Medical Business Podcasts and Progamming

The EMS Leadership Challenge: Medical Author Chat with Mitchell Waite, PhD

Greg Friese — Fri, 14 May 2010 08:00:58 -0400

Fire Chief, Paramedic, and EMS Educator Mitchell Waite, PhD discusses his books The EMS Leadership Challenge , Fire Service Leadership theories and Practice, and a 400 Days a Call to Duty on this episode of the Medical Author Chat.

Chief Waite leads the Wisconsin Rapids Fire Department. He has been in the fire service for 25 years and even longer in EMS. His career in leadership began by enlisting in the US Marine Corps 35 years ago. We start the conversation by talking about Mitch’s recent deployment to Iraq and his work as a Liaison Officer to General Ray Ordierno.

400 Days a Call to Duty

The first book we discussed is scheduled for early May 2010. In 400 Days a Call to Duty Mitch explained that his intent is to write about the difficulties citizen soldiers face leaving family and jobs for overseas deployments. He explained part of his goal is to “Share good news stories to enrich and educate.”

400 Days is based on journal entries Mitch wrote daily during his deployment. It was “therapeutic” to write every day. Proceeds from the book will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.

The EMS Leadership Challenge

Next we discussed the EMS Leadership Challenge – a book meant for anyone in EMS. Our conversation included the importance of research for EMS, the lack of leadership in EMS, the disconnect between leadership and expertise.

Mitch and I also talked about the usefulness of this book as a textbook and a course he is developing on EMS Leadership for Mid State Technical College paramedic students.

Advice and Connect

We conclude the podcast with Mitch’s advice for aspiring authors. Make sure to listen and heed his encouragement to “share information to benefit others.” Connect with Mitch on Facebook or email Mitch Waite

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Paramedic to the Prince – Medical Author Chat with Tom Notestine

Greg Friese — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:00:51 -0400

Paramedic and author Tom Notestine discusses his book Paramedic to the Prince in this episode of the Medical Author Chat podcast.

Tom talked to me by Skype from his home in Qatar. There is a short delay between my questions and his responses and some distortion in the call due to our connection. Nonetheless, this episode is well worth a listen.

From California to Saudi Arabia

After six years as a paramedic in Los Angeles Tom wanted a change. Shortly after the first Gulf war he began working as a paramedic at a military hospital in Saudi Arabia near Riyadh. That experience led him to be a member of the private medical team for then crown-prince Abdullah who is now the King of Saudi Arabia. The medical team, always within two minutes of the prince was two medics and three physicians. In our conversation Tom explains his global travels as part of the medical team on the Prince’s private 747 and 300 foot yacht.

Working in the Middle East

When Tom went to work in the Middle East he was not able to find much information about the culture, healthcare, and what to expect living there. He explains that the book is a combination of his EMS experiences, he experiences learning and living in a unique culture and his advice for EMS professionals that are considering work in the Middle East.

Tom also discusses how the perception of Americans has changed during his 20 years living and working in the Middle East. One of the themes of the book is the “changing relationship between Saudi Arabia and America as well as the rise of terrorism.”

Advice for Authors and EMS Professionals

Tom specifically encourages aspiring authors to keep a journal about their experiences. He explains, “everyone has a story to tell.” Tom answers every email he receives about working in the Middle East as a paramedic and has a section of his website devoted to the topic – ParamedictothePrince.com.

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Black Ice – Medical Author Chat with Jaxine Daniels

Greg Friese — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:00:27 -0400

EMT and romance novelist, Jaxine Daniels, discusses her series of novels featuring paramedics and rescue jumpers in this issue of the Medical Author Chat. Jaxine is the author of two books (Black Ice and Thin Ice) that feature a paramedic that works for a fictional hockey team. The other series of five books revolves around the “danger, excitement, and love lives of an Air Force Para-Rescue Team.”

Jaxine and I discuss her work as an EMT in the high mountains of Colorado that has also involved work in search and rescue and how that has inspired her as a writer. She also tells about how her own experience of being a patient had a big impact on her patient care.

We also dig into the Romance Novel genre. I now know that a romance novel needs to focus on romance and end in a committed relationship. Jaxine shares that writing is a touch business. “Don’t go here if you can’t take rejection,” she warns. We also discuss the importance of character development and her process to plan the characters and general plots before she started writing.

Books by Jaxine Daniels are available from Amazon.com and her website JaxineDaniels.com.

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A Simple Case of Suicide – a Medical Author Chat with Laura Kendall

Greg Friese — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 08:00:58 -0400

Paramedic and author, Laura J. Kendall, discusses her two books, A Simple Case of Suicide and Double Winkers Club on this episode of the Medical Author Chat. Laura is an active paramedic in New Jersey. Her EMS career began as a volunteer in 1981. She has since worked in rural and inner city areas and been an EMS educator.

