Beyond Conventional Resuscitation: ECMO Use in Trauma Patients   |   Natalie A. Drucker, M.D., MS
The first patient who was supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was an adult trauma patient.  However, since then there have been reservations in cannulating patients in hemorrhagic shock with polytrauma, due to concerns about bleeding risk and worsening of other traumatic injuries.  Growing evidence demonstrates that early use of ECMO in trauma patients is safe and effective, and should be considered a tool in the critical care toolbox and not a therapy of last resort.  The purpose of this presentation will be to discuss current recommendations surrounding ECMO in trauma patients. 

Mass Casualty Incidents and Disaster Response   |   Michael Casey, M.D.
Mass casualty incidents and disasters challenge healthcare systems to rapidly adapt care delivery, prioritize limited resources, and coordinate across multiple levels of response. This presentation will provide an overview of what constitutes a mass casualty event, the different types of disasters, and how response strategies vary depending on scope and circumstances. Participants will explore the concept of shifting standards of care during disasters, the complexities of triage—including age‑related considerations—and the progression from response through recovery. The session will also review disaster management from state and federal perspectives, offering practical insight into how healthcare teams fit within the larger emergency response framework.

Evolving Practice of Spinal Immobilization   |   Jon Jui, M.D.
This talk outlines the evidence‑driven shift from routine spinal immobilization to selective spinal motion restriction (SMR) in trauma care. Traditional use of long spine boards and rigid collars has not been shown to prevent secondary spinal cord injury and is associated with meaningful harms, including pain, pressure injury, respiratory compromise, increased intracranial pressure, airway obstruction, and delays in definitive care. Current North American and international guidelines emphasize patient selection, minimal handling, and using the least restrictive method necessary to limit spinal motion, with long backboards reserved primarily for extrication rather than transport. The presentation reviews decision‑making in blunt versus penetrating trauma, device‑specific evidence, special populations, and global practice trends, reinforcing SMR as a patient‑centered, risk‑reduction strategy rather than a one‑size‑fits‑all intervention.

Crack the Chest: Precision, Timing, and Survival in Resuscitative Thoracotomy   |   Dennis Kim, M.D. 
This presentation reviews patient selection and decision‑making for emergency department thoracotomy using the mechanism of injury, physiologic status, and evidence‑based algorithms. The presentation walks through the key procedural steps and highlights common pitfalls, emphasizing precision, timing, and team coordination to maximize survival in this high‑stakes intervention.

Pancreatic Trauma: The Elusive Injury   |   Alexis Moren, M.D.
Pancreatic trauma is an uncommon but high-morbidity injury that presents significant diagnostic and management challenges. Optimal outcomes depend on early recognition of ductal injury, appropriate use of imaging, and timely selection of operative versus nonoperative management. This session will review current evidence and guideline-based approaches to the evaluation and management of pancreatic injuries, with emphasis on injury grading, operative decision-making, and strategies to reduce pancreatic-related complications.

How to Create Evolution & Win your Quality Initiative   |   Justin Regner, M.D.
This presentation focuses on how to drive sustainable improvement and meaningful change within clinical quality initiatives by clarifying purpose, building resilience, and applying proven change‑management principles. Participants will explore the importance of identifying a compelling “why,” understanding the Law of Diffusion of Innovation, and approaching quality improvement as an ongoing, adaptive process—the “infinite game.” Using real‑world examples, the session examines common sources of operational “trouble,” from granular data issues to large‑scale system goals, challenging patient populations, service‑specific gaps such as VTE chemoprophylaxis, and resource constraints including transfusion practices. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to analyze problems at multiple levels, leverage data more effectively, and design initiatives that not only gain early adoption but continue to evolve and succeed over time.

Penetrating Traumatic Brain Injury: Brain Trauma Foundation Guidelines, Second Edition   |   James Wright, M.D.
The Brain Trauma Foundation's second edition guidelines for penetrating traumatic brain injury (pTBI) represent the first comprehensive update in over two decades. Drawing on a systematic literature review and multi-round Delphi consensus from a panel of civilian and military neurosurgeons, this presentation reviews key recommendations across prehospital care, surgical management, and critical care — highlighting what is new, what constitutes established best practice, and where significant evidence gaps remain. Particular emphasis is placed on neurovascular injury as the defining feature of pTBI and the element that most distinguishes it from blunt TBI.

