In what states are trauma surgeons/ER docs issued response vehicles?

[Mecidimes]

I'm curious to know where ER docs and/or trauma surgeons are issued response vehicles. When that happens, how does that work? Are there special cars that are reserved for docs, or do the docs build their own response vehicle like a volunteer firefighter does?

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[Etorphine]

have never heard of this....also not sure why an EM doc would need such a vehicle..it's all shift-based work

 

[django7]

I rotated under a trauma surgeon who was also a part time police officer (specifically in SWAT). He offered strategies to law enforecement in regard to safety and out of hospital traumatic injury management. The 2 weeks while on trauma he was one of the coolest guys on the service. Im not really sure how much police work he was doing. He also invented a device to close complex abdominal wounds.

I dont recall any special vehicle. He didnt attend any trauma's in the field during my 4 weeks. unless you count the multiple GSW patient left at the hospital entrance lol

 

[AM508]

I know where I was from, the head of trauma in the ER had a first response vehicle, but he was medical director for the EMS Region (oversaw about 25 EMS agencies) so this vehicle was a special arrangement with the region. This is definitely not the norm for your average ER doctor or trauma surgeon. After spending nearly 12 years in EMS I NEVER had a physician in a fly-car respond.

 

[Mad Jack]

The only physicians I know of that do on-scene response work in disaster medicine (UPHSCC) or work on flight services.

 

[Deranged Medic]

I know where I was from, the head of trauma in the ER had a first response vehicle, but he was medical director for the EMS Region (oversaw about 25 EMS agencies) so this vehicle was a special arrangement with the region. This is definitely not the norm for your average ER doctor or trauma surgeon. After spending nearly 12 years in EMS I NEVER had a physician in a fly-car respond.

Same experience here.

For the most part, I think you will only see this at an EMS fellowship or at large EMS organizations that issue their medical director a departmental vehicle. Physician field response currently is not a huge priority in the US of A.

 

[DocVapor]

I know where I was from, the head of trauma in the ER had a first response vehicle, but he was medical director for the EMS Region (oversaw about 25 EMS agencies) so this vehicle was a special arrangement with the region. This is definitely not the norm for your average ER doctor or trauma surgeon. After spending nearly 12 years in EMS I NEVER had a physician in a fly-car respond.

I want to echo that it's generally only EMS Medical Directors that get response vehicles. I am in an area where this is pretty common (I can think of >3 counties close by where there are vehicles specifically marked "Medical Director"), and I even volunteered for an EMS agency were the medical director routinely responded to calls. This is a fairly rural area though where transport times are on average >30 minutes. He was also a former flight medic himself prior to medical school, so I'm sure that had a lot to do with it.

 

[Winged Scapula]

My ex is a trauma surgeon. He drives his Lamborghini to the hospital which I venture probably gets in there pretty quick.

 

[DocVapor]

My ex is a trauma surgeon. He drives his Lamborghini to the hospital which I venture probably gets in there pretty quick.

Speaking of fast cars... ... ... ...

 

[racerwad]

I think all EMS fellows, regardless of program, get issued their own physician response vehicle. A big focus of the newly accredited fellowships is actual pre-hospital physician participation. In all of the fellowships I have looked at, both fellows and core attending faculty have their own vehicles. The fellowship at my program has fellows in the field 24/7 with backup coverage by attendings. They can technically respond to any call, but will generally be assigned only to specific call criteria.

The ACGME's core criteria for EMS fellowships state: "II.D.3. The primary clinical site should organize and ensure provision of transportation for fellows to provide pre-hospital patient care." (fyi - the link is a .pdf)

It is more rare for EM physicians to provide scene response apart from an educational setting, but as others have posted above, it does happen fairly regularly in higher volume systems.

I have never heard of a trauma surgeon routinely running calls in any context. What would they do? An ex-lap in the field?

 

[NontradCA]

My ex is a trauma surgeon. He drives his Lamborghini to the hospital which I venture probably gets in there pretty quick.

When are you getting the Nicki Minaj?

 

[Winged Scapula]

When are you getting the Nicki Minaj?

?????

 

[TBV]

A transplant surgeon at my hospital has his pilot license and they let him fly the chopper occasionally to the organ harvest. Does that count?

 

[PL198]

My ex is a trauma surgeon. He drives his Lamborghini to the hospital which I venture probably gets in there pretty quick.

hell yes

 

[familyaerospace]

MCG/GRU has a physician response vehicle for the EMS fellow although other ER docs go out on it as well.

 

[jdh71]

I'm curious to know where ER docs and/or trauma surgeons are issued response vehicles. When that happens, how does that work? Are there special cars that are reserved for docs, or do the docs build their own response vehicle like a volunteer firefighter does?

You build your own. Mine has a machine gun on top. Spikes on the wheels. And a BBQ/Smoker in back.

(Can anyone say "ribs" at the end of a disaster?? I know I can!!)

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

My ex is a trauma surgeon. He drives his Lamborghini to the hospital which I venture probably gets in there pretty quick.

the real question is, is he your ex BECAUSE he's a trauma surgeon? that would follow the typical stereotype of "too busy for anything else".

EDIT: you don't actually have to answer this haha, I'm not that nosey. it was a rhetorical question.

 

[Winged Scapula]

the real question is, is he your ex BECAUSE he's a trauma surgeon? that would follow the typical stereotype of "too busy for anything else".

EDIT: you don't actually have to answer this haha, I'm not that nosey. it was a rhetorical question.

LOL...no.

Remember trauma is largely shift work. In addition, on a monthly basis I work more hours than he does (he gets 1 week per month for "administrative time").

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

LOL...no.

Remember trauma is largely shift work. In addition, on a monthly basis I work more hours than he does (he gets 1 week per month for "administrative time").

woahhhhhh is this true?! I've always been told trauma surgery has the worst hours ever with tons of call and no time for family life. this is the main reason I've written it off for the future, with EM being my current main interest.

 

[Winged Scapula]

woahhhhhh is this true?! I've always been told trauma surgery has the worst hours ever with tons of call and no time for family life. this is the main reason I've written it off for the future, with EM being my current main interest.

Of course its true.

You can work like a dog or find an environment where its shift work and more lifestyle friendly. That's not to say that when he's working that it isn't potentially rough. His schedule is trauma first call roughly q6 with backup call the same. SICU attending 1 week per month with regular hours; Acute Care General Surgery 1 week per month (might be busy or might be slow), 1 week per month Trauma Service (again shift work usually 7a-7p) and then the 1 week per month Administrative/Research time.

There are many different models but in comparison to EM, yes the hours are worse and there is call when you leave the hospital but its not like you'll never have a family.

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

The growing model is trauma/acute care. In this model you are sort of a trauma "hospitalist": very busy when you are there, but when you are off you are off.

You have to consider thought that a lot of these people have clinics to staff with elective patients (hernias, gallbags, etc) to try and supplement their RVUs.

You also have to consider that you have to get through general surgery Residency and fellowship to get there.

Of course its true.

You can work like a dog or find an environment where its shift work and more lifestyle friendly. That's not to say that when he's working that it isn't potentially rough. His schedule is trauma first call roughly q6 with backup call the same. SICU attending 1 week per month with regular hours; Acute Care General Surgery 1 week per month (might be busy or might be slow), 1 week per month Trauma Service (again shift work usually 7a-7p) and then the 1 week per month Administrative/Research time.

There are many different models but in comparison to EM, yes the hours are worse and there is call when you leave the hospital but its not like you'll never have a family.

Both of your responses were tremendously helpful. This gives me something to research and look into for the future. Even though I am still a very long ways away from that decision, it never hurts to be informed. Thank you both!