We discuss her journey to become a novelist. She started A Simple Case of Suicide in 1996, but didn’t finish it until 2006. When asked why she chose a paramedic for the heroine she tells me there “aren’t any books out there that feature paramedics as the heroine.”

Based on her field experiences and answering the notorious “what-if” Laura described her process of developing a murder mystery novel. She also discusses her writing process – which I was shocked when I learned her old school writing method.

We also discuss Laura’s second novel, the Double Winkers Club, a paranormal romance novel. Her second book was published in 2009. This novel also features paramedics and police officers.

Writing both books has given Laura more pride in being a paramedic. She believes we are really good people and that we do a great job that deserves recognition.

We finish the conversation with Laura’s advice for aspiring writers. Her most important advice was to “go with your heart and believe in yourself. Write the full story and then use an editor to make it polished.”

Connect with Laura at ThreeGreyhoundsPublishing.com or email Laura

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The Streets Ran Red – a Medical Author Chat with Morgan Lawrence

Greg Friese — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:00:36 -0400

The Streets Ran Red by Morgan Lawrence is a book that “puts you in the driver’s seat” of the real life of being a paramedic that is based on the authors twenty years as a paramedic, physician’s assistant, and traumatologist. The book is based on Morgan’s “real events and real cases”.

Morgan became a paramedic after serving as an aviator in the Vietnam War. After the war he attended a sheriff department meeting, mostly for the coffee and donuts, and left signed up for one of the first paramedic classes in Texas. After twenty years in the field a new reporter (now the most famous woman in the world) suggested he write a book. He began writing the book after a severe injury took him off the job. The book was not published until 2008.

Like other episodes of the Medical Author Chat I asked Morgan for his advice to aspiring authors. He suggested lots of notes and selecting a view-point. The Streets Ran Red is available from The Streets Ran Red(Amazon.com link) and Morgan’s website. If you order from his website he will autograph the book for you. Morgan is also available for book signings and public speaking. He currently works and speaks in the field of Forensic Psychology and Forensic Traumatology.

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Unprepared – a Medical Author Chat with Jim Rush

Greg Friese — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 08:00:36 -0400

Unprepared is a cautionary fictional tale from Jim Rush, a long-term emergency planner for healthcare organizations. Jim and his co-author, D.A. Ramsey, have written an account of how several simultaneous incidents devastated a few American cities and overwhelm local, regional, and national capacities to provide healthcare, other community services, and governance.

Jim drew on his work experience in the US Air Force, US Surgeon General’s Office, HRSA, CDC, and private sector to highlight the poor planning that is currently in place to rapidly mass evacuate sick and injured patients from disaster scenes. Jim and I discussed the minimal progress that has taken place since Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Ike.

In our interview Jim discusses his hope that the book, by exploring the ongoing impacts of national tragedy, inspires planners and policy makers to create serious plans. He told me, “I have a major concern that the health system is not learning lessons to evacuate patients and save as many lives as possible during a major disaster.”

We also discussed that a short fall of many training exercises is a focus on quick and tidy happy endings. In reality, incidents usually draw out for weeks, months, and even years. According to Jim the “difference between a disaster and a catastrophe is often the capacity of emergency managers to request help with patient evacuation and dispersal.”

Unprepared is meant to be a provocative book that will get people thinking. Do you think a fiction cautionary tale can stimulate planning? Have other fictional media, like the movie “The Day After”, impacted you as an emergency responder to take action?

Unprepared is available from Amazon.com and JVR Health Readiness. Links discussed in this episode of the medical author chat:

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Medical Author Chat: Stories from the E.R. Loading Dock – A medical author chat with Eric Liddy Sr.

Greg Friese — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 08:00:04 -0400

The E.R. Loading Dock: real EMS Stories from Around the World is a compilation of stories from paramedics around the world that met each other and collaborated on the book through an online forum for paramedics. Eric Liddy Sr. an EMT, firefighter, and rescue technician in southeast Michigan led the effort to collect, organize, and edit stories from fourteen different authors.Eric is a paramedic in the Detroit EMS Fire Division, a firefighter volunteer, rescue driver, and hazmat tech for another department.

During our conversation Eric explained how the proceeds from the self-published book are being divided between five different charitable organizations. The charities were chosen by the contributors to the book. The charities have already received their first payment from the book sales. The charities are:

Eric also read one of his stories that is in the book about the event that inspired him to become an emergency responder. He concluded by sharing some of the lessons he has learned in this process. Connect with Eric through the Stories from the ER Loading Dock Facebook Fan Page.

