Fellowship year: 2022-2023 (Grade 29 😊)
Residency: University of Rochester Med Peds program graduated 2003
First Fellowship: University of Utah combined adult and pediatric Critical Care graduated 2007
Ellie spent her formative years in Washington DC, yes the actual District of Columbia not Maryland or Virginia. After Highschool she attended Cornell University and graduated with Honors. She headed to San Francisco where she spent a year working as a researcher and unpaid intern for the UCSF AIDS Health Foundation. Ellie graduated from the University of Utah School of Medicine after mountains and skiing brought her to Utah. After Residency in New York Ellie Returned to Salt Lake City to complete her combined adult and Pediatric Critical care fellowship and has been a practicing Attending Critical Care physician at Intermountain Medical Center and Primary Children’s Hospital, She is a Professor at both the University of Utah School of Medicine and Intermountain Health Care. Ellie Met and married her husband, Patrick Greis during fellowship and she is proud to be the mother of 2 wonderful children, Grace and Silas and their Great Dane, Frank.
Ellie has had an interest in Palliative Care and Hospice Medicine since she had the honor of training with Timothy Quill MD in Rochester, NY. Her combined Critical Care fellowship allowed for her to learn the skills of complex physiology and care for patients and families during their most stressful times. In 2015, Ellie started the IMC Post ICU Aftercare and Recovering Clinic with a comprehensive interprofessional model of care. Ellie has shifted her clinical trials research career to a research career more focused on Patient and Family engagement and improvements in patient centered care for patients and families living with chronic illnesses. Ellie has an interest in creating an adult medicine equivalent to child-life services and hopes to learn the skills and knowledge to create a palli/Hospice- ICU service with outpatient and inpatient integration to encourage patients and families to live the highest quality lives together and stay out of the hospital.
I chose Duke for my HPM training first and foremost because the HPM faculty represent a wide range of training, experience, and expertise. The faculty are supportive and encouraging of non-traditional pathways. The variety of training environments and services are also a standout element of the Duke program. In addition to the typical University HPM consult service, Duke has a free-standing inpatient hospice unit, an integrated consult and inpatient hospice unit at the VA, a community hospital HPM consult service, and a dedicated pediatric HPM service and track. Durham offers the research triangle and successful independent community hospice organizations. The exposure to out-patient palliative care services and their integration with inpatient services across the different services is another feature I hope to learn about. I chose the Durham Raleigh area because it has an inspiring intellectual, and musical vibe and because I have extended family that live nearby.
My husband and I are avid skiers and love the outdoors. Cycling, Yoga, hiking, mountain biking, water-skiing, tennis, and team sport activities are how I remain grounded and focused. Live music, and dancing is another passion, and I am excited to experience the southern culture North Carolina has to offer. I am most excited to be observing the practice of medicine and HPM as a learner in the Duke environment.