Alaska Interior Trauma Conference Brings Medical Professionals Together

In a place where a hike can turn into a helicopter ride and a snowmachine crash may leave victims hours from the nearest ER, Alaskans depend on skilled medical professionals. The fourth annual Alaska Interior Trauma Conference successfully brought together over 150 medical experts in Fairbanks this past weekend at Journey Church.

Hosted over two days, the conference featured paramedics, first responders, nurses, and surgeons who engaged in hands-