Above in the photo from left to right: Members of the Division of Critical Care. Yigit Erkus, MD, honorary fellow; Awni Al-Subu, MD, associate professor; Talal Al Hendawi, MD, PGY-5 fellow; Diana Montes Ramirez, MD, PGY-6 fellow; and Elizabeth Koester, DO, PGY-5 fellow.
Thousands of critical care professionals from around the world convened in Chicago for the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) 2026 Critical Care Congress in March. The annual congress showcased the latest scientific advances, innovative therapies, and best practices in intensive care medicine and ICU leadership. Faculty, fellows, and graduate students from the department made contributions through podium and poster presentations, highlighting ongoing research excellence in pediatric critical care. The following abstracts were presented:
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“Evaluation of plateau CO2 via inspiratory hold to estimate PACO2 in swine pediatrics ARDS mode” presented by Awni Al-Subu, MD, associate professor, presented on behalf of Kaisa Stolen
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“Mechanical Ventilation Modes in a Swine Pediatric Hypoxia Cardiac Arrest Model: A Pilot Study. Critical Care Medicine” presented by Yigit Erkus, MD, honorary fellow
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“Effectiveness of Magnesium Sulfate for Critical Asthma in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit” presented by Diana Montes Ramirez, MD, PGY-6 fellow
In addition to scholarly presentations, Awni Al-Subu, MD, associate professor, Division of Critical Care, served as national faculty for both SCCM pre-congress educational courses and programming during the congress. He was a faculty member for the SCCM Pediatric and Neonatal Critical Care Ultrasound course, providing hands-on instruction to learners from across the nation. Dr. Al-Subu also supports SCCM’s educational mission as faculty in Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS) training, helping prepare clinicians to manage critically ill patients across a variety of care settings.