Emergency Medical Services and Prehospital Care

(2 Credits)

Most American medical students do not have any exposure to emergency care in the prehospital environment during medical school, yet up to 88% of physicians report being called upon to respond to an emergency outside of the hospital environment. Administering medical care in the field brings a unique set of challenges – safety, limited assessment and intervention tools, and the need for patient transport to an appropriate facility – that many medical trainees have no experience grappling with during their training. Through EMS ride-along shifts, interactive didactic sessions, and interprofessional simulation experiences, this two-week elective will expose students to the challenges of delivering care outside of the controlled hospital setting, offer students a deeper view into specific patient circumstances that impact health, and help students foster strong interprofessional relationships with their allied health colleagues in EMS.