Faculty Directory

James Morris, M.D., MPH, FACEP

Program Director
Clinical Associate Professor

I attended medical school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center- Lubbock.  I did my residency at Scott and White in Temple, TX.  I started my career at UMC in 2015.  In my spare time I enjoy listening to music (I wanted to be a band director before medical school), playing board/trivia games and enjoy watching college sports, especially Texas Tech.  The process of developing a residency is a lot of pressure, but I am glad that process is over and excited to see what the future holds. 

Tom Xu, M.D., Ph.D.

Director of Research
Clinical Professor

I attended medical school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center- Lubbock and did my residency training at CHRISTUS Health- Texas A&M- Spohn Emergency Medicine Residency at Corpus Christi. I obtained my PhD in health economics and econometrics from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  I started at UMC in 2014.  In my free time, I enjoy traveling, hiking and camping in national parks, and being outdoors. Not a line from Kung Fu Panda, this Chinese proverb pretty much summarizes what a residency is about: the master can lead you into the door; however, the goal can only be achieved by your own effort.

Justin Holmes, M.D.

Associate Program Director
Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school here at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center- Lubbock and completed my residency training at Baylor Scott and White- Temple, TX.  I started at UMC in July 2018 as an Emergency Medicine attending, but worked as an EC Tech and scribe staring in 2007.  In my spare time I enjoy going camping and spending time with my wife and 3 boys.  I am excited to be back in Lubbock and ready to begin training residents and medical students.

Christopher Piel, M.D., FACEP

Division Chief
Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center- Lubbock.  I did my residency at University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS.  I started my career at UMC in 2001.  I enjoy gardening and just being outdoors in my spare time.  This residency has been 18 years in the making for me.  I’ve been pushing to promote the idea and working to change the staffing model to promote Emergency Medicine training in Lubbock, TX.  We finally have all of the pieces in place to begin representing the specialty in West Texas.  UMC has embraced our enthusiasm and truly made this a reality.  Our catchment area and fellow academic programs through Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center make this a premier location to offer the best experience in training anywhere.

Kyle Anderson, M.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, after a 1 year internship in General Surgery at UTHSC at San Antonio, I did my residency training at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center- Baton Rouge. I started in 2014 at UMC.  In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my wife and 4 children and watching them in their various extracurricular activities and sports. 

Bryson Bowman, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. I did my residency at University of Missouri Kansas City-Truman Medical Center where I served as Chief Resident in 2013. I grew up in West Texas and I am very happy to be practicing and serving a community that is so special to me. My wife, Audra, and I have two young boys, Brooks and Beckett. In my free time I enjoy playing guitar, working out, playing golf and traveling.

Carrie Cearley, M.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio. I attended residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. I started at UMC July 2013.  I enjoy spending time with my husband and 4 children, exercising, keeping a tiny hobby farm, picking through antiques, painting furniture, and scuba diving. 

Inna Kaminecki, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at Zaporizhzhia State Medical University in Ukraine and completed my resident training at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ.  I started at UMC in August 2022.  In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my daughter and going to the gym.  For prospective residents, I recently completed a pediatric emergency medicine and US fellowship at Augusta University in Georgia.  I am interested in expanding the use of ultrasound in pediatric emergency medicine.  I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge in US with other medical practitioners.  

James Ko, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at St. George in Caribbean and was an inaugural member and graduate at the EM residency right here at TTUHSC- Lubbock in 2023.  My path when selecting a residency was to end up living and working in Texas.  I am so glad I matched in Lubbock and have decided to call this place home.  In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with my wife and our almost 2 year old son!

Brian Kendall, M.D.

Clerkship Director
Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended Ross University School of Medicine and completed my residency at UT Southwestern in Dallas, TX.  I started working at UMC June 2020.  We lived in Boston the past year, so I took that opportunity to learn how to row.  As a family, we enjoy golfing and traveling.  I also enjoy spending time at the lake, as well as wake-surfing and wakeboarding.  I was born and raised in San Antonio, TX and went to Texas A&M for undergrad.  Since then, my family and I have spent a significant amount of time outside of Texas.  I am truly looking forward to returning back home.

