BIRMNGHAM, Ala., Jan. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Air Methods, the leading air medical service provider, announced today that it recently signed a contract with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) that will allow third-year emergency medicine residents to assist the Alabama LifeSaver program with providing emergency care. This is the first program in the state of Alabama to permit medical school residents to provide physician-level care in the sky.
The UAB residency program will partner with the LifeSaver program, where residents will gain first-hand exposure to the needs of air medical patients. The LifeSaver 4 program is a division of Air Methods that have been providing critical care air transport since 1981. LifeSaver 3 has also operated since 1981, serving Alabama and the surrounding states. The residents will be assisting with and performing the same approved skills as the clinicians on board the aircraft.
“Here at UAB we aspire to provide our residents with the most relevant EMS field practice in the hopes of inspiring some to be involved in their respective EMS communities once their residencies are complete,” said Dr. William Ferguson, medical director for the UAB residency program. “This unique partnership is another excellent addition to UAB’s prestigious program, and we are certain that residents will gain valuable experience from it.”
This premier program will allow residents to contribute to the administration of care at the scene of an accident or the bedside of a smaller spending hospital. The partnership will provide an opportunity for residents to advance their knowledge of the emergency medical field and recognize the needs of a diverse population, which is crucial to providing top-tier care to patients.
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About the UAB Residency Program
The UAB Emergency Medicine Residency Program provides some of the best comprehensive training in the United States. UAB is fully accredited by the Residency Review Committee in Emergency Medicine. They have a large patient population and the ability to gain deep exposure to various critical and non-critical conditions. The goal is to firmly establish a sense of confidence and discipline in their residents that promote the best patient care outcomes.
About Air Methods
Air Methods (www.airmethods.com) is the leading air medical service, delivering lifesaving care to more than 70,000 people every year. With nearly 40 years of air medical experience, Air Methods is the preferred partner for hospitals and one of the largest community-based providers of air medical services. United Rotorcraft is the Company’s products division specializing in the design and manufacture of aeromedical and aerospace technology. Air Methods’ fleet of owned, leased or maintained aircraft features more than 450 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.