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Mass Casualties: A Young Medic’s True Story – a Medical Author Chat with Michael Anthony

Greg Friese — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:00:12 -0400

Army Reserve Specialist Michael Anthony discusses his book, Mass Casualties: A Young Medic’s True Story of Death, Deception, and Dishonor in Iraq on this episode of the Medical Author Chat podcast. Michael was an operating room technician in the Iraq War. His tour was from October 2006 to October 2007. During that time he worked in two hospitals. First in Mosul and then in the Al Anbar Province. He kept a journal throughout his tour that became the basis of his book.

During our interview Michael explains why he wrote a book about what life was really like for him and many of the soldiers in his unit. Michael had preconceived conceptions about war based on the experiences of four older brothers that were in the military and watching lots of war movies. He was surprised to find out that many of those preconceptions were wrong and he was serving with “regular people” that were like him.

Michael and I also talked about the struggles many veterans have returning to life at home and work. Michael describes that every day eighteen veterans in the United States commit suicide and one in three homeless Americans are veterans. Michael came home from Iraq with his own emotional problems and addictions. He explains that what helped him “was having something to focus on” which was writing the book. He also discussed the importance of vets being able to talk to other vets and participate in veteran run treatment programs.

Websites we discussed:
Michael’s website – masscasualties.com
Mass.gov – Veterans Services

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Street Sense: Medical Author Chat with Kate Dernocoeur

Greg Friese — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:00:10 -0500

Author and former paramedic and EMS Educator Kate Dernocoeur is the guest on this episode of the Medical Author Chat. Kate wrote the classic EMS textbook “Streetsense: Communication, Safety, and Control“. Kate was a paramedic on “the ground floor of the industry.” When her career began medics were trained by doctors and nurses who focused on the medical training paramedics needed. Because the prehospital environment was unknown to those educators an entire body of knowledge was missing from EMS Education – Street Sense. Kate wrote about things like:

1. communicating with people in distress
2. safety in homes
3. working with crowds
4. recognizing and recovering from stress

The first edition of “Street Sense” was published in 1986. The third edition was published in the mid 1990s. With each edition Kate incorporated content that reflected societal changes. Now much of what we consider “street sense” is a regular feature of EMS textbooks and education programs because medics have been in the field for 45 years.

Kate was a frequent EMS conference speaker and writer for the industry trade magazines. She and I talked about her career. We also discussed what she would add if she wrote a new edition of “Street Sense”. Her comments on this were very insightful and shows me that she still has her finger on the pulse of EMS. This part of the conversation led Kate to telling me about a presentation she saw by Kimberly Dozier and the concept of “Post Traumatic Growth.”

Kate finished the episode with some wise words for aspiring authors including:

1. Know the tools and mechanics of writing

2. Everyone has a good story to tell

3. Develop your reputation as a writer

4. When you have an idea you believe in – Go For It!

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The Non-Conformist’s Guide to EMS Success: Medical Author Chat with Steve Whitehead

Greg Friese — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:00:39 -0500

Firefighter/paramedic, blogger, and educator Steve Whitehead discusses his new (and free) ebook – The Non-Conformist’s Guide to EMS Success on this episode of the Medical Author Chat.

Steve and I discuss his start in blogging, what the ebook is about, how blogging has impacted his patient care, and Steve’s goals for the book. We also talk about what we like in an EMS blog. The EMT Spot seeks to inspire, encourage, and educate readers. Steve shares that blogging has changed him and makes him feel like he needs to perform at an even higher standard.

During our conversation Steve explains his idea and inspiration to write an e-book. Then he discusses the task of converting the idea into an ebook that is more than 60,000 words. Note: we recorded this conversation just a few days after the late January release.

One of the concepts of the book is having a “B-HAG.” I got Steve to share his B-HAG and I can tell you he is well on his way to having the impact that he aspires to have.

Visit theEMTSpot.com and register for your own copy of The Non-Conformist’s Guide to EMS. It is well worth it.

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GIS for Hospital and Healthcare Emergency Management: Medical Author Chat with Ric Skinner

Greg Friese — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 07:00:56 -0500

Author, editor, and GIS for healthcare expert Ric Skinner is the guest on this episode of the Medical Author Chat. Ric is the owner of Stoneybrook Group and writes the blog healthGISGuy. Ric is the editor of a book due out in May 2010 – GIS in Hospital and Healthcare Emergency Management. A description of the book can be read here.

Make sure you listen to the end for some outstanding advice for any situation from Ric.

