SCC and ACS Fellowship – Faculty
In addition to the breadth and scope of clinical training, the clear strength of the program is the teaching faculty. The TACS division currently consists of 9 faculty, all of whom have been formally recognized for teaching excellence. The defining characteristics of the faculty include clinical and educational excellence as well as longevity. Half of the teaching faculty have been at ECU greater than 15 years.
Eric A. Toschlog, MD, FACS, FCCM
Dr. Toschlog is Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the Brody School of Medicine at ECU. In addition, he is Trauma Medical Director for ECU Health Medical Center, and Program Director Emeritus for the Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery Fellowships. Dr. Toschlog came to ECU in 2000 after completing a two-year Surgical Critical Care and Trauma fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Toschlog started both the SCC (2004) and ACS (2012) fellowships at ECU. Dr. Toschlog’s research interests have spanned the spectrum of acute care surgery, but special interests include trauma systems, snake envenomation, shark attack and gunshot violence. Dr. Toschlog is an avid outdoorsman, spending his free time hiking and camping with family, working at his farm, or fishing and boating at his home at Harker’s Island, NC.
Michael R. Bard, MD, FACS
Dr. Bard is an Associate Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the Brody School of Medicine at ECU and came to ECU in 2001. Dr. Bard is the Director for Surgical Critical Care for the Department of Surgery and Medical Director for the Surgical Intensive Care Unit. In addition, Dr. Bard served at Director for the 3rd year medical student surgical clerkship, and currently serves a Director of the 4th year clerkship. Dr. Bard’s research interests focus primarily on clinical care and outcomes in surgical critical illness. Dr. Bard is an avid sports fan and family man. He spends his free time with two daughters, playing golf, and pulling for essentially any team that hails from Philadelphia.
Mark A. Newell, MD, FACS
Dr. Newell is an Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the Brody School of Medicine at ECU. In addition, Dr. Newell is Associate Medical Director for trauma and oversees the advanced practice provider program for the Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. Dr. Newell came to ECU in 2003 after completing his training and working at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in Bronx, NY. His distinguished career at ECU has included multiple teaching awards and leadership positions. Having completed a Masters of Medical Management, Dr. Newell served as Chief of Staff for Vidant Medical Center in 2021. Dr. Newell’s research interests include geriatric trauma, obesity in acute care surgery, and stress-induced hyperglycemia. Dr. Newell is a movie and music buff. He also spends his free time with family and pursuing other hobbies which include viewing University of Texas sports and photography.
Nicole M. Garcia, MD, FACS
Dr. Garcia is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Program Director for the Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery Fellowship in the Department of Surgery at the Brody School of Medicine at ECU. Dr. Garcia came to ECU in 2016 with interests in surgical education, and now serves as the Associate Program Director for the General Surgery residency program. In addition, she has recently completed the Surgical Education Research Fellowship. Dr. Garcia’s research interests include clinical trauma and surgical critical care as well as surgical education. Dr. Garcia’s hobbies include spending time with her family, walking her dog, camping, hiking, and sailing the world. She is also a member of a local roller derby team.
Kenji Leonard, MD, FACS
Dr. Leonard is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the Brody School of Medicine at ECU. Dr. Leonard joined ECU in 2019, after completing his General Surgery Residency and SCC/ACS fellowships at ECU. Dr. Leonard has interest in surgical quality and safety. He serves as NSQIP Champion for ECU Health Medical Center and is the Associate Director for Performance Improvement for the trauma center at ECU Health Medical Center. Dr. Leonard’s research interests include nosocomial infection, mechanical ventilation, trauma systems, and quality and safety in acute care surgery, He spends his free time with his wife and three children. He enjoys cooking, hiking, and watching college basketball.
Christina Regelsberger-Alvarez, DO, FACS
Dr. Regelsberger-Alvarez is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the Brody School of Medicine at ECU. Dr. Regelsberger-Alvarez joined the division in 2021 after completing surgical critical care fellowship at the University of Michigan and residency at Henry Ford Health – Jackson. In keeping with her role as Assistant Medical Director of the SICU, Dr. Regelsberger-Alvarez has strong interests in complex surgical critical care, ECMO, establishment of practice management guidelines/protocols and surgical critical care education at both the fellow and resident level. Dr. Regelsberger-Alvarez initially worked to establish and expand the SCC & ACS Fellowship journal club and now serves as the Associate Program Director of the Surgical Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery fellowships. Her research interests include coagulopathy, ARDS, ECMO and critical care education. In her spare time, Dr. Regelsberger-Alvarez enjoys spending time with her family, international travel, foreign cuisine, hiking and exploring other cultures.
David Trisler, DO
Clinical Assistant Professor
Interests: Traumatic Brain injury, coagulopathy, disaster management and emergency preparedness (DMEP), geriatric trauma, guideline creation and revision, and education at all levels of medical training
Roles: Director of Trauma clinic, head of disaster management and emergency preparedness (DMEP)
Interests: travel, cooking, exploring new cuisines, golf and spending time with my growing family
