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The 48-year-old Mahwah emergency medical physician was named the 2023 EMS Medical Director of the Year by NAEMT- Bound Tree Sarnova. Letizia will be honored at a ceremony next month in New Orleans.
"What I enjoy most is helping those in need who are not able to help themselves," Letizia tells Daily Voice.
"To be able to stand there with the family and I know I did what's best for their loved one and gave them the best chance of survival. How can I help people when they feel the most vulnerable?"
After being an ER physician for several years, Letizia branched out and became the medical director for the Union County College EMT program, where he helped educate and train aspiring EMTs.
After his success at Union County College, Letizia got involved with other agencies and found a new career. He is now medical director for 30 agencies throughout the Garden State, assisting police, fire, EMTs and ocean rescue.
Letizia takes a hands on approach to his training, jumping into ambulances and doing ride alongs, teaching EMTs about street medicine.
"I try and train them and give them more advanced knowledge they might not get from classes," Letizia said.
Each year, Letizia will go around the state giving lectures to various departments, doing a deep dive on a particular topic. Recently he discussed prehospital care for athletes that injure their spine. He also helps with trainings including live burns with fire departments, drowning drills, cardiac arrest in the ocean and trench rescues.
Letizia said paramedics need to be confident and present when answering a medical issue or dealing with a serious injury.
"A person's anxiety is up, the tension is high and the uncertainty is palpable," Letizia said. "Those first few minutes can without question make the difference between life and death."
As a doctor, Letizia has definitely seen his share of bad incidents. He tells people that they have to put on a Teflon suit and when those moments happen, you take them and put them your pocket.
"As hard as it is to not have emotion, you have to be clearheaded," Letizia said. "If you took the sadness, grief and despair you face, you wouldn't be able to complete the job."
Letizia said winning an award like this is one of the highlights of his career, aside from saving people's lives.
"I wouldn't be able to win this award without all of these agencies that have welcomed me as a medical director," Letizia said. "They've accepted me as their brother."
This is not Letizia's first award. In 2021 he was named National EMS Physician of the Year by the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians and in 2018 he was awarded the New Jersey EMS Physician of the Year by the NJ Department of Health.
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