In this episode Ric and I discuss what Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is and how it can be used by healthcare professionals. Ric described the purpose of GIS is to “Bring geospatial technology on healthcare preparedness.” Uses of GIS include dispatching resources, monitoring hospital bed availability, utilization of specific resources, routing resources to facilities or incidents, and tracking of patients. Listeners may be familiar with Google Flu Trends which maps flu activity based on Google search data. GIS is a tool for spatial thinking.

Ric used social networking tools, like LinkedIn, to recruit subject matter expert authors. He also used his blog, profession specific list servs, and his own personal network. The authors submitted sixteen chapters in areas like tracking infections within a hospital, tracking H1N1, use of GIS to identify vulnerable populations during a wildfire, and monitoring workplace and worker safety.

Ric also provided this advice to aspiring authors:

Narrow the focus so it is manageable
Look for an area that has not been covered very well
Be patient, organized, and understanding of subject matter experts
Set a realistic production schedule
Always have a plan B

Connect with Ric at HealthGISGuy or email Email Ric Skinner. You can pre-order from Ric’s website or find the book at Amazon.com

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Skels a novel: Medical Author Chat with Author Maggie Dubris

Greg Friese — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 07:00:01 -0500

Author Maggie Dubris discusses her book Skels: A Novel, drawn from her 20 years as a paramedic in New York City. The novel features EMS in NYC in late 1970s. Maggie weaves together a fascinating tale of paramedics, police officers, and homeless citizens (skels) with famous literature and music.

In our interview Maggie talks about the origin of the term “Skels” – a New York term that is used as a noun and as a verb. Skels was written over 10 years while Maggie was working as a medic. To write the book Maggie tried to imagine that the homeless people she knew were more complex and have a deeper back-story than what is readily apparent.

She tried to capture what it felt like to be one of the first female paramedics in New York City. She wanted to show EMS to the world. The patient encounters in the book are graphic and horrific. She tells me that the incidents are based on things that happened, but made as wild as possible. So much in EMS is beyond imagination – the injuries, how people live, the larger than life personalities – that little embellishing is needed to craft a fictional narrative.

Since interviewing Maggie I was able to finish Skels. Most EMS literature is firsthand accounts of working as a paramedic where the author is the main character and the plot is their life. The themes are the lessons the author learned working as a paramedic. Since Skels is a novel, Maggie, was able to write a plot with several twists, plant characters early in the book that play a central role together, and write about themes of counter-culture, addiction, family, and moral ambiguity. I really enjoyed how she used EMS as the backdrop to a powerful story.

Our interview concluded with Maggie encouraging authors to “Find your own true voice. Write about what you really feel and see. And react to it.”

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Paramedic Buff to Burnt: Medical Author Chat with Paramedic George Steffensen

Greg Friese — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 07:00:04 -0500

Paramedic George Steffensen discusses his book Paramedic Buff to Burnt on this episode of the Medical Author Chat podcast.

In Buff to Burnt George looks back on his career as a medic in New York city and shares stories from his career to promote the outstanding work of EMS professionals and to help new medics understand what to expect. Like a lot of rookies, George started his career with buff and bravado. Over time the abuses of the EMS system caused him burnout. We talk a bit about burnout and continuing to find passion for the job.

During our conversation George shares a couple of his favorite stories. In one situation he found himself in the midst of a spouse trying to cover-up an extra marital affair. In another he tells how a patient’s son recognized that George and his partner needed help and was able to stabilize the situation instead of making it worse.

George told me that the act of writing was done all at once. The book is a short and quick read for new medics and people who are generally interested in the stories and contributions of EMS. George is working on another book that he hopes to continue after retiring. George is still working as a medic in Baton Rouge, LA and is active with his departments Bike Team.

George and I also discussed his involvement in the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride. George rides in Louisiana to honor his partner who was killed on September 11. Learn more about the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride at muddyangels.org.

To contact George and support his ride email him at georgedownsouth@yahoo.com

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So, You Want To Be A Doctor?: Time Sensitive Announcements

Dr Daniel Williams — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:16:19 -0500

3rd Annual Medical School LIFE Conference will be May 29-30, 2010. The first one was a weekend series for the American Medical Student Association chapter at the University of Houston. Out of those conferences, the Pre-Med DVD Course was build as a sort of basic training. The following year charter members of the Medical Mastermind [...]

Silent Alarm: Medical Author Chat with Steven L. Schrader FF/EMT retired

Greg Friese — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 07:00:21 -0500

Introduction

Retired firefighter/EMS Steven L Schrader is the guest for this episode of the Medical Author Chat. Steven is the author of Silent Alarm: On the Edge With a Deaf EMT (Amazon Link). Steven wrote his book based on his experiences as a firefighter EMT in Atlanta, Georgia.

