Our dynamic, four-year residency trains you to be not only an excellent clinician but also an outstanding teacher and leader, in a culture that promotes independent learning and camaraderie with colleagues.

Our Mission

To cultivate compassionate, fulfilled and inspired emergency medicine physicians who provide outstanding evidence-based care in response to the unique and dynamic challenges of their communities.


Become a national leader
Welcome, class of 2028

Train here, thrive anywhere.®

Our program combines clinical exposure and experience with state of the art facilities, high patient volumes, a variety of pathologies and significant acuity. For trainees, this prepares you to thrive in any work setting and to confidently and competently care for any patient who walks through the door. In fact, our residents go on to secure competitive fellowships and careers around the country — including those at WashU Medicine.


Learn in an unparalleled training environment

As the largest tertiary referral center in St. Louis and the safety net hospital for our region, Barnes-Jewish Hospital welcomes patients from all walks of life. What’s more, as an academic medical center, our resources empower us to provide advanced care to the patients who need it most across our affiliated hospitals.

Chief Residents

Emily Cloessner, MD

Emily Cloessner, MD

Chief Resident, 2024-2025

Hometown: Aiken, SC
Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina
Undergrad: College of Charleston
Hobbies: Anything outside, slowly working towards becoming a Cicerone, board games.
Superpower: Can nap anywhere, anytime.
Kryptonite: Early morning meetings, snow.

Blake Forte, MD

Blake Forte, MD

Chief Resident, 2024-2025

Hometown: Flowood, Mississippi
Medical School: Meharry
Undergrad: Mississippi State University
Hobbies: Playing & watching sports, traveling, photography, going to brunch, concerts, museums, trying new restaurants, playing spades
Superpower: My charisma ????
Kryptonite: Short attention span
Fun Fact: I sometimes (often) speak in song lyrics

Nick Maxwell, MD

Nick Maxwell, MD

Chief Resident, 2024-2025

Hometown: Plymouth, MN
Medical School: University of Rochester
Undergrad: Creighton
Hobbies: Rock climbing, biking, card games, board games, cooking to name a few
Superpower: Dad jokes
Kryptonite: Food…
Fun Fact: I have a collection of smiley face stuff (tie, shirts, coffee mug, spatulas, stress balls) and I climbed devils tower when I was 16 y/o but I’m also scared of heights

Daniel Suarez, MD

Daniel Suarez, MD

Chief Resident, 2024-2025

Hometown: Western Springs, IL
Medical School: University of Illinois at Chicago
Undergrad: George Mason University
Hobbies: Cooking, guitar, running, generally being outside
Superpower: I can turn any leftover into halfway decent fried rice
Kryptonite: Country music, biting into food when it’s hot
Fun Fact: I lost in a battle of the bands to Vic Mensa and Kids These Days, but it was really close

Meet our residency administration >>