Residency Program Directors

Program Director

Susan Stroud, MD

Susan is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and is the Residency Director. She received her bachelor's degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from Colorado State University, and graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1997. Her residency training in emergency medicine was completed at Alameda County Medical Center (Highland) in 2001.

After residency, Dr. Stroud was a faculty member at San Francisco General Hospital, and an Instructor at UCSF School of Medicine. She joined the faculty at the University of Utah in 2003 where she initially served as Medical Student Director, and helped to create the residency program.

Dr. Stroud has received several outstanding teaching awards at the University of Utah, and completed a medical education fellowship in the University of Utah Medical Scholars Program in 2004. In 2009 she was named EMRA's Assistant Residency Director of the Year. Her main academic interest is medical education.

Nonmedical Interests: Skiing, cycling, hiking, backpacking, cats, sunshine, mountains, contemporary art, architecture and design, reading, cooking, cheese, Italy, bright colors, interesting drinks with unusual people, Brett (my husband), unusual drinks with interesting people, tandem bicycle touring

Former Life: thrash band manager, general ne'er do well

Favorite Famous People: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Matthew Barney, Bjork, Beck, Haruki Murakami, Hieronymous Bosch, Takashi Murakami, Cindy Sherman

Favorite other stuff: Chinese food, every resident in my program (and how much they teach me about medicine and life), making pizza, sleeping in, living in Utah, my parents and their amazing abilities and adventures

General Dislikes: personality disorders (although I do find them all fascinating), wet lettuce, cleaning the cat box, anything to do with yard work, cheap beer, sports that require good eye hand coordination

Goals: Riding my bike around the world (okay, maybe just Europe), living outside the U.S. for at least two years while I am still employable, owning a dog, being normal for at least 1 year (not really), living to 110 and being healthy and active the whole time, having no regrets

Associate Program Director

Robert Stephen, MD

Robert Stephen, M.D. is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, and the Associate Residency Director & MS4 Sub-I Clerkship Director. Dr. Stephen received his bachelor's degree in Russian Language and Literature from Columbia University, and graduated from the University of Utah School of Medicine in 1995. He completed a Transitional Year Internship at LDS Hospital in 1996 and then finished his residency training in Emergency Medicine at UCSF Fresno in 1999.

After residency he joined the faculty at the University of Utah in 1999. He has been the Medical Student Clerkship director for some time now.

Dr. Stephen has received several outstanding teaching awards at the University of Utah.

His primary academic interest is medical education.

Nonmedical Interests: Skiing, cycling (mountain and road), hiking, mountains, red rock desert, camping, reading, traveling with my family, seeking and trying new cocktails

Assistant Program Director

Allison Beaulieu, MD, MAEd

Allison Beaulieu, MD, MAEd is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Assistant Residency Program Director, and Medical Education Fellowship Director at the University of Utah. Allie hails from New England and grew up in a small town on the North Shore of Massachusetts. She received her bachelor's degree from Bates College in 2013. She majored in Biological Chemistry and minored in Women and Gender Studies while also serving as the captain of the Women’s Basketball Team.

After college, she transitioned to New York Medical College and graduated as a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society and Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society in 2017. She then completed Emergency Medicine Residency at the University of Massachusetts in 2020 and was named Massachusetts’s ACEP Resident Physician of the Year. To round out her training and passion for medical education, Allie completed a two-year Medical Education Fellowship with combined degree in Biomedical Education from The Ohio State University in 2022.

After Fellowship, she joined the stellar faculty and program leadership team at the University of Utah in 2022. She is dedicated to the growth, well-being, and development of the students, residents, and fellows. In addition, she contributes to the field of Academic Emergency Medicine through her service to numerous committees in CORD and SAEM.

Professional Interests: medical education, curriculum development, mentorship, professional development, and gamification.

Outside Interests: exploring botanical gardens, enjoying a good cup of coffee, walking along the water, and spending time with family.