I contacted Steven after Jamie Davis, the host of the MedicCast, forwarded me an email from one of his listeners. The listener was seeking our advice on becoming an EMT. He wrote that he is partially deaf and was having trouble with EMS instructors not giving him opportunities to practice and demonstrate competency at auscultation of things like breath sounds and lung sounds. My efforts to offer advice to this student led me to Steven and Silent Alarm.

Instead of an audio interview Steven requested that the interview be posted as text. To read what Steven has to say about the book and his advice to students that are profoundly deaf or hearing impaired continue reading.

Contributed to Medical Author Chat by Steven L Schrader

I never really intended for Silent Alarm to be an autobiography when it was originally a part of my therapy on the advice of my psychiatrist helping me deal with post traumatic stress syndrome for all the crap I’ve seen into writing, as a way of venting my anger, frustration and from the horror of working on the streets of Atlanta for thirty years.

It was on a dare from my mother to send it to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., never really expecting them to publish it. I didn’t think anyone would believe it anyway. After it was published, I then decided I did want the book to offer alternatives choices for those who aspire to be a deaf firefighter or an EMT as to whether they think that they can fail or succeed based on my experiences.

As for the questions you submitted, I feel compelled not talk about the book but to take this opportunity to respond to the reader that contacted you who is struggling to gain entry into an EMT program.

Becoming a Firefighter

It is vital for anyone who wants to be a deaf firefighter or EMT must understand that their own success or failure to become one actually depends largely with their demographic, where you live, and if it is a volunteer or a career station. Metropolitan or in the boon docks. Georgia or New York. In fact, a deaf person would have a better chance in the North than in the South. Deaf education is far more superior in the northern states than in the South. A good education is vital to the success or failure in becoming a deaf firefighter or EMT. That was my main point when I wrote the book.

Now, I don’t know if the reader who contacted you is profoundly deaf or hearing impaired with some residual speech. I do believe that between the two that the chance of failure or success is in itself definite. A profoundly deaf firefighter is not feasible when a hearing impaired firefighter is more likely to succeed with the right equipment. A deaf EMT is not possible and never will be. A hearing impaired EMT is possible, again, with the right equipment.

Still a deaf man might have a chance if he knew his history and how other deaf men became volunteers without restrictions.

In 1921, an independent deaf teacher, Albert Pierce claimed the secret to happiness for a deaf-mute then, if not today to be a deaf firefighter, was, ‘to forget that he or she was deaf and try to meet on equal terms whosoever comes in contact with him,’ especially with other firefighters. That statement he made alone was the reason I succeeded. It is the ultimate key to success and again education and more education. Never stop going to school.

How to Start

The best way to start is to be a deaf advocate and become a ‘certified’ observer with the local fire department. Most of them do have program that allow citizens to ride with the fire department. That would be an excellent way to know if a deaf man has what it takes to become a deaf firefighter and be willing to accept his restriction and limitation by picking up a technical fire manual and read it. If unable to understand the technical terms, a deaf man is not ready to become a deaf firefighter, much less an EMT.

Quite honestly, when I wrote Silent Alarm, I had never heard of another deaf firefighter and didn’t think there would ever be one. I am quite surprised after having visited the internet and read how many of these deaf firefighters claimed to know how to become one but yet they are restricted on many job functions of a firefighter. Many of them insist that the fire station must learn sign language.

But they are all going about it the wrong way. Many of them are using the ADA law as a weapon.

Becoming a Deaf Firefighter

The original manuscript was more than 500 pages. The publisher’s budget forced the manuscript to be drastically edited to some odd 150 pages. So I didn’t really feel it was a success since there were so much more to talk about. Unfortunately, how to become a deaf firefighter or an EMT was edited out.

Sequel Book: How to be a Deaf Firefighter

I am currently writing my next book, ‘How to be a Deaf Firefighter’, including the remarkable history of deaf volunteer firefighters. It will, I hope, help answer questions by providing a guideline, or as a manual, so to speak, for those who desire to be a deaf firefighter or an EMT.

If I may have the opportunity, I would like to clarify my status as this country’s first deaf firefighter and EMT, for those who dispute my claim. Although, I am not the first since there were deaf volunteer firefighters since 1835, I was a career firefighter, deaf educated, as well as an emergency medical technician, for thirty years without restrictions that other deaf firefighters and EMT s are experiencing today.

