About Dr. Shandro
Dr. Jamie Shandro was a board-certified emergency physician in the Emergency Departments at Harborview and UW Medical Center. Raised in Idaho, she was a proud WWAMI medical student before earning her Doctor of Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She later earned a Master of Public Health from Harvard University. After completing the Stanford-Kaiser Emergency Medicine Residency Program, she returned to the Pacific Northwest to serve the community she loved—and, importantly, to be close to the mountains once again.
In 2006, Dr. Shandro became the first board-certified emergency medicine attending to practice in the Harborview Emergency Department. Her presence marked the beginning of a new era for the department, helping set the stage for the growth and excellence that followed. For nearly two decades, she exemplified what it means to be a Harborview physician—skilled, compassionate, collaborative, and unwaveringly dedicated to patient care.
She also served as a UW associate professor of Emergency Medicine and as the Director of Student Development and Advising in the Department of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Shandro enjoyed taking care of the wide variety of patients who came through the emergency department and felt incredibly honored to care for each patient with respect and compassion. She loved teaching and learning from medical students and resident physicians as they progressed through their clinical training.
In addition to her academic focus on undergraduate medical education and medical student career advising, Dr. Shandro conducted research on medical teamwork and injury prevention efforts. Her impact on her patients, colleagues, and students reflected a career defined by excellence, empathy, and service to the community she cherished.
Honoring the Life and Legacy of Dr. Jamie Shandro
Dr. Jamie Shandro was a compassionate emergency physician, dedicated educator, and thoughtful writer whose life and work touched countless patients, students, and colleagues—read the full tribute to her remarkable legacy.
thoughts and memories
"What an incredible colleague, engaging mentor, and wonderful friend. Jamie was a remarkable soul—compassionate, caring, and deeply committed to the many learners, coworkers, and patients she interacted with over her 20-year career. She will be deeply missed." - Dr. Adeyinka Adedipe
"She was a brilliant doctor and even more brilliant human- so many residents recognized her as a model for their own careers. Sending love and light to all those who knew her." - Dr. Fiona Gallahue
"Dr. Shandro was very thorough and inclusive. She really made the day/night a team effort. Your words counted, she really took into consideration what was being said. We love you Shandro." - David Pelkey
"Jamie was a very special person. Great friend, wonderful wife/mother, exceptional doctor and writer. Such a bright light in this world and she will be greatly missed. My heart breaks for her family and friends." - Emily Albrecht
"Jamie has been my dearest mentor since I met her during my first year of medical school at UW in 2009. Her sunny personality and zest for life - including her professional life - was what inspired me to become an emergency physician. A vivid and early memory of the Harborveiw ED as a medical student (prior to the start of the EM residency) was watching Jamie in awe as she stood at the head of the bed of a sick patient with hyperkalemia and cooly and calmly called for all of the medications needed. I literally wanted to be her. I still do. I remember hiking with my husband near Mt Rainier near the end of medical school. There was a family swimming in a small lake next to the trail. One of them was singing. As we approached, I was surprised to see it was Jamie with her husband and children, taking advantage of the beautiful day outside. When visiting her home, I noticed her children nimbly and happily climbing up the doorjambs. Jamie’s biggest impact on my professional life was the way she gave dignity and respect to every single human she interacted with - tech, volunteer, nurse, medical student, housekeeping, EMS, resident from any service, and every single patient she came across no matter how difficult. A while back, I stumbled across an article that really spoke to me in the New York Times about a medical student struggling with the burden of trying to help her brother navigate the medical system as a mental health patient. When I reached the end of the article, I was shocked to see that the author was Jamie! Jamie’s soul was so special. She loved without reservation. She was brilliant and creative. Through the updates that she wrote for friends and family during her years of experience as a cancer patient, she educated me. As an emergency physician, we often see the worst of situations - the low points of a person’s experience with cancer. I had previously wondered if cancer care was simply prolonging the suffering of the patients I cared for in the ED. Jamie deepened my perspective by sharing her experience as a cancer patient and continuing to live a full and happy life through treatment to the very end. She had plenty of discomfort, but chose the route she took with open eyes, and found an incredible amount of joy and life in the spaces between. Over the past few years, her writing helped me cope through the grief of her eventual loss to cancer. I’ll forever hold her memory in a special place in my heart. I’m so grateful for her teaching, mentorship and friendship over the years." - Haley Simmons, EM Residency Class of 2017
"Jaime always was always positive and upbeat and treated residents, medical students, nurses, and essentially everyone with kindness and welcoming. Her attitude rubbed off on others and her presence lightened and brighten the department. She was a pillar and a rock as the emergency department had to defend its role and grow, and she likely had to deal with confrontation and opposition. The world is not quite as good of a place without her in it." - Emily Junck, EM Residency Class of 2016
