Air-medical transport experience in emergency medicine residencies: then and now.

OBJECTIVE The appropriate activation and effective utilization of air-medical transport (AMT) services is an important skill for emergency medicine physicians in the United States. Previous studies have demonstrated variability with regards to emergency medical services (EMS) experience during residency training. This study was designed to evaluate the nature and extent of AMT training of the emergency medicine residency programs in the United States. METHODS An identity-unlinked survey of the program directors of all Accreditation Committee for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) approved emergency medicine residency programs was conducted. The survey focused on EMS and AMT resident training opportunities and was conducted in two phases (1999 and 2006) using near-identical methodologies. RESULTS Response rates of 82% and 84% were achieved in 1999 and 2006, respectively. Percentages of programs offering AMT experiences were similar between the two study phases (76% in 1999 and 65% in 2006). The roles of residents during AMT experiences ranged widely between observer-only, active team member, and medical director/team leader in both 1999 and 2006. Compared to those in 1999, programs in 2006 demonstrated a greater frequency of EMS rotations being provided earlier, by year of training during emergency medicine residency. Residencies located in non-metropolitan centers only were slightly more likely to offer AMT training than were those in metropolitan locations. CONCLUSIONS A majority of emergency medicine residency programs offer AMT experience that includes both scene responses and inter-facility transports. The role of residents during AMT training varies widely, as does the timing of their experiences during residency. The geographical locations of programs do not appear to impact the availability of AMT training.