Assistant Program Director

Brendan Cummins, MD

Brendan is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and Assistant Residency Program Director at the University of Utah. He is also a member of Utah Emergency Physicians which provides coverage for the emergency departments withing the Intermountain Health system in Salt Lake City and Ogden. Dr. Cummins is from San Diego, California and completed a dual-degree program in 1992 receiving a B.A in Engineering/Physics from Westmont College and a B.S. in Biomedical/Mechanical Engineering at the University of Southern California. After a year of living in Park City, UT, he returned to Los Angeles and completed his medical degree in 1997 at the University of Southern California, graduating with highest distinction and Alpha Omega Alpha honors. Dr. Cummins completed residency training in emergency medicine at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in 2000. He then returned to the mountains of Utah and has continued to work full time clinically at LDS Hospital and Intermountain Medical Center.

Dr. Cummins has been actively involved in the educational program for EM residency since its origin in 2005 and has been the assistant program director for the residency at Intermountain Medical Center since 2007. Dr. Cummins has held leadership positions within Utah Emergency Physicians as a member of the executive committee and also has served on the board of directors. He has received several awards for his contribution to EM resident education and also serves as a member of the Snowbird ski patrol during the winter months.

Professional areas of interest include: medical education, mentoring, bedside ultrasound and ED efficiency.

A few, of many, outside interests include: Backcountry telemark & alpine skiing, mountain biking, trail running, cheese, IPAs, good coffee and international travel.

Assistant Program Director

Christine Raps, MD

Christine Raps is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Assistant Residency Program Director, and Assistant EM Clerkship Director at the University of Utah. Christine grew up in a small town on the Chesapeake Bay in Southern Maryland. Prior to college, she worked for several years in the Fire/EMS service as a Nationally Registered Paramedic and firefighter. Christine received her bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from the University of Nevada, Reno, and graduated from the University of Nevada School of Medicine in 2016. She completed her residency training in emergency medicine at the University of Utah in 2019.

After graduation from residency, she worked as a faculty member at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton, California. During that time, she served as Co-Director of Emergency Ultrasound and Co-Director of Pandemic ED-ICU Operations. Christine joined the faculty and program leadership at the University of Utah in 2022.

Professional interests: medical education, curriculum development and evaluation, mentorship, point of care ultrasound, and simulation

Outside interests: gardening, cooking, cake decorating, spending time with family, and traveling

Only a few years ago, the presence of an emergency medicine residency in Utah was still just a dream. In 2005 that dream became a reality, and in June of 2008 we graduated our first class of emergency medicine residents. We have enjoyed every step of the way, and are overjoyed with the hard work and enthusiasm displayed by all three classes of our current residents. We have grown very quickly from a brand new program to one with some great experiences under our belt, and big plans for the future.

Unique Characteristics

Our residency utilizes the unique characteristics of three different hospitals and is based at the 430-bed, Level-1 trauma/tertiary care University Hospital, which is home to the University of Utah School of Medicine and the AirMed aeromedical transport system. Other campuses include the 470-bed Intermountain Medical Center Hospital, a Level-1 trauma/regional referral center for the Intermountain Health Care System and base for the Life Flight aeromedical transport system. Residents also rotate through the ED and PICU at the Primary Children's Medical Center Hospital, a Level-1 trauma/regional pediatric referral center with a 43,000 visit per year ED. This center has one of the largest catchment areas in the United States, in addition to a nationally recognized faculty and a well established Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship that began in 1989.

Energetic Faculty With Diverse Training

We have an outstanding, energetic core faculty with a broad diversity of training in emergency medicine who are committed to excellence in emergency medical care, teaching, research and physician well being. Our faculty has active research programs in air and ground EMS, pain management, medical toxicology, airway management, ultrasound and wilderness medicine. We are proud of the great sense of camaraderie that is shared by both our faculty and residents and enjoy a common bond in our love for outdoor activities.

We encourage you to check out the rest of our website which contains profiles and pictures of our residents in action, as well as detailed information about our training program. We hope you too will be convinced that This is the Place!