What if we began asking patients “what happened to you?” instead of “what’s wrong with you?” This mindset shift exemplifies the principles behind trauma-informed care. DCFEMS Behavioral Health Coordinator Ronit Reguer once again joins hosts Maia Dorsett, Hilary Gates and Rob Lawrence for a powerful, practical conversation on trauma-informed care. They discuss how this approach can improve both patient outcomes and provider wellness. Drawing on clinical experiences, EMS education, and real-world ...
Jun 06, 2025•45 min•Ep. 38
How should we best acquire medical knowledge and skills so that we can easily retrieve and effectively use them in the field? Now that we are past the stressful March 31st recert deadline, hosts Maia Dorsett, Hilary Gates and Rob Lawrence delve into the issues surrounding EMS recertification and continuing education. Special guest Ethan Setnik, Chief Technology Officer at Prodigy EMS, offers unique insights into the design of learning from his perspective as a system engineer. We know that the t...
May 02, 2025•48 min•Season 4Ep. 37
Does your classroom have a joyful buzz? Jonathan St. George has it figured out--as the founder of the Protected Airway Collaborative (PAC), Jonathan was inspired by a museum visit to create a learning environment like no other. Join us as we dive into his innovative world of airway management education. Prodigy EMS team members Maia Dorsett and Shane O'Donnell report from the PAC as they experienced the self-directed learning approach firsthand. Listen to their interviews with Jace Mullen and An...
Apr 04, 2025•44 min•Season 4Ep. 36
What if the best EMS educators weren’t clinicians, but patients themselves? In this episode, hosts Hilary Gates and Maia Dorsett welcome sudden cardiac arrest survivor Nova McCarthy and medical director Alicia Bond for an insightful discussion on how patient experiences can enhance EMS education. Nova describes her experience as a keynote speaker and explores the power of patient-centered learning. She details powerful moments from her near-death experience, including the compassion and kind wor...
Feb 07, 2025•54 min•Season 4Ep. 35
How do EMS clinicians process the trauma they witness daily—and how can they be better supported? In this episode of The EMS Educator podcast, hosts Rob Lawrence, Hilary Gates and Maia Dorsett explore the critical topic of trauma stewardship with guest Ronit Reguer, the first behavioral health coordinator for DC Fire and EMS. Together, they unpack the challenges of emotional resilience, the importance of proactive mental health care, and the cultural shifts shaping the future of first responder ...
Jan 03, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 34
Want more advice about how to effectively create EMS credentialing programs for your learners? In the latest episode of the EMS Educator Podcast, join hosts Rob Lawrence, Hilary Gates, and Maia Dorsett for a dynamic conversation with guests Dr. Jeremy Cushman and Shane O’Donnell. They dive into the intricacies of their successful educational program that trains EMS clinicians for specialty care transport (SCT). Jeremy and Shane discuss how to conduct needs assessments, perform gap analyses, and ...
Dec 06, 2024•49 min•Season 4Ep. 33
How should EMS educators expand their reach beyond the classroom? Prodigy's new Associate Medical Director of Pediatrics Sylvia Owusu-Ansah, MD, MPH, FAAP shares her profound dedication to public health education and CPR training in Pittsburgh’s community and beyond. Join hosts Rob Lawrence, Hilary Gates, and Maia Dorsett as they discuss Sylvia's life-saving training of University of Pittsburgh athletes to discussing her global initiatives, including her impactful work in Ghana. The hosts highli...
Nov 01, 2024•50 min•Season 4Ep. 32
Ginger Locke, newly-minted Prodigy teammate and host of the "Medic Mindset" podcast joins The EMS Educator podcast as co-host. She highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute." We then dive into Ginger's EMS origin story and her ideas about the future of EMS education. Alongside Hilary Gates, Rob Lawrence, and Maia Dorsett, Ginger explores key aspects of creating a positive learning environment in EMS education. The conversation also touches on the evolving nature of EMS educati...
Oct 04, 2024•42 min•Season 4Ep. 31
What is belonging? Why is this critical for learning? In this episode, hosts Rob Lawrence and Dr. Maia Dorsett welcome expert guests, Dan Batsie, Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety for the State of Vermont; Dr. Heather Davis, Director of Assessment, UCLA School of Medicine, also taskforce chair of the IDEA Taskforce; and Ginger Locke, Prodigy’s newest team member (also Associate Professor of EMS Professions at Austin Community College). Collectively they discuss the essential role that belongi...
Sep 06, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 4Ep. 30
In this episode, we dive into the intersecting worlds of EMS education and mentorship with guest Jonathan Jenkins, a seasoned EMS educator. As a surprise, we’re also joined by Mike Taigman, a renowned expert in EMS and healthcare improvement and mentor to many. Together, they explore the critical role of mentorship in developing new EMS educators, sharing insights, personal stories, and practical advice. Whether you're an aspiring EMS educator or a seasoned professional, tune in for this convers...
