TRISAT Educational Consortium – Program Leadership

Elizabeth P. Scherer, MD, MPH, FACS
Assistant Professor/Clinical  | Medical Director, SICU, University Hospital | Program Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship

Dr. Scherer was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She attended Mount Holyoke College in Western Massachusetts where she earned a BA in Chemistry in 2004. She moved to New Haven, Connecticut following college where she attended Yale University School of Epidemiology and Public Health. She completed an internship between her first and second year at the Government Accountability Office in Washington, DC. In 2006, Dr. Scherer earned her MPH with a focus in Health Policy and Administration. She completed her basic science courses for medical school in College Station, Texas at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. She had the opportunity to complete her clinical years at Scott & White in Temple and earned her MD in May of 2010. Dr. Scherer completed her General Surgery Residency at UT Health San Antonio in June 2015 after spending her last year as one of two peer-elected Administrative Chief Residents. Dr. Scherer completed the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center in June 2016 and subsequently joined the faculty as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Trauma & Emergency Surgery. She is the Program Director for the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship and the SICU Medical Director for The University Hospital in San Antonio.

Rachel Freeman, MD
Assistant Professor/Clinical  |  Director, VA SICU  |  Anesthesia Critical Care Medicine Program Director

Dr. Freeman received her MD from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in May 2013.  She completed her Anesthesiology Residency Program also from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in June 2017 followed by a Critical Care Medicine Fellowship in August 2018.   She currently serves as a critical care intensivist at the VA SICU and University Hospital Center for Life.  She became Director of the VA SICU in 2020 and Program Director of the Anesthesia Critical Care Medicine in 2022.  At University Hospital, she specializes in liver transplant anesthesiology and is a member of the Liver Transplant Team.

CDR Shane Jensen, MD, FACS, US Navy
Program Director, Acute Care Surgery/SCC Fellowship  |  Navy Specialty Leader for Trauma
Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC)

After earning his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Northern Arizona University, Dr. Jensen attended the University of Arizona College of Medicine, supported by a Navy Health Professions Scholarship. Jensen commenced his active-duty career as a surgical intern at Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD), swiftly transitioning to the role of Battalion Surgeon during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Promoted to LCDR in 2012, he completed surgical training at NMCSD, distinguishing himself as a top graduate during a deployment on the USNS Mercy. Jensen later served as the ship’s surgeon on the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), alongside his duties at NMCSD as a staff Acute Care Surgeon. Following clinical training at the University of Texas-Houston, Jensen joined Naval Medical Center Portsmouth as a Staff Surgeon, deploying for disaster relief efforts on the USNS Comfort and as the NATO Role 3 MMU Chief of Trauma. Currently serving as the Navy Lead for the Defense Health Agency, Trauma and Critical Care Clinical Community, Jensen was appointed Trauma Surgery Specialty Leader by the Corps Chief’s office in October 2021. He represented the Navy at the Joint Trauma System (JTS) as the Defense Committee on Trauma Chair until June 2023 and is now the Navy Trauma Specialty Leader.  In addition to his leadership roles, Jensen oversees the DoD’s only Trauma/Critical Care Fellowship in San Antonio. His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and multiple other prestigious awards, affirming his dedication to advancing military healthcare.

Program Coordinators:

Debbie Schwartz
UT Health San Antonio Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program Coordinator
Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Emergency Surgery

Vanessa Acosta
UT Health San Antonio Anesthesia Critical Care Fellowship Program Coordinator
Department of Anesthesiology

Brittney Fisher
Surgical Critical Care/Acute Care Surgery Fellowship Program Coordinator
Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC)