The Team

Hillary Irons, MD, PHd

Hillary Irons, MD, PhD, FACEP, is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Massachusetts. She completed a Wilderness Medicine Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, during which she worked with the Himalayan Rescue Association in the Everest Region of Nepal, served as a trip physician to the Siberian Arctic, and conducted multiple research projects on altitude illness.

Hillary has taught wilderness medicine for many years, delivering lectures, hands-on courses, including AWLS, and leading simulation-based instruction. She is also the Expansion Race Coordinator for MedWAR (Medical Wilderness Adventure Races), which has been teaching and testing wilderness medicine through scenario-based adventure races since 2003. She has held national leadership roles in the wilderness medicine interest groups of SAEM and ACEP.

Her current research focuses on cognitive deficits in hypoxic brain states, particularly acute mountain illness and traumatic brain injury.

Mattis currently a third-year medical student at UMass Chan, where he brings a passion for education, community-building, and interdisciplinary learning to the table. A veteran Math and Science educator, Matt draws on years of classroom experience to inform his approach to medicine and patient care. Outside of academics, he enjoys hiking, drinking coffee, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Matt Segil, ms2

Co-DirectoR                                     

Cyruss Cho, ms2

Co-DirectoR                                     

I’m a third-year medical student with an interest in emergency and cardiac medicine. Before starting medical school, I worked as an EMT. My experience treating patients in the pre-hospital setting has grown my interest in emergency and wilderness medicine. In my first year of medical school, I was a part of the Wilderness Medicine Adventure Race (MedWAR) in Massachusetts.

I’m particularly interested in exploring the innovative solutions and problem-solving skills required to deal with resource limited situations. This will be my first time joining the New England Wilderness Medicine conference, and I’m very excited to meet with everyone and learn more about this field!

AlumnI

AVERY PULLMAN, MD

Founder                                     

I’m a fourth-year medical student and director of the New England Wilderness Medicine Conference. From the start of medical school, I was drawn to Emergency and Wilderness Medicine. Early in my first year, I joined a team at UMass to help launch the first Wilderness Medicine Adventure Race (MedWAR) in Massachusetts, with special thanks to fellow speakers Karishma and Sarah.

After that event, I was hooked and began brainstorming more ways to unite people who share a passion for both medicine and the outdoors. Attending a Wilderness Medicine conference hosted by Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia further inspired me to bring that same energy to the Northeast. We’re excited about this event and can’t wait to connect with others who are passionate about this unique field!