23 Oct James Whitledge, MD: A 2025 Unsung Hero
Most emergency physicians gladly wave goodbye to working 24 hours on and 24 off as they complete their trauma surgery rotation in residency. The amazing Jim Whitledge, attending emergency physician in the UVM Health Network, board certified toxicologist, ski Dad extraordinaire, took that as a warm-up. Dr. Whitledge tackled 21 shifts in July at two of our rural critical access sites to fill a key staffing shortage caused by the unexpected passing of a colleague. Despite several stretches of 24 on and 24 off, he continued to provide outstanding patient care with a smile in Ticonderoga and Elizabethtown. When asked about how he was holding up at a recent sign out, he stated that he was ‘so grateful that he lived in a beautiful, safe place where his family could spend time together outside; he was so lucky that he did not live in a part of the world stricken by famine or war’. The nurses in each of these rural critical access safety net hospitals confirmed that Jim is one of only two physicians that have never cursed or become angry. No transport delay or grumpy consult or chronic toe pain at hour 20 of your 24 hour shift gets this guy down. He just keeps going and somehow makes it to his seven year old’s mountain bike camp pick up grinning a mile wide on his custom hardtail mountain bike covered in mushroom and poison decals.
Jim is an incredible example of the power of rural-academic practice and the exponential impact a board certified emergency physician plus fellowship trained toxicologist can have at a rural critical access site. He is one of only two toxicologists in our region and his willingness to review cases and lend his toxicology expertise at any time day or night during this incredible stretch of summer shifts saved many patients and guided numerous clinicians throughout the entire rural Adirondack region. I called him on a recent overnight shift from one of our other rural hospitals to seek his advice and experience with a new combined antipsychotic-naltrexone medication that had unintentionally thrown a patient on buprenorphine into withdrawal. Despite the early hour, his enthusiasm for medical toxicology continued to bubble and benefit a patient hours away. He thought for a moment and answered with a classic 2025 toxicologist battle cry “Give more bupe!!”. He was spot on and even more excited for our patient when it worked. On another summer morning, we were signing out with a nursing student and resident on shift. He reviewed a case where a patient came with dyspnea and wheezing after splitting a fallen eastern red cedar. Dr. Whitledge cleverly deduced that this was not an ordinary bronchitis, but the bronchospastic effect of plicatic acid from the cedar. Every shift with Dr Whitledge comes with a tox teaching pearl and a smile that reminds us all why we love EM.
Recipient Bio:
Dr. Jim Whitledge graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine, and subsequently completed a residency in emergency medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and fellowship training at the Harvard Medical Toxicology Fellowship. He is currently an emergency physician and medical toxicologist practicing within the University of Vermont Health Network. He enjoys taking call for the Northern New England Poison Center, and is also a consultant toxicologist for the Nepal Poison Information Center. Jim has a particular interest in drug and antidotal shortages, novel treatments for antimuscarinic delirium, pediatric toxicology, and treatment of substance use disorders. Jim spends his free time skiing, biking, and hiking with his family, and is excited when he finds mushrooms and owls in the woods.
– Jordan Ship, MD