AEDSuperstore Resource Center
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Meet S. Joanne Dames, MD, MPH
Dr. S. Joanne Dames provides medical oversight for Arch Program Management and Medical Direction. She’s held a wide range of roles during her distinguished career. A few highlights include:
- Fourteen years as an Emergency Department Physician and an additional 24 years as an Urgent Care Physician, with over 10 years as an Urgent Care Physician at One Medical Group in San Francisco.
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support instructor at the Stanford Medical Center
- Spokesperson for the American Heart Association from 2007 to 2014
- Active duty, US Public Health Service as a Lt. Commander
- Medical consultant for the San Francisco Opera
- Editor and co-editor of several emergency physician publications
- Medical expert reviewer for the Medical Board of California
Education
Dr. Dames earned her undergraduate degree from UC Irvine, a Master’s of Public Health from UCLA, and her medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. She completed an internship and residency at the Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington, specializing in emergency medicine. Upon graduation, Dr. Dames was presented with the Janet Glasgow Award for “graduation first in her class” from the American Medical Woman’s Association.
Research & Medical Licenses
She currently holds medical licenses in California, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Tennessee, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Washington State.
Dr. Dames’ publications and research include:
- Dames, SJ, “Organization of Thalamocortical Projections in the Rat Following Cortical Lesions,” Journal of Undergraduate Research in the Biological Sciences, 06/1978.
- Abstract presented on the above research at the Annual Neurosciences Convention in St. Louis, MO- 1978.
- Master’s Thesis, ECG changes with treadmill testing- 1979-1980.
- Barnhill D, Heller P, Dames J, et. al., “Persistence of Endometrial Activity after Radiation Therapy for Cervical Carcinoma,” Obstetrics and Gynecology, 66(6), 12/1985, pp 805-808.
- Dames, SJ, “Apnea in an Infant,” Case Studies in Emergency Medicine, 2(7), 06/1986, pp 6-10.
- Dames, SJ, “Selective Use of Toxicology Screens in the Emergency Department,” Focus, 1(4), Fall, 1990, pp 1-4.
- Dames, SJ, “Initial Wound Management in the Emergency Department,” Focus, 2(1), Summer, 1991, pp 1-3.
She holds the following licenses, memberships and directorships:
- Medical Director and past Board of Directors President for Via Heart Project (formerly, The Via Foundation), a nonprofit whose mission is to get public access defibrillation programs into schools and communities and provide youth cardiac screenings: 02/2010-03/2023.
- Medical Advisory Council member for Cardio Partners, reviewing Automated External Defibrillator (AED) deployments: 06/2010-Present.
- Basic and Advanced Critical Incident Stress Management Courses completed through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, 02/2001 and facilitated debriefings for the City and County of San Francisco Department of Public Health after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
- International Critical Incident Stress Foundation member: 2000-2004.
- Quality Assurance Director, California Pacific Medical Center Emergency Department: 03/1995: 10/1996.
- Working Group Member, Physicians for a Violence-Free Society: 1993-1995.
- Director of Education, California Pacific Medical Center Emergency Department: 09/1990-01/1993.
- Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians (FACEP): 1990-2002.
- Director of the Annual Paramedic Conference entitled “Topics in Emergency Medicine”, California Pacific Medical Center: 07/1990-05/1992.
- Emergency Preparedness Committee Member, California Pacific Medical Center: 07/1990-03/1995.
- Disaster Subcommittee Member for the Emergency Medical Services Agency of the City and County of San Francisco: 06/1990-01/1992.
- Board certified in Emergency Medicine: 10/1988-Present
- ACLS Instructor: 1987-1993, 2007-2015.
- Commissioned Officers Association, Public Health Service member: 1987-1989.
- American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) member: 1984-2002.
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT): California, 1977, New York, 1980.