Dharshana Krishnaprasadh, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at Sri Ramachandra University in Chennai, India and completed my pediatric residency at Unterberg’s Children’s Hospital/Rutgers Health/Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ.  After completing my pediatric residency, I did my Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship at Beaumont Health in Royal Oak, MI.  I started at UMC in August 2022 after completing my fellowship.  Hobbies and interests for medicine include simulation education and learning key processes in pediatric emergency medicine using muscle memory.  Learning by doing and peer-to- peer teaching is my learning style.  I am also interested in creating clinical pathways in pediatric emergency medicine.  Interests and hobbies outside of the hospital include the outside!  I enjoy biking and hiking around National Parks, travel and exploring new restaurants.  I also enjoy spending time in the pool with my husband and energetic 3-year-old daughter.  Something I would like prospective residents to know is having lived in 2 countries (India and US) and living in 4 different states in the US, change is inevitable.  As residents and medical professionals it is important to embrace change and enjoy the process. 

Matt Lindgren, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at TTUHSC- Lubbock and completed my residency training at the University of Florida- Gainesville.  I have worked at UMC in the ER for 15 years.  In my free time I enjoy reading, traveling and being physically active.

Brian Payne, M.D.

Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Chief Medical Officer of UMC Children’s Hospital
Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at University of Texas Medical Branch and completed my residency training right here at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center- Pediatrics.  I then attended St. Louis University- SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital for Fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine.  I have been employed at UMC since 2016.  In my spare time I enjoy playing with my 5 children and attending their sporting events.  I am passionate about Pediatric care and excited to teach anyone who is eager to learn.

Nick Quigley, DO

Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at Alabama College of Osteopathic medicine in Dothan, AL and could not wait to get back to Lubbock after medical school.  I am a Lubbock guy through and through after being born and raised here and have joked that this residency program was created for me.  I worked at UMC as a scribe prior to medical school and was excited to start here again as an attending.  In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my wife and daughter and right now, studying for boards.

Derek Smith, M.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center- Lubbock and did my Residency training at UAMS in Little Rock, AR.  I joined UMC in July 2017 as an attending.  In my time away from work I enjoy gaming and the great outdoors.

Nic Thompson, M.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center- Lubbock. Then, I did my EM residency at SUNY- Stony Brook and also completed a Fellowship in Advanced Resuscitation at Stony Brook. I started as a physician at UMC in September 2019.  In my spare time I enjoy spending time with family, traveling, reading and bleeding edge resuscitation. Follow me on Twitter!! 

Amar Tomar, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at University of Texas SOM at San Antonio and completed my residency training at UC-Davis.  I started at UMC in April 2022.  In my spare time, I enjoy international travel, investing/gambling, landscaping, and binge watching TV.  For prospective residents, I came to Lubbock without any prior connection and firmly believe this has been the best move of my career.

Gerad Troutman, M.D., MBA, FACEP, FAEMS 

Clinical Assistant Professor
UMC EMS Medical Director
Board Certified in EMS

I was born, raised, and educated in Wichita Falls, TX.  I attended medical school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center- Lubbock and completed Emergency Medicine training as Chief Resident at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and a Master of Business Administration at West Texas A&M.  I have practiced in west Texas since completing residency, starting at UMC in 2014.  I am currently the EMS Medical Director for both Lubbock and Amarillo and several other west Texas communities.  I am board certified in the subspecialty of Emergency Medical Services.

I am an organized medicine leader serving as a past president of the Texas College of Emergency Physicians and as past chair of the Young Physicians Section of the Texas Medical Association.  I currently serve on many committees within ACEP,TCEP, GETAC, NAEMSP, and the TMA.  My wife, Ashely, and I have three young boys: Cash, Colt, and Clay.  In my spare time, my family and I like to travel, dine, and hunt.  I have particular interests in prehospital medicine and its tie to innovative practices of the future for unscheduled acute care.  I also stay involved with politics in medicine and believe if you are not at the table, you become part of the menu.  We must protect our practice and our patients’ access to unscheduled acute care!

Gerrid Warner, M.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor

I attended medical school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and completed my EM residency through Michigan State University.  I have been practicing at University Medical Center since 2015 and a proud Red Raider.  I am an Officer in the United States Navy Reserves and currently working on my Fellowship in Wilderness Medicine.  Medical interests include Expeditionary Medicine and Ultrasound while non work-related hobbies include spending time with my family, the outdoors, biking, camping, hunting and fishing.​