I would also like to clarify that I am legally deaf, although I am hearing impaired with an obvious speech impediment. I totally rely on lip-reading and used to wear hearing aids. It’s been interesting to know that in some psychiatric literatures in medical journals, dealing with deafness, the authors claimed that it was actually my rapid oral communication skills that had helped me to overcome and adapt in Fire, EMS and the military. I’ll give that credit to the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf and my parents. Education and honor thy mother and father.

Homicide or Suicide?

Even if a deaf man failed, it took courage to try and be willing to risk his life. But by chance, he succeeds; he is committing suicide or risking the lives of other firefighters and citizens alike. Mine included.

His biggest fear should be being the first and only firefighter on a structural fire. Only then a deaf firefighter will understand his limitation and realize he is just as valuable assisting the other firefighters to do what he cannot do in the first place.

Being the first deaf firefighter on the scene and unable to communicate with the child’s mother, to her location in the house, is tantamount to manslaughter. There are no amounts of modern technology that can ever replace the sense of hearing a small child crying out for help in a house fire.

Favorite Stories: How did I survive?

The obese woman and having to make the decision that only God makes as to whether she would live or die or of having met Jesus when I wanted to jump off a parking deck and the horror of how people live was nothing to the shock of having survived and lived about it to retire. And I am deaf! Many of my partners have died in the line of duty, some on crack, cocaine, AIDS, suicide or from infections picked up off the streets. That is usually the first question that most people I meet ask … how did I survive? Quite honestly, I don’t know. I can’t say I have a favorite story. They are all bad. I have to live with it.

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So, You Want To Be A Doctor?: The Pre-Med Syndrome

Dr Daniel Williams — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:11:51 -0500

Episode 23: Doctor Dan outlines Phase 1 in the Evolution Of A Physician-In-Training, part of his work/life balance initiative that seeks to prevent burnout among medical students and doctors. SEE THE FULL REPORT HERE: Evolution of a Physician In Training: Effects of the medical education pipeline on personal and professional development. Daniel M. Williams, MD The 5 phases [...]

Declarations of a Dinosaur: Medical Author Chat with Lucy Hornstein MD

Greg Friese — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 07:00:02 -0500

Dr. Lucy Hornstein is author of Declarations of a Dinosaur: 10 Laws I’ve Learned as a Family Doctor (Amazon Link). During this episode of Medical Author Chat Lucy and I have a great chat about why she chose family practice, her path to becoming a blogger, and the 10 laws she has learned in her years of family practice.

Lucy also shares some great stories about parenting, baking, and connecting with patients. Lucy and her son share passion for baking pastry and use blogging to challenge, contrast, and compare their baking products. We also explore how Facebook is a tool for simple communication with her college age kids, even when they are in the same house with her.

I especially enjoyed our conversation about anonymous blogging and Lucy’s three rules of blogging. Until her book was published in August 2009 Lucy blogged anonymously and always gender neutral assignments for herself and her patients. Many of her readers made assumptions about her gender and the gender of the patients in the stories. I had this conversation with Lucy just after the EMS Garage podcast episode that discussed the pros and cons of anonymous blogging.

Another theme of this show was the role of truth in blogging and writing books about our experiences as healthcare providers. I have always used the axiom, “true or loosely based on the truth” when writing patient scenarios, case studies, and blog posts. Listen to the show for Lucy’s insights.

I was referred to Lucy by Tim Noonan, the Rogue Medic. If you know of a medical professional that has written a book of memoirs, a novel, or lessons learned tell me about the book and author in the comments. I will reach out to them for a future episode of the Medical Author Chat.

Visit Lucy’s blog, Musing’s of a Dinosaur, to learn more about her and her latests blog posts. You can also connect with her there to schedule book signings and readings.

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Hero Pants: Medical Author Chat with Jim Haden

Greg Friese — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:00:44 -0500

Hero Pants, the first book by paramedic Jim Haden, is a compilation of stories from his more than 2o years of experience as an EMS professional in the heartland of the United States. The title, Hero Pants, comes from one of the chapters of the book. If you wear your EMS gear everywhere, even when you are hours and/or hundreds of miles from your response area, you are wearing Hero Pants. Jim told me that the book chapters are “mostly humorous and some are series.”

Jim has seen EMS from all perspectives. He began with a volunteer department, flew as a flight medic, worked as an EMS coordinator, and now works for a private EMS agency in Souix City, Iowa. Jim has also seen the perspective of EMS as a bystander when his neighbor became ill suddenly. Jim described that experience in one of his favorite chapters – If Only. Jim also shares during the interview some of his other favorite stories from the book.

For aspiring authors Jim talks about how he began the process of writing a book. One of his goals, that you probably share, is to help others understand what we do as paramedics.

