Conemaugh Emergency Medicine Residents Capture National SimWars Championship; Resident Finishes Runner-Up in ACEP Competition
October 12, 2026
Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center Emergency Medicine residents earned top national honors this week, winning the 2026 Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association (EMRA) Resident SimWars Championship during ACEP26, the American College of Emergency Physicians’ annual Scientific Assembly.
Competing as the “Conemaugh Code Commandos,” the team of four residents — D'shae McKenzie, MD; Julian Metro, DO; Seth Witte, DO; and Aditya Lal Vallath, MD — emerged as national champions after a full day of high-intensity competition featuring emergency medicine residency teams from some of the nation’s most prestigious academic medical centers.
Conemaugh was the only community-based residency program competing in the championship. The field included teams representing Staten Island University Hospital, University of Florida Jacksonville Emergency Medicine, Emory University, Ochsner Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, UCSF Fresno and Rush University Emergency Medicine.
“Winning this competition was an incredible opportunity to represent Conemaugh on a national stage,” said Aditya Lal Vallath, MD. “We are incredibly proud to bring the championship home and showcase what our residents can accomplish alongside emergency medicine programs from across the country.”
EMRA Resident SimWars is a nationally recognized emergency medicine simulation competition held during the ACEP Scientific Assembly. Teams of four residents compete in a series of simulated emergency and mass-casualty scenarios, with each case requiring rapid assessment, clinical decision-making, communication, leadership and teamwork. Faculty judges evaluate teams on their ability to manage complex, evolving emergencies under intense time constraints.
The Conemaugh Code Commandos successfully navigated multiple simulated mass-casualty scenarios throughout the day, demonstrating the clinical knowledge, teamwork and leadership required to manage critically ill patients in rapidly changing, high-pressure situations.
“This accomplishment is a tremendous reflection of the talent, preparation and teamwork of our residents,” said Michael Galuska, MD, FACEP, Program Director of the Conemaugh Memorial Emergency Medicine Residency Program. “To compete against some of the most highly regarded academic emergency medicine programs in the country and come away as national champions speaks volumes about our residents and the quality of training they receive at Conemaugh.”
Conemaugh Resident Earns National Recognition in ACEP “Drop the Mic” Competition
The SimWars championship was not the only national achievement for a Conemaugh Emergency Medicine resident at ACEP26.
Nsikak Daniel, MD, PGY-3, finished as the runner-up in the ACEP “Drop the Mic” competition, a national presentation competition featuring 27 selected presenters from across emergency medicine. Dr. Daniel was the only resident selected to compete, with the remaining presenters consisting of emergency medicine faculty.
Her second-place finish represents an exceptional accomplishment for a resident competing against experienced emergency medicine faculty and further demonstrates the strength of Conemaugh’s Emergency Medicine Residency Program.
Together, the accomplishments of the Conemaugh Code Commandos and Dr. Daniel highlight the depth of talent within Conemaugh Memorial’s Emergency Medicine Residency Program, and the caliber of training residents receive at a community-based academic medical center.
“These achievements demonstrate that our residents are not simply prepared to practice emergency medicine — they are prepared to excel on a national stage,” said Dr. Galuska. “Our residents have the opportunity to learn, lead and compete alongside some of the best in emergency medicine, and these accomplishments are a tremendous source of pride for our entire program.”
The national recognition adds to an already notable year for Conemaugh’s Emergency Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Galuska was recently named the 2026 recipient of EMRA’s Joseph F. Waeckerle, MD, FACEP, Alumni of the Year Award, recognizing his leadership, mentorship and contributions to emergency medicine and the EMRA community.
The achievements underscore Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center’s commitment to medical education and to preparing the next generation of emergency physicians to deliver high-quality care to patients and communities throughout west-central Pennsylvania.