Who runs the trauma?

[San_Juan_Sun]

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Shoot me is this has been asked multiple times, but I was wondering about the relationship between the surgical and EM depts at your program.

I have no interest in being a surgeon, but I was wondering the role an EM physician plays when a trauma rolls thru the doors. Is it just airway management, or do most EM docs take the lead in overall assesment of patients? I'm also interested in how this works in the private setting, where there is no trauma team, no tramua surgeon, just a doc and maybe a helicopter.

Lastly, what did you look for in a program as far as trauma/teamwork-with-the-surgery-dept. goes? While treating trauma isn't my only reason for interest in EM, for obvious reasons I want a program where I'll be able to develop into a doc that is able to handle any emergent situation that comes thru the door. This is especially important, as I'll very likely end up working in a hospital hours from any Level 1 centers. I'll basically be "the guy", and obviously, I want my training to prepare me for that.

Thanks for not shooting. 🙂

 

[roja]

We run traumas. We have agreed upon trauma criteria that activates a trauma alert. When they are met, a trauma alert is called and the trauma team (aka surgeons) come down. They then go to the senior resident running the trauma and ask for the story etc. They do NOT intubate, put in lines, chest tubes or anything else.

When we have procedures like non emergent chest tubes, they will often be present (as this will be thier patient) but our attendings ensure that WE do the procedures.