairs in the Department of Emergency Medicine. In this role, Dr. Winters has overseen clinical operations in the Adult Emergency Department at UMMC, the Emergency Department at UMMC Midtown Campus, the Emergency Department at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and the Emergency Department at Mercy Medical Center.  In addition to his Vice Chair role, Dr. Winters serves as Special Project Lead for the University of Maryland Faculty Practice in patient access, throughput, and service utilization.

Dr. Winters' area of clinical expertise is in the resuscitation and care of critically ill emergency department patients. He is the Editor-in-Chief of three textbooks, has authored over 100 publications and textbook chapters, and has given nearly 700 invited lectures on various topics pertaining to the care of critically ill emergency department patients. He is the recipient of teaching awards from the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Winters also hosts a monthly podcast, “Critical Care Perspectives in Emergency Medicine.”

“I am honored to lead this outstanding department during a time of strong foundation and growth,” Dr. Winters said. “I look forward to working with our faculty, residents, and staff to continue advancing our education, patient care, and research missions.”