Aug 01, 2024•48 min•Season 4Ep. 29
Creating and managing realistic patient simulations is not an easy task. EMS educators have a lot on their plate -- from designing the scenario to training facilitators to choosing the equipment to avoiding training scars. What are best practices? We asked simulation gurus Brittany Prater, Director of Alabama EMS Region One and Robby May, ALS Education Specialist at Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue. Listen as Rob, Maia and Hilary ask about the tricks of the trade and learn how to make...
Jul 05, 2024•46 min•Season 4Ep. 28
On July 1, 2024, the NREMT will transition from the current psychomotor examinations to the new AEMT Certification Examination and new Paramedic Certification Examination. According to the NREMT, this will "bring Paramedic and AEMT examinations in line with most other health-based professions, which have made similar updates in recent years, and matches the best research and science that’s currently available." What should educators be doing to prepare? How should students understand the change?...
Jun 07, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 27
How, where, when and why should we be training our EMS clinicians to take care of tiny humans? Look no further for the answers, as we have subject matter expert Stephanie Ashford, Division Chief of Clinical Practice at the Saint Charles County (MO) Ambulance District. Stephanie has proven advice on how to successfully integrate pediatric readiness and skills training for your agency. Tiny humans are sometimes terrifying (smaller parts, requires math, etc.), and Stephanie's experience teaches us ...
May 03, 2024•45 min•Season 3Ep. 26
How involved in education is the medical director for your paramedic program? If you answered, "Not very much," you are not alone. Join us as we interview research authors Michael Kaduce and Jonathan Powell, who recently published a paper in Prehospital Emergency Care titled: Medical Directors, Facilities, and Finances: Resource Deficiencies in Accredited Paramedic Programs . Their objective was to evaluate US paramedic program resources and identify common deficiencies that may affect program c...
Apr 05, 2024•50 min•Season 3Ep. 25
How do you know that your teaching is effective? We asked Tom Grawey, D.O., who is Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Medical College of Wisconsin, EMS Medical Director for Gateway Technical College, and Assistant Medical Director, Milwaukee County OEM. He said, "I thought what I was teaching would actually change behavior. I was later surprised to see it wasn't happening." Hosts Maia Dorsett, Rob Lawrence and Hilary Gates discuss with Tom how to solve education problems with education...
Mar 01, 2024•39 min•Season 3Ep. 24
Could your next work partner be… Australian? If some folks in California have their way, the answer is yes. Working to solve the ongoing staffing shortage, a group of innovative EMS leaders in California and Australia are thinking differently: bringing well-trained EMS clinicians from Australia to join the U.S. ranks. How do they do it? Hosts Rob Lawrence and Hilary Gates interview the impressive cast of characters. We discuss the logistics, the education, the paperwork, and of course, the accen...
Feb 09, 2024•55 min•Season 3Ep. 23
You've heard the term "bystander," but probably not "upstander." What is it? Hosts Rob Lawrence, Maia Dorsett and Hilary Gates are joined by University of Pittsburgh's Rickquel Tripp, MD, MPH, CDR, USNR: Vice Chair of Diversity, Inclusion & Health Equity, Department of Emergency Medicine; Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine; EMS Medical Director, Penn Hills, SouthEast Regional, Lower Valley and Foxwall; Emergency Department Attending Physician. Dr. Tripp teaches us about implicit bias ...
Dec 06, 2023•57 min•Season 3Ep. 22
Is this going to be on the test? Educators having been cringing at this question as long as tests have existed because of a perceived time-lapse between research-driven advances in best practice and incorporation into high stakes testing - but these days are numbered. In this episode of the EMS Educator podcast, we host EMS Education experts and members of the National Registry research team, Chris Gage (current NREMT research fellow), Dr. Ash Panchal (NREMT Research director) and Dr. Kim McKenn...
Aug 16, 2023•49 min•Season 3Ep. 21
Want to know more about the NREMT’s National EMS ID? NREMT initiated this project in early 2020 to help us gain insights into the EMS workforce, attrition, quality of education, provider credentialing and provision of quality patient care. The ID will enable NREMT to follow learners from pre-matriculation to retirement In this episode, Hilary Gates and Rob Lawrence explore the ID's current use, purpose, and future possibilities, including ways that EMS agencies, educators, leaders and clinicians...
Jun 12, 2023•48 min•Season 3Ep. 20
It’s a hot topic right now: how should EMS utilize ultrasound as a part of out-of-hospital medicine? We asked the pros: three physicians who have set up programs, trained clinicians and analyzed data. Join hosts Rob Lawrence, Hilary Gates and Maia Dorsett as we dive into lessons learned about the logistics, training and quality improvement around ultrasound in EMS. Our guests for this episode: Jenna White, MD, FAEMS, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of New Mexico...