"Dr. Jamie Shandro was my mentor and a cherished friend, like she was to so many of our colleagues. She proctored me on my first shift as an intrepid new attending on the trauma side of Harborview Medical Center’s storied Emergency Department. From our very first meeting, she modeled how to find joy and meaning in both the daily work of patient care and the long view of medical education. Co-directing the EM clerkship with her has been one of the greatest privileges of my career. I learned from her every day. Jamie’s courageous kindness and sense of wonder inspired me to see our patients more fully and to care more deeply. Her spirit and example will always remain a part of how I practice, teach, and live. Jamie did everything with her whole heart; a heart that will live on in all of us who were lucky enough to know her. I will miss you, Jamie!" - Dr. Joshua Jauregui
"I remember meeting Jamie for the first time when I interviewed at the University of Washington. It was during somewhat contentious times, yet I was immediately struck by her optimism and her ability to see the potential and the good in everyone and everything. Even in those early, brief conversations, her deep curiosity, her instinct to advocate for others, and her unwavering commitment to the mission shone through. Over the years, that first impression was reinforced many times. Jamie always looked after the most vulnerable—whether patients, learners, or colleagues. One of our faculty recently described her as a true “caretaker,” and I cannot think of a more fitting description. She was both a caretaker and a protector for so many. As Maya Angelou reminds us, “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Jamie made each of us feel seen, supported, and cared for. For me, especially in my role, I often turned to and took my cues from Jamie when difficult issues or decisions arose. I knew I could rely on her to steer me in the right direction, to serve as a guide, a barometer, even a north star—always grounding us in our mission and values. She was courageous, unwaveringly true to herself, and deeply committed to the people and the work she loved. We have lost a remarkable friend, teacher, caretaker, and visionary. Yet Jamie’s impact—on our department, our students and trainees, our faculty and staff, the broader healthcare team, and countless patients—will endure always." - Dr. Susan Stern
"Dr. Shandro was an indescribably brilliant physician, a true joy to be around, and an extraordinary mentor and teacher. Her impact on her patients, colleagues, and all of us who were fortunate enough to learn from her will live on. It's hard to put into words how much she will be missed. A truly tragic loss." - Laura Shook, EM Residency Class of 2022
"Jamie was one of the most remarkable physician educators I had the privilege of learning from during residency. She had a rare gift for making people feel truly seen and valued, even in the busiest, hardest moments of training. Her warmth, kindness, and genuine care were a steady source of strength for me, and I leaned on her more than she ever knew. She was not only a brilliant educator but also a source of comfort and encouragement when I needed it most. I will always carry her lessons with me; about medicine, about humanity and compassion, and about the responsibility we have to care for one another. Her impact on the department, on her colleagues, and on countless residents like myself is immeasurable. Her legacy will live on in the way we practice medicine, in the way we build community, and in the way we teach those who come after us." - Jacob Lebin, EM Residency Class of 2019
"Jamie taught a UW medical student course introducing students to emergency medicine. I still remember the first class session. She was so energetic and smart. She was one of the reasons that I chose to become an ER doctor. Sometimes the people who have the most influence on your life do so in indirect ways. With Jamie, it was her brightness, passion and overwhelming empathy that made her such a great doctor and incredible mentor. Jamie lead by example in a very special way. She will be profoundly missed." - Alex Lambert, EM Residency Class of 2020
"Jamie was my favorite attending to see on the schedule - I knew no matter how crazy, boring, frustrating, or sad the shift was that I'd learn a lot and laugh some, too. Her incredible positvity and ability to give constructive feedback and confront challenging issues with grace and humor was unmatched. I loved her infectious energy for medicine and the natural world, and her true joy (and complete lack of ego) in being of service to and helping others. I will miss her, very much - we became good friends after I graduated and got to do many adventures together, memories that I will cherish. Big hugs to everyone at UW EM -- what a loss for us all, but what a privilege to know her." - Anna Condino, EM Residency Class of 2018
Published articles
Dr. Shandro was a talented and thoughtful writer. Her compassion for patients with mental health needs was evident in her columns, where she reflected on how a family member’s experience shaped her into a more understanding physician.
Jamie contributed to publications including the New York Times, Seattle Times, and Outside Magazine, and she wrote beautifully about her love of the outdoors, sharing stories of her annual family trips to Mount Rainier.
Mental health patients need better places to go in emergencies
March 31, 2025
The Seattle Times
Dr. Shandro highlights how people in mental-health crises often end up in emergency departments ill-suited to their needs, emphasizing the urgent need for specialized crisis care spaces and resources.
My Brother Has Schizophrenia. This Is How I Love Him.
January 10th, 2025
The New York Times
In this piece, Dr.Shandro reflects on her deep bond with her younger brother Tim, whose journey through schizophrenia transformed both their lives.
Skinning Up Mount Rainier with Breast Cancer Forced Me to Take the Journey One Step at a Time
December 20th, 2024
Outside Online
In the essay Dr. Shandro reflects on ascending Mount Rainier while undergoing oral chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer, using the ascent as a metaphor for navigating treatment and honoring moments of beauty, connection, and resilience despite uncertainty.
Academic Articles
A Practical Guide to Pediatric Emergency Medicine: Caring for Children in the Emergency Department
Cambridge University Press, 2011
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Advising Medical Students During COVID‐19: The Case for a Single Emergency Medicine Rotation for All
AEM Education and Training, 2020
Human Trafficking: A Guide to Identification and Approach for the Emergency Physician
Annals of Emergency Medicine, 2016
AEM Education and Training, 2019
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