Didactics

The EMS Fellow will enjoy a wide variety of weekly didactic experiences to include lectures and guided discussions, dynamic lectures in the field, run reviews/morbidity and mortality conferences, simulation scenarios, administrative seminars and educational workshops to include formal process improvement training. The topics of instruction have carefully been chosen to emphasize and amplify key topics in EMS as well as expose the fellow to topics that may not be covered in the mainstream educational avenues. Content experts will teach and participate in the sessions which promise to be highly informative, interactive and high yield.

Reading Program/Journal Club

The textbook Emergency Medical Services Clinical Practice and Systems Oversight is required reading in the fellowship program and is a component of the overall reading program. In addition to the textbook, the fellow will review key position statements, government regulatory documents as well as read published research manuscripts on a weekly basis for discussion with the fellowship faculty. An EMS-focused Journal Club will occur on a quarterly basis where the fellow will discuss pertinent and timely EMS journal articles.

Research

A formal research project that leads to an abstract and manuscript submission is an important component of the EMS Fellowship. The fellow will receive research-focused lectures on a monthly basis provided by members of the Emergency Medicine Research Divison, mentorship from the EMS Fellowship Program Director, the Vice Chair for Research, the Director of Research Operations and guidance from the departmental research committee. Support will be provided as funds allow for the fellow to present their research during the fellowship.

AirCare

University of Iowa AirCare and Mobile Critical Care provides emergency and critical care transport on behalf of University of Iowa Health Care. The transport program provides out-of-hospital care to adult and pediatric patients for all presenting emergencies to include airway, neurological, cardiac, pulmonary, OB, trauma as well as critically ill neonates and children. The fellow will serve as a transport physician on rotor aircraft and ground critical care transports. Also, the fellow will assist in crew education, quality management, and protocol development and revision.

Area Ambulance

Area Ambulance Service is the regional EMS provider for Cedar Rapids, Marion and 15 surrounding communities in Iowa. Covering 250 square miles, Area Ambulance Service responds to over 16,000 calls for service each year. The fellow will spend time responding to 911 calls as well as participating in the inter-facility transport of critically ill patients. Part of the time will be spent in an ambulance and part of the time will be spent in a supervisor vehicle responding preferentially to high intensity calls. The fellow will participate in all medical director activities to include education, chart reviews, protocol development, quality improvement and community outreach.

Cedar Rapids Fire Department

The Cedar Rapids Fire Department’s (CRFD) EMS division works in conjunction with Area Ambulance Service to provide a quick response to the community that it serves. With a response time under four minutes to most parts of the city, fire crews can provide lifesaving interventions before an ambulance arrives. CRFD provides Advanced Life Support. CRFD’s ALS companies can administer lifesaving drugs, provide cardiac resuscitation, and provide advanced airway management. The fellow will spend time responding to 911 calls. Some of the time will be spent on a fire apparatus and some of the time will be spent in a supervisor vehicle responding preferentially to high intensity calls. The fellow will participate in all medical director activities to include education, chart reviews, protocol development, quality improvement and community outreach.

EMS Learning Resources Center (EMSLRC)

The EMSLRC, which offered the Iowa's first paramedic training program, has been in existence for over fourty five years. The EMSLRC offers emergency medical technician (EMT) and paramedic classes. The center is also active in the education of University of Iowa faculty, staff, residents, and students. The center also provides the following instructional courses:

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
• Advanced Medical Life Support (AMLS)
• Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)
• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Critical Care Paramedic (CCP)
• Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC)
• Geriatric Education for EMS (GEMS)
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
• Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals (PEPP)
• Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS)
• Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC)

The fellow will be an engaged educator in the EMSLRC and gain a full understanding of EMS education as well as the responsibilities of an EMS education medical director.

Event Medicine

Working with the University of Iowa Department of Athletics, the fellow will learn the principles of event medicine by providing and helping oversee medical coverage for events held at Kinnick Stadium and Carver Hawkeye Arena. Activities that will require medical coverage include football, basketball, wrestling as well various concerts and special events.

