Self-Study Course Topics

Missed the 30th Annual USC National Trauma, Critical Care, and Acute Care Surgery Symposium? No problem. You can still access all the lectures and discussions with our all-new, fully accredited self-study version of the course. Experience every presentation at your convenience, on your schedule.

  • Welcome and Opening Remarks
    Demetrios Demetriades, MD, PhD
    Jorge Orozco, CEO, Los Angeles General Medical Center
    Hilda Solis, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors-First District

SESSION 1: Prehospital, Emergency Room and Hospital Systems Hot Topics

Moderator: Kenji Inaba, MD, MSc

  • Prehospital Care: Whole Blood, Plasma, TXA or Scoop and Run? Galinos Barmparas, MD
  • Videotaping Trauma Resuscitations: A QI Tool or a Legal Risk? Brant A. Putnam, MD
  • Cybersecurity and Ransomware Attacks Against Hospitals Oscar Autelli
  • Los Angeles Police Department Tactical EMS Program Edward Leverich, PhD
  • Session 1 - Discussion

SESSION 2: Military Session

Moderator: CDR Obinna Ugochukwu, MD

  • Preparing in Trauma for Future Military Conflicts COL Stacey A. Shackelford, MD
  • New and Emerging Technologies in Military Trauma COL Stacey A. Shackelford, MD
  • Penetrating Traumatic Brain Injuries: Lessons Learned from the Battlefield COL Matthew Martin, MD (ret.)
  • Session 2 - Discussion

SESSION 3: Distinguished Professor and Keynote Speaker

Introduction: Demetrios Demetriades, MD, PhD

  • Keynote Lecture: Bringing Precision Medicine to Trauma Patients CAPT Eric Elster, MD (ret.)

SESSION 4: Advances and Challenging Problems in Acute Care Surgery

Moderator: COL (ret.) Matthew Martin, MD

  • Surgical Emergencies in the Pregnant Patient Ali Salim, MD
  • Managing Short Gut and High Output Fistulas Subarna Biswas, MD, PhD
  • Management of Rhabdomyolysis: Evidence-Based Guidelines Meghan Lewis, MD
  • 5 Top Trauma Papers: 2022-2024 Elizabeth R. Benjamin, MD, PhD
  • Migrant Border Crossings: Deaths and Injuries, Falls and Drowning LT COL Jay J. Doucet, MD, MSc (ret.)

SESSION 5: The Kenneth L. Mattox Luncheon Session

Introduction: Demetrios Demetriades, MD, PhD

  • Lessons in Raising the Surgical Bar; Too Fast, Too High, vs. Too Slow! Kenneth L. Mattox, MD

SESSION 6: Organ Donation

Moderator: Lydia Lam, MD

  • Special Guest Adam Kendall, MD
  • Donation After Cardiac Death: What’s Registry Got to Do With It? Aaron Cheng, Esq.
  • Top 3 Papers for Organ Donation, 2020-2024 Jennifer A. Smith, MD

SESSION 7: Better Trauma and Emergency Surgery and Critical Care

Moderator: Morgan A. Schellenberg MD, MPH

  • Pharmacological Interventions in Septic Shock: Where Are We in 2024? Bradley Allen, MD
  • ECMO in Trauma: An Experimental Tool or the Standard of Care? Areti Tillou, MD
  • Proximal Protective Diverting Ostomy for Colon Resection and Anastomosis: Is It Really Protective? Elizabeth R. Benjamin, MD, PhD
  • Whole Blood for Trauma Resuscitation: Benefits, Risks, and Costs Anaar E. Siletz, MD, PhD
  • Cerebral Fat Embolism: Diagnostic Challenges, Management and Outcomes Raul Coimbra, MD, PhD
  • Session 7 - Discussion

SESSION 8: Challenging Controversies in Trauma

Moderator: Kenneth L. Mattox, MD

  • REBOA in 2024: A Spectacular Failure in Trauma or a Life-Saving Tool? Bellal Joseph, MD
  • Artificial Intelligence in Emergency Surgery: Cheaper and Better Care? Areg Grigorian, MD
  • Open Surgery vs. Endovascular Approach for Visceral Arterial Injuries Michael Sise, MD
  • Session 8 - Discussion

SESSION 9: Capsule Commentaries - Trauma Care

Moderator: Kazuhide Matsushima, MD

  • Pre-Injury Illicit Stimulant Use in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Does It Affect Outcome? Rembrandt VanDruff, MD
  • Beta Blockers in Severe Traumatic Brain Injuries: Should They Be in the Management Protocol? Laura Bloom, MD, MS, MBA
  • Traumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Should Calcium Channel Blockers Be in the Management Protocol? Jaehee Yoon, MD
  • Thoracostomy Tube for Drainage of Hemothorax: Does the Size Matter? Peter Rhee, MD, MPH
  • Prehospital and Hospital C-Collar: Use, Abuse and Consequences Carlos V. R. Brown, MD
  • Session 9 - Discussion

SESSION 10: One Hour with Dimitri - Believe It or Not!