Prognosis and Withdrawal of Life‑Sustaining Treatment in Traumatic Brain Injury   |   Berje Shammassian, M.D., MPH, FAANS
This session explores the profound challenges of prognostication in severe traumatic brain injury and the growing role of withdrawal of life‑sustaining treatment (WOLST) in patient outcomes. Participants will examine how uncertainty, bias, and premature conclusions can influence decisions about care, often before true recovery potential is understood. The presentation emphasizes strategies for avoiding incorrect prognostication through multimodal, longitudinal assessments of consciousness and neurologic recovery, providing clinicians with practical tools to support ethically sound, patient‑centered decision‑making in TBI care.

Trauma Cases from the Bottom of the Earth   |   Jeff Disney, M.D.
This case‑based talk explores trauma care at the South Pole, one of the most isolated and resource‑limited medical environments in the world, where evacuation may be delayed days and advanced imaging is unavailable. After describing the Antarctic mission, population, and medical system — including a single physician, limited diagnostics, and austere staffing — the presenter walks through real trauma cases that illustrate how standard trauma algorithms must be adapted under extreme logistical constraints. Emphasis is placed on physiology‑driven decision‑making, serial exams, risk–benefit analysis of evacuation, and the financial and operational consequences of care decisions. The talk highlights prevention, preparation, and clinical judgment as the most powerful tools in prolonged and remote trauma care.

Management of Liver Trauma   |   AJ Hayes, M.D.
Management of Liver Trauma reviews the diagnosis and radiologic grading of hepatic injuries and outlines contemporary decision‑making for both non‑operative and operative management. This presentation discusses indications, techniques, and common complications associated with each approach, with an emphasis on evidence‑based strategies to optimize outcomes in patients with liver trauma.

Trauma Survivor Patient Story   |   Albert Chi, M.D. & Patient
This presentation shares a powerful patient perspective on survival, recovery, and the lasting impact of trauma care. Following two life‑threatening injuries caused by impaired drivers, the speaker reflects on the role of the OHSU trauma team in their recovery and the profound influence of compassionate, determined care. This story highlights the life‑saving work of trauma professionals and the enduring motivation to turn survival into purpose, resilience, and service to others.

Pediatric Trauma – Taking Care of Injured Children in 2026   |   Lucas McDuffie, M.D.
Caring for injured children requires specialized knowledge, preparation, and teamwork that go beyond adult trauma care. This session will explore current best practices and evolving approaches to pediatric trauma assessment and management, emphasizing physiologic differences, age‑specific considerations, communication, and system readiness. Through practical discussion and real‑world examples, participants will gain increased confidence and comfort in caring for injured pediatric patients across emergency and trauma settings. Designed for nurses, advanced practice providers, physicians, and interdisciplinary trauma team members, this presentation highlights strategies to support high‑quality, consistent care for this vulnerable population. 

EMS Fluid Resuscitation in Trauma Patients & EMS Advanced Airway Management Controversies    |   Jon Jui, M.D.
This session integrates current outcomes evidence on prehospital airway management and trauma resuscitation, focusing on when interventions help—and when they may cause harm. Using data from military and civilian studies, it examines patient selection for advanced airways, the role of supraglottic devices, and the shift toward damage‑control, blood‑first resuscitation strategies. Emphasis is placed on physiologic goals, time‑critical decision‑making, and practical, scenario‑based approaches applicable to modern trauma systems.

From Resistance to Results: Driving Trauma System Change on Vancouver Island   |   Dennis Kim, M.D.
From Resistance to Results: Driving Trauma System Change on Vancouver Island explores the real‑world challenges of implementing a new trauma program within a complex healthcare environment. This session examines common sources of resistance and presents practical change‑management strategies to build stakeholder engagement across clinical, administrative, and prehospital partners. Through a systems‑focused lens, participants will learn how to translate vision into measurable progress by prioritizing high‑impact initiatives, sequencing implementation effectively, and sustaining momentum—even without formal authority.

From Capability to Coordination: Managing Severe Trauma in an Austere and Resource‑Limited Setting   |   Alexis Moren, M.D. & Jacinta Robenstine, M.D.
This case‑based session examines the evaluation, stabilization, and transfer of a critically injured trauma patient who presented to a Level II trauma center with life‑threatening injuries that exceeded local capabilities. Through this real‑world example, participants will explore early recognition of hemorrhagic shock, principles of damage control resuscitation, and key stabilization steps required prior to interfacility transport. The presentation highlights decision‑making in resource‑limited settings, the capabilities and limitations of lower‑level trauma centers, effective interfacility communication, and the importance of timely transfer within an integrated trauma network to optimize patient outcomes.

Injury Prevention Collaboration   |   Shelley Campbell, RN, BSN
This presentation examines how collaborative injury prevention efforts bring together community partners, healthcare professionals, and researchers to implement evidence‑based strategies aimed at reducing both intentional injuries, such as violence, and unintentional injuries, including falls and motor vehicle collisions. These partnerships emphasize shared data, community outreach, and policy initiatives, often leveraging specialized workgroups to address specific focus areas such as fall prevention, gun violence, traffic safety, and drowning prevention.

Rethinking Burnout: A Nuanced Conversation   |   Adrian Ramos, AGACNP-BC, FNP-C
Burnout among nurses, physicians, and surgeons is more than exhaustion—it is a cultural and systemic challenge that shapes how healthcare professionals work, think, and experience their roles in patient care. This presentation reframes burnout through a holistic lens, examining both its cultural impact and the personal signs and sensations experienced across clinical disciplines. Drawing on insights from modern philosophy, participants will explore meaningful, hopeful approaches to recovery that move beyond quick fixes and support long‑term resilience and well‑being in clinical practice.

Pediatric Major Vascular Injury   |   Natalie A. Drucker, M.D., MS
The management of pediatric major vascular injury is difficult for many reasons.  The training of pediatric surgeons and vascular surgeons has diverged significantly over the history of the fields, and this leads to discomfort for vascular surgeons managing children or pediatric surgeons managing vascular surgical issues.  These injuries require prompt management, at least for temporizing measures, as delays can lead to significant morbidity. Therefore, it is helpful for all hospitals to have some sort of strategy for managing and triaging these patients. This session will discuss care for these challenging patients and several patient scenarios.

Acute Spinal Cord Injury: Guidelines, Controversies, and Management at Non-Level I Trauma Centers   |   James Wright, M.D.
The acute management of spinal cord injury is governed by multiple clinical practice guidelines that do not always agree. This presentation compares recommendations from AANS/CNS, AO Spine/PRAXIS, EAST, and WSES/EANS on the three most contested issues in the field — hemodynamic targets, surgical timing, and the role of methylprednisolone — including a focused review of the controversy surrounding the AO Spine/PRAXIS strong recommendation for surgery within 24 hours and the formal AANS/CNS position statement in response. The second half addresses practical stabilization and transfer decision-making for non-Level I trauma centers.

Trauma Care in Resource‑Limited and Rural Settings   |   Jacinta Robenstine, M.D
Providing trauma care in resource‑limited and rural environments requires adaptability, strong clinical judgment, and a clear understanding of available systems of care. This presentation will examine what defines limited resources in trauma settings and how those constraints shape decision‑making from the prehospital environment through definitive care. Participants will explore practical prehospital strategies to improve patient outcomes, review how trauma networks function across different levels of care, and discuss approaches to managing significant injuries when resources are scarce. Through real‑world examples and system‑based discussion, this session highlights strategies to optimize care delivery and patient outcomes in rural and resource‑limited settings.

Testing the System Before It’s Needed: A Field Surgical Trauma Simulation   |   Justin Regner, M.D. & Jon Jui, M.D.
What happens when a patient cannot be safely extricated — and the system must bring surgery to the scene instead? This presentation walks through a real‑world, multidisciplinary field surgical simulation designed to test readiness for a rare but high‑risk trauma scenario. Using a simulated parking‑garage collapse with a critically injured, entrapped patient, presenters will step through how a field surgical response is identified, activated, and coordinated across EMS, fire, dispatch, emergency medicine, trauma surgery, and nursing. The session focuses on what worked, what didn’t, and what was learned when protocols were put under real‑world pressure — including activation pathways, communication challenges, equipment readiness, scene safety considerations, and interagency coordination. Through photos, timelines, and discussion, this talk highlights why testing systems before they are needed is essential for maintaining readiness, trust, and effective teamwork during low‑frequency, high‑stakes trauma events.

National Guest Faculty

Nationally recognized experts sharing perspectives on trauma surgery, trauma systems, pediatric trauma, critical care, and leadership.

Regional & Oregon Trauma Faculty

Regional leaders representing trauma centers, EMS systems, trauma programs, injury prevention, and quality improvement initiatives throughout the Pacific Northwest.