Iowa Department of Health and Human Services - Bureau of EMS

The fellow will gain an understanding of EMS administration and bureaucracy at the state and regional level by interacting with the state Bureau of EMS. Through a series of meetings and educational opportunities to include attendance at EMS Day on the Hill and the Iowa EMS Association (IEMSA) Conference, the fellow will be well-connected and mentored beyond the immediate confines of the fellowship.

Johnson County Ambulance Service

Johnson County Ambulance Service (JCAS) provides exclusive EMS response to Johnson County and some of the surrounding communities. Services are provided to over 142,000 residents in a response area of close to 623 square miles. In addition, JCAS collaborates with the University of Iowa Department of Athletics by providing medical coverage at football, basketball, wrestling and other events. The fellow will spend time responding to 911 calls as well as participating in the inter-facility transport of critically ill patients. Some of the time will be spent in an ambulance and some of the time will be spent in a supervisor vehicle responding preferentially to high intensity calls. In addition, the fellow will engage in Community Paramedicine activities of part of the clinical experience.  The fellow will participate in all medical director activities to include education, chart reviews, protocol development, quality improvement and community outreach.

Joint Emergency Communications Center

The Joint Emergency Communications Center of Johnson County (JECC) is the clearing house for all 911 calls and all other emergency communications for Johnson County. The JECC serves the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year with specially trained dispatchers to answer all emergency calls for assistance. These operators receive and/or transmit emergency telephone, radio, alarm, and other types of data over multiple computer systems, then analyze it in a timely manner for the purpose of relaying the information between citizens and first responders during emergencies in order to preserve life and property. The fellow will learn about emergency communications including EMD, the concept of the PSAP as well as the role of the communications center in the broader span of EMS.

Johnson County Sheriff's Office

The Sheriff & Deputies are the police force for residents of the unincorporated areas of the county, and provide contracted law enforcement for the cities of Lone Tree, Hills, Solon, Shueyville, Swisher, Tiffin and Oxford. The Sheriff's Office handles all routine and emergency calls for these areas, and regularly patrols all areas of the county. They also provide security at special events in the county. The Sheriff's Office also conducts Special Operations and the fellow will be involved as medical standby (working with Johnson County Ambulance Service) to provide EMS care to officers and other peoples at the scene. The fellow will gain education regarding tactical EMS. The fellow will meet with deputies to learn about ballistics, firearms safety and will participate at the firing range under the supervision of the Sheriff's Office. Finally, the fellow will learn about tactical approaches and situations faced by the deputies to gain a better understanding of their working environment.

Keokuk County Ambulance Service

Keokuk County Ambulance Service is located in rural Sigourney, Iowa. The fellow will experience rural EMS at this location, and will spend time responding to 911 calls as well as participating in the inter-facility transport of critically ill patients. The fellow will learn about rural EMS challenges including farm accidents, grain bin rescue, long transport times and limited resources. The fellow will interact with rural volunteer services and understand the delivery systems of these types of services. Finally, the fellow will participate in all medical director activities to include education, chart reviews, protocol development, quality improvement and community outreach.

UI Med 1 - EMS Physicians

The University of Iowa EMS Physicians provide EMS physician support for high intensity situations to include complex trauma or medical emergency, multi-casualty incident, prolonged entrapment/extrication, environmental disasters, search and rescue operations, special operations, drownings, large fires, and mutual aid requests.  Advanced skills provided by the EMS physicians include rapid sequence intubation, field amputation, perimortem c-section as well as complex procedural and logistical expertise.  The fellow will take EMS physician call and respond to the scene when requested to provide clinical care and medical oversight as part of the larger public safety response.

University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Disaster Management

The fellow will be required to complete FEMA training 100, 200, 230, 700, and 800, participate in a HazMat Operation Training Course, attend UI Health Care Disaster Management Committee meetings and participate in all disaster drills.