ED EMS time: A COVID-friendly alternative to ambulance ride-alongs.

Grawey, Tom; Hinze, Janice; Weston, Benjamin

Background Ambulance ride-alongs are frequently a critical element of educational programs for learners of prehospital emergency care. We describe a novel alternative to the EMS ride-along experience more conducive to COVID-19 restrictions. Methods "ED EMS time" was developed as an alternative training method to provide a field-type experience within the emergency department (ED) setting. Over the course of a 4-h shift, medical students observe and complete standardized reflections on online medical control radio consultations and EMS-to-ED patient handoffs. Medical students also interview EMS clinicians to gain insight into prehospital care and the challenges that occur in the field. Experiences are debriefed with an EMS attending. Results Medical students expressed increased knowledge around the challenges and treatment capabilities of EMS through the ED EMS time experience. They were able to explain what information obtained from the scene was helpful to EMS clinicians. Medical students were able to realize the objectives of ambulance ride time through an ED experience designed around EMS. Conclusions ED EMS time represents a novel approach to teaching medical students the intricacies of prehospital medicine from the confines of the ED while avoiding direct patient contact, preserving PPE, and limiting COVID-19 exposure.