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20th Annual NCEMSF Conference

Collegiate EMS Providers Convene to Learn, Compete and Collaborate!

Washington, DC - Over 1,000 representatives of campus-based EMS organizations from 102 colleges and universities across the U.S. and Canada attended the 20th Anniversary Conference of the National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation (NCEMSF) February 22-24, 2013 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

NCEMSF is a non-profit organization committed to scholarship, research and consultancy activities and to creating safer, healthier environments on college and university campuses throughout North America. Comprised of over 250 college campus-based emergency medical service (EMS) agencies trained to respond within minutes and provide care tailored specifically to campus emergencies, NCEMSF's purpose is to support, promote, and advocate for EMS on college and university campuses. The annual conference is the cornerstone of the Foundation and creates a forum for communication and an environment where ideas can be exchanged and problems solved.

"Beyond providing for the acquisition of medical knowledge, campus-based EMS allows student participants to develop life skills including leadership, team work, communication, and decision making, while simultaneously positively impacting other people's lives," said Dr. George Koenig, NCEMSF President. He continued, "These crucial skills serve participants well no matter what careers they ultimately choose...the enthusiasm, optimism, and dedication that exists amongst this talented group of young, professional adults is contagious and truly awe inspiring."

Dr. Scott Savett, NCEMSF Vice President, echoed "It is inspiring to see so many campus EMS providers gathered in one place. One of NCEMSF's stated goals is to facilitate communication among campus EMS groups. While we offered the attendees more than 100 educational workshop sessions during this conference, much of the communication and learning happens outside of the formal conference sessions. Meeting members of another group in the hallway between sessions or on an elevator can spark a conversation more valuable than anything a speaker at a lectern could provide."

This year's conference program included over 110 lectures, roundtable discussions, expert panels and skills labs packed into two and half days of amazing programming ranging from the treatment and management of various traumatic and medical emergencies to EMS research to leadership development and strategic planning for the collegiate EMS agency. A series of roundtable discussions took place in which leaders and advisors from various university squads reviewed common problems facing their squads and challenged themselves to find innovative, feasible solutions. The conference also featured several skills labs focusing on airway management, advanced ECG interpretation, improvisational splinting and transport of patients and simulated assessment scenarios.

Babak Sarani, MD, FACS, FCCM, Trauma Director at the George Washington University delivered the Major John P. Pryor, MD Memorial Lecture "Crew Resource Management" focussing on the importance of communication amongst the healthcare team.

The Richard W. Vomacka Student Speaker Competition afforded pre-selected conference attendees the opportunity to deliver a relevant high-quality seminar to their peers on a topic of their choosing. The competition was judged on the initial abstract submission, session slides and lastly presentation style, content, applicability and ability to relate and interact with the audience. Timothy Bach from Carnegie Mellon University, won the competition with a seminar entitled "Ramifications of Alcohol Amnesty Programs."

Several individuals and campus EMS organizations were recognized at the conference with annual awards for service:

  • Collegiate EMS Week Award - University of Dayton
  • Collegiate EMS Video of the Year - University of Califronia - Los Angeles
  • Collegiate EMS Web Site of the Year - St. Michaels Fire and Rescue
  • Dr. George J. Koenig Jr. Foundation Service Award - Joshua Moskovitz, MD, MPH
  • Collegiate EMS Advisor of the Year - Daniel Maas (Cornell University)
  • Collegiate EMS Provider of the Year - Richard Jamesley (University of Richmond)
  • Collegiate EMS Organization of the Year - Stony Brook Volunteer Ambulance Corps

Binghamton University, Cornell University, University of Massachusetts - Lowell and University of Pennsylvania were recognized for having completed NCEMSF's Striving for Excellence program, a rigorous self-evaluation and three year accreditation process demonstrating adherence to current best practice patterns. The recipients represent benchmark organizations that others strive to emulate.

The annual Physio Control Collegiate EMS skills competition in which team's clinical, leadership and creativity skills were tested was won by McMaster University. Harpur's Ferry Student Volunteer Ambulance Corps of Binghamton University won the advanced life support version of the competition and the privilege of representing campus-based EMS in the annual JEMS Games at EMS Today next week.

For more information about NCEMSF or the 2013 Conference, including a copy of the complete program, please visit the Foundation´s website at www.ncemsf.org. The 2014 NCEMSF conference is scheduled for February 21-23, 2014.