Emergency Medical Services

Objectives:

1. To provide the student with experience in the evaluation and management of patients in the prehospital setting.
2. To increase knowledge in the management of acute and critical patients requiring immediate intervention.
3. To provide an understanding of the organization and function of EMS systems and the role they play in patient care.

Description:

Emergency care begins long before the emergency department. This elective is designed to complement an emergency medicine rotation and experience by focusing on the acute stabilization of critically ill patients in the prehospital setting as well as on EMS operations in general. You will observe and participate in emergency care beginning with dispatch (including pre-arrival instructions) to on-scene/field care all the way up through the ED portion of care. Tactical EMS experience is available.

After this rotation the student will be able to:

1. Manage several acute prehospital presentations including respiratory distress, cardiac arrest, hyperkalemia, and chest pain in the field and ambulance.
2. Identify common and uncommon STEMI (ST elevation MI) patterns and mimics on ECGs.
3. Differentiate and treat the different supraventricular tachycardia.
4. Describe the role of dispatch and pre-arrival instructions play in EMS patient care.
5. List differences in care provided by different levels of EMS providers.
6. Identify differences in EMS care between a tactical and civilian setting.
7. Demonstrate knowledge of basic field triage in mass casualty.
8. Explain the role of medical director in EMS.

Electives are generally four week/1 month in length and are available from September - May. Limit of 6 students per rotation. By communicating your goals and objectives to use in advance, there is flexibility to design an experience which is tailored to your individual interests.

Faculty:

Main Preceptor:

Francis Mencl, MD, Medical Director, Summa Center for EMS

Additional Faculty:

Daniel Celik, MD, Associate EMS Director, Summa Center for EMS

Bradley Clarke, DO, Associate EMS Director, Summa Center for EMS

Peter Listerman, MD, Disaster & Emergency Preparedness Medical Director, Summa Health System – Akron Campus