title: Characteristics of trauma centers and trauma surgeons.
abstract: We surveyed directors of trauma at 408 trauma centers (as indicated by the state chairmen of the American College of Surgeons' Committee on Trauma [ACSCOT]). Of the 408 trauma directors 290 (71%) responded with information relative to their hospitals and the 1537 general surgeons taking trauma call. Altogether, 75% of the surgeons worked on an identified trauma service, 80% belonged to a cadre of surgeons identified as expert, 52% were viewed as full time, 25% provided in-house staff coverage, and 76% had completed an ATLS course. Six percent of the entire group were 60 to 73 years old and demonstrated a commitment to trauma equal to that of their younger cohorts. As a group, the older surgeons took less call, but when community or the institutional call needs were identified, the older surgeons met the challenge.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Surgery, Milwaukee.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aprahamian
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bergstein
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zeppa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D013502:General Surgery; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014194:Traumatology; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce