In this episode, Dr. Tom Hurst, Medical Director of London HEMS and consultant in critical care at King’s College Hospital, joins Adam to discuss the unique challenges and operations of London HEMS—a leading helicopter EMS service known for its rapid, high-acuity trauma response in London, England. Their conversation highlights the real-world application of medical education principles in a high-pressure clinical environment, exploring how lessons from this setting can inform more traditional medical education contexts.

Tom emphasizes the pivotal role of teamwork, particularly the integration of paramedics and physicians in delivering emergency interventions right at the scene. They also delve into the complexities of continuous training for a diverse group of practitioners, including paramedics, fellows, and senior physicians, all working together to enhance the speed and quality of trauma care at one of the world’s busiest air ambulance services.

Length of Episode: 35:10 minutes

Resources to check out:

https://www.londonsairambulance.org.uk/

  Follow: Dr. Adam Szulewski https://x.com/Adam_Szulewski  

[10] How learning happens at one of the busiest air ambulance services in the world