Moderator: Demetrios Demetriades, MD, PhD

  • Panel

    Kenneth L. Mattox, MD

    Mark Kaplan, MD

    Daniel R. Margulies, MD

    Raul Coimbra, MD, PhD

    Brant A. Putnam, MD

    Michael Sise, MD, PhD

SESSION 11: In the ICU

Moderator: Meghan Lewis, MD

  • Preventing Hospital Acquired Infections: Searching for the Silver Bullet! Brad Spellberg, MD, FIDSA, FACP
  • Intra-Abdominal Hypertension and Abdominal Compartment Syndrome: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Pitfalls Mark Kaplan, MD
  • Artificial Intelligence in Critical Care J. Perren Cobb, MD
  • Anesthesia Management in the Multi-Trauma Patient with Associated Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Rodney McKeever, MD, DABA
  • Session 11 - Discussion

SESSION 12: Community and International Outreach

Moderator: Damon H. Clark, MD and Demetrios Demetriades, MD, PhD

  • The Establishment of Trauma Systems and Trauma Centers in China: Progress and Challenges Tianbing Wang, MD, PhD
  • From the L.A. General Hospital to Estonia: Putting Together a National Trauma Program Peep Talving, MD, PhD
  • The Real Impact on Suicide and Suicide Attempts on Trauma Hospitals and Communities Damon H. Clark, MD
  • Team Communication and Collaboration for a Healthy Work Environment
  • Session 12 - Discussion

SESSION 13: Keynote Speaker

Moderator: Demetrios Demetriades, MD, PhD

  • Keynote Lecture: The Evolution of Medical Care in Space Exploration Kjell Lindgren, NASA Astronaut

SESSION 14: The Tom Noguchi Session - Coroner’s Corner

Moderator: Thomas Noguchi, MD

  • Non-Accidental Head Trauma of Infants Odey C. Ukpo, MD, MS
  • Session 14 - Discussion

SESSION 15: Video Sessions - How To…

Moderator: Elizabeth R. Benjamin, MD, PhD

  • Splenic Repair or Splenectomy Kelly Boyle, MD
  • Exposure of the Abdominal Aorta and Its Branches Amanda Hambrecht, MD
  • Complete Duodenal Mobilization and Exposure Edward Cho, MD
  • Bowel Resection and Hand-Sewn or Stapled Anastomosis Jamie Knell, MD
  • Fasciotomies of the Lower Leg Smita Mascharak, MD
  • Skin Grafting: Technique, Tips and Pitfalls Maxwell Johnson, MD
  • Session 15 - Discussion

SESSION 16: Luncheon Session

Moderator: Demetrios Demetriades, MD, PhD

  • Pursuing Excellence in the LA County Health System Christina Ghaly, MD, DHS Director

SESSION 17: Challenges and Controversies in Trauma and Emergency Surgery

Moderator: Brad Spellberg, MD

  • Appendicitis: Myths and Facts About Antibiotics Peep Talving, MD, PhD
  • Decontamination of the Digestive Tract and Oropharynx in ICU Patients: Does It Work? Jacqueline Urbina, RN
  • VTE Prophylaxis After Blunt Solid Organ Injury: When and What? Morgan Schellenberg, MD, MPH
  • Oral Antibiotics in Surgical Infections: Myths and Facts Brad Spellberg, MD
  • Session 17 - Discussion

SESSION 18: DEBATE: Tracheostomy in the ICU: Early or Late?

Moderator: Kenji Inaba, MD, MSc

  • Delayed Tracheostomy, Don’t Rush In! Ali Salim, MD
  • Get It Done, Do It Early! Carlos V.R. Brown, MD
  • Resolution: Lets Agree!

SESSION 19: Abdominal Surgical Challenges

Moderator: Peep Talving, MD, PhD

  • Acute Cholecystitis in Pregnancy: Same Admission or Planned Post-Pregnancy Cholecystectomy? Angela Neville, MD
  • Small Bowel Obstruction in the Virgin Abdomen Eugenia Lee, MD, MPH
  • Blunt Pancreatic Trauma: Operate or Observe? Adriana Valera-Reyes, MD
  • Surgical Management of Peptic Ulcer Disease Daniel R. Margulies, MD
  • Resistance is Futile! Robotics in Acute Care Surgery COL Matthew Martin, MD (ret.)
  • Session 19 - Discussion

SESSION 20: Rheeopardy

Moderator: Peter Rhee, MD, MPH

  • Panel

    Adriana Valera-Reyes, MD (USC)

    Jin Sui, MD (Harbor-UCLA)

    Harriet Barratt, MD (Cedars-Sinai)

    Mallory Jebbia, MD (UCI)