Doctoring at 1,500 feet — during a pandemic

UW Med Flight physicians Drew Cathers and Jordan Imoehl were interviewed for an article by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) discussing the limited number of air medical transport programs in the U.S. that train emergency medicine residents to fly, even during a pandemic.

Each of our residents has the option to train with Med Flight, and some opt for more intensive training as part of our “3+1” program model.

This long-term, hands-on experience offers a unique change of perspective for trainees in more than one sense. Caring for patients in the air and during transport adds distinct challenges from the emergency room, and these differences not only teach medical skills but also how to be resourceful and handle high-stress situations.

Read more about what it’s like to train in the high-flying world of air medical transport or about Med Flight’s new Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) transport program, established through close partnerships with UW Health’s Critical Care and Cardiothoracic Surgery teams.