After listening to Jim you can purchase a copy of Hero Pants (Amazon link), connect with Jim on Facebook, and visit his website JimHaden.com. Jim is also available for radio, podcast, conference, book reading, and book signing events. Contact him through his website to schedule an appearance.

Hero Pants: Medical Author Chat with Jim Haden is from Everyday EMS Tips - a site for EMTs, Paramedics, and EMS Students: Advertising Opportunities

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People Care: Career Friendly Practices for Professional Caregivers Medical Author Chat with Thom Dick

Greg Friese — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:00:01 -0500

People Care: Career Friendly Practices for Professional Caregivers Medical Author Chat with Thom Dick is a post from: Everyday EMS Tips

People Care Career-Friendly Practices for Professional Caregiver is the book by long time EMS author and professional Thom Dick. In this episode of Medical Author Chat from Everyday EMS Tips Thom Dick talks about how he started his EMS career as an “ambulance attendant making $1.25 an hour” and the lessons he has learned from patients and other professionals that are not taught in school.

Thom discusses how EMT school does not prepare us to deal with people at their worst and most fearful moment. EMS professionals are “let in on the most private moments of people’s lives.” Listen to Thom describe what the simple question, “What is your name” can help us learn about the patient. Thom and I also discuss the importance of humility, service, and listening to essential characteristics of being a professional caregiver.

People Care Career-Friendly Practices Professional Caregiver (Amazon Link)

Thom Dick has been involved in EMS for 39 years, 23 of them as a full-time EMT and paramedic in San Diego County. He is the assistant chief for Platte Valley Ambulance Service, a community-owned, hospital-based 9-1-1 provider in Brighton, CO. Thom is a frequent contributor to EMS Magazine and EMSResponder.com. Link to his archived articles. You can reach him at boxcar_414@yahoo.com.

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Paramedic and Rescue 471: Medical Author Chat with Peter Canning

Greg Friese — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:00:10 -0500

Paramedic and Rescue 471: Medical Author Chat with Peter Canning is a post from: Everyday EMS Tips

Paramedic: On the Front Lines of Medicine was the first book by Peter Canning, political speech writer turned paramedic. In this Medical Author Chat for Everyday EMS Tips Peter shares how he became a paramedic after the U.S. Senator he worked for lost an election. After watching the ambulances drive by his apartment Peter pursued EMT training to “use his hands.”

Paramedic collected the stories that Peter wrote at the end of each work day about his experiences on the streets. In the interview Peter and I discuss how he got started as a paramedic, why he started writing about his experiences, and his current writing projects. Paramedic is an account of his first year on the job. After Paramedic Peter wrote a second book, Rescue 471: A Paramedic’s Stories based on the interesting experiences he continued to have. He continues to write on his blog MedicScribe.com, has written an unpublished novel featuring EMS, and is contemplating how to pull together many years of blog posts into another book.

Peter and I also discussed the impact of blogging on sharing experiences and how having his own blog has impacted his patient care. He told me that while his employers have always known about his blogging and book writing many of his co-workers don’t even know that he has published a book or still regularly blogs about his work in the field.

Paramedic: On the Front Lines of Medicine (Amazon Link)
Rescue 471: A Paramedic’s Stories(Amazon Link)

An EverydayEMSTips.com reader suggested that I talk to Peter for Medical Author Chat. If you would like to suggest an author for this podcast email me the author’s name, book(s) titles, and contact information (if you have it). greg dot friese at everydayemstips dot com

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Saber’s Edge: A Combat Medic in Ramadi Iraq Medical Author Chat with Thomas Middleton

Greg Friese — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:00:23 -0500

Saber’s Edge: A Combat Medic in Ramadi Iraq Medical Author Chat with Thomas Middleton is a post from: Everyday EMS Tips

Thomas Middleton was a firefighter, EMT, RN, and member of the Vermont National Guard. In 2005 his unit was called to duty for the ongoing mission in Iraq. In episode 4 of Medical Author Chat from EverydayEMSTips.com Tom describes his experiences and the lessons he learned as an infantry combat medic. The lessons he wrote about in Saber’s Edge (Amazon Link) are based on his real life experiences and are for combat medics, urban/suburban EMS professionals, military tacticians, and for people of faith.

In our conversation Tom and I discussed why he went to war, how and why he transferred from the relative comfort of an aid station to the streets as a combat medic doing patrols and missions in Ramadi, how he learned to stay cool and mission focused in a high stress environment, and his advice for other EMS and medical professionals that aspire to be professional writers.

Tom has given me a signed copy of Saber’s Edge to give to a podcast listener. After you listen leave a comment about the interview/book, a question for Tom, or an author recommendation in the comments area. In mid-December I will ask Tom to choose a winner and I will send that person the book.