May 22, 2023•55 min•Season 2Ep. 19
What training did you receive when you became a field preceptor? Many in EMS would reply, "Not much." In this episode, hosts Rob Lawrence, Maia Dorsett and Hilary Gates welcome educators Ginger Locke and Ashley Liebig from Austin, TX. Ginger and Ashley share their ideas about this topic after recently teaching a comprehensive preceptor training course. They found training preceptors can shape positive department culture, create a safe space for feedback, and help everyone find a sense of belongi...
Mar 23, 2023•49 min•Season 2Ep. 18
In 2020, the Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education (CAPCE) reported a 179% increase in course completions compared to the two prior years, as well as a 185% increase in online distributive learning. Live/in person education represented just 1% of CAPCE-accredited refresher completions in 2020. What does this say about the future of EMS education? How does this trend away from live courses toward online education affect student retention, skills and evidence-based educa...
Dec 30, 2022•48 min•Season 2Ep. 17
This year has brought many changes in the care provision landscape for obstetric patients. As with many aspects of care, access to maternity care is inequitable by geographic location. Legislative changes in the last year have exacerbated these geographic inequities and EMS is called upon to help meet the needs of patients in these challenging circumstances. In one state, Tennessee, EMS is seeing extraordinarily long transports and due to legislative changes, physicians are facing potential pros...
Dec 01, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 16
It's Recert season! The NREMT has permanently removed limits on distributive education for recertification. What does “distributive education” mean and how does this change impact clinicians and educators alike? Join us as we discuss how to use education to cultivate curiosity in our learners, support lifelong learning and improve equity. Some educational delivery models are better suited than others to meet learning objectives: what are they? How can we use our own agency's data to enhance educ...
Oct 20, 2022•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 15
On Aug. 17, 2022, the NREMT Board rescinded a resolution that would have done away with graduation from a nationally accredited paramedic program as a requirement for eligibility for national certification. Why? What led to the decision? What prompted the resolution in the first place? Join NREMT Executive Director Bill Seifarth, NREMT Board Chair Kevin Mackey and NREMT Board Member Maia Dorsett as they discuss the process and answer burning questions about this dramatic period of events. NREMT ...
Aug 19, 2022•37 min•Season 2Ep. 14
A more diverse EMS workforce provides more equitable care, so how can we help EMS look more like the population it serves? We must examine our policies and their impact on who we are hiring and retaining. Hear from guests Katie O’Connor, EMS Educator and simulation expert in LA County and Washington D.C.’s GWU, Sahaj Khalsa, Santa Fe (NM) Community College's EMS Program Director and Prodigy's Medical Director Dr. Maia Dorsett. Our guests discuss how Social Determinants of Health can affect emplo...
Jun 24, 2022•35 min•Season 2Ep. 13
How can EMS educators and leaders help prevent bias in patient care? One way is to make the unconscious conscious. We welcome guests Katie O’Connor, EMS Educator and simulation expert in LA County and Washington D.C.’s GWU, and Sahaj Khalsa, Santa Fe (NM) Community College's EMS Program Director. Prodigy's Medical Director Dr. Maia Dorsett also weighs in. Our guests discuss the importance of definitions, why words matter and the prevalence of bias in simulation (racial, age, gender, etc.). They ...
Jun 11, 2022•41 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Learn how to create effective, meaningful learning experiences for students in your EMS classroom. Hear from fellow educators about creative ways to implement FOAMed. Benji McCollum, NRP, RN, Paramedic Program Director at Midlands Technical College describes teach-back presentations, using SMEs, and teaching hands-on skills in a virtual environment. Maia Dorsett, MD, PhD, Prodigy EMS's Medical Director touts an evidence-based medicine curriculum that teaches research but always in the context of...
Apr 20, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 11
EMS should use lights and sirens selectively, the same as any clinical intervention for our patients. On Feb. 14, 2022, leaders of many EMS associations published a statement calling for decrease in use of red lights and sirens for EMS responses and transports. Data from NHTSA and Dr. Doug Kupas's seminal paper on the use of red lights and sirens in EMS that fewer than 7% of patients transported to the hospital with lights and sirens received a life-saving intervention upon arrival in the ED. Ro...
Mar 02, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Prodigy EMS is proud to welcome our new medical director, Maia Dorsett, MD, PhD. Maia chats with Rob and Hilary about her educational philosophies, especially around cultivating lifelong learning, creating psychological safety in the classroom, just culture and systems thinking. Check out the PEC position paper Maia co-authored on going beyond skills training in EMS, and follow her on Twitter @maiadorsett. Want to check out the references? Here is the link to The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge....
Jan 28, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 9