To learn more about Tom or schedule an interview or appearance with him visit his website SabersEdgeBook.com. Also read Tom’s EMS Magazine Article, Lessons from the Battlefield, at EMSResponder.com.

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Medical Author Chat: EMS Author Interview: Sam Bradley

Greg Friese — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:00:50 -0400

EMS Author Interview: Sam Bradley is a post from: Everyday EMS Tips

Paramedic, Disaster Response Volunteer, and EMS Educator Sam Bradley discusses her contributions to the book,To the Rescue: Stories from Healthcare Workers at the Scenes of Disasters, with Greg Friese of EverydayEMSTips.com. Listen to Sam in this audio interview discuss her involvement with a California Disaster Medical Assistant Team (DMAT), her units response to New York City after the September 11th terrorist attacks, and the cathartic experience of sharing her stories in this book and other writing projects. Sam shares a favorite story from the book.

Sam concludes the interview with advice for EMS professionals that are aspiring authors. Learn more about Sam and connect with her at her blog.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Are you working on your own EMS memoirs? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments area.

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Medical Author Chat: EMS Author Interview: Kelly Grayson

Greg Friese — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:00:18 -0400

EMS Author Interview: Kelly Grayson is a post from: Everyday EMS Tips

Paramedic Kelly Grayson discusses his book, En Route: A Paramedic’s Stories of Life, Death, and Everything in Between, with Greg Friese of EverydayEMSTips.com. Listen to Kelly in this audio interview with the EMS author, blogger, and educator explain his reasons for writing the book and how it was written. Kelly also shares one of his favorite stories from the book and describes his writing style.

Kelly concludes the interview with tips for other paramedics that are aspiring writers. You can find more about Kelly and read his blog A Day in the Life of an Ambulance Driver.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Are you working on your own EMS memoirs? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments area.

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Medical Author Chat: Author Interview: My Ambulance Education by Joseph F. Clark PhD

Greg Friese — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:00:22 -0400

Author Interview: My Ambulance Education by Joseph F. Clark PhD is a post from: Everyday EMS Tips

Dr. Joseph F. Clark worked as an EMT-Basic in and around New York city in the early 1980s to help pay his college and graduate school tuition. The patients he encountered, as well as the frustrations he experienced caring for patients guided him towards a career as a medical researcher.

In his new book, My Ambulance Education: Life and Death on the Streets of the City, Dr. Clark weaves together a story of his EMT experiences and his ongoing career as a Professor of Neurology at the University of Cincinnati researching the causes and treatments of stroke. In his interview with Greg Friese of EverydayEMSTips.com Dr. Clark discusses why he wrote the book, recalls a memorable patient named Fritz, and outlines his ongoing research efforts that are aimed at assisting EMS professionals in identifying the severity of a traumatic brain injury and determining if the patient has had an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Dr. Clark concluded the interview by encouraging EMS professionals to play an active role in medical research that is conducted prehospital.

Links mentioned in show:

My Ambulance Education: Life and Death on the Streets of the City(Amazon link)
JosephFClark.com (bio, blog, and more)
Cincinnati Stroke Scale

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So, You Want To Be A Doctor?: Speed Reading for Medical School

Dr Daniel Williams — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:36:32 -0400

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Dr Daniel Williams — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:42:59 -0400

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Dr Daniel Williams — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:15:11 -0400

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Dr Daniel Williams — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:00:30 -0400

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Dr Daniel Williams — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:43:04 -0400

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Dr Daniel Williams — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:45:42 -0400

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Dr Daniel Williams — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:12:32 -0400

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So, You Want To Be A Doctor?: Meet Doctor Dan: The First Pre-Med Internet Adviser in Residency

Dr Daniel Williams — Mon, 18 May 2009 18:50:48 -0400

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So, You Want To Be A Doctor?: How to find support as a PreMed and medical student. Have what it takes to be a lifelong learner?

Dr Daniel Williams — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:21:52 -0400

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So, You Want To Be A Doctor?: Meet Doctor Dan: The First Pre-Med Internet Adviser in Residency

Dr Daniel Williams — Sun, 17 May 2009 23:40:14 -0400

Dr Daniel Williams — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:12:04 -0400

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Dr Daniel Williams — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:08:11 -0500

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Dr Daniel Williams — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:46:42 -0500

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Dr Daniel Williams — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:29:02 -0500

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Dr Daniel Williams — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:21:32 -0500

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Dr Daniel Williams — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:02:18 -0500

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Dr Daniel Williams — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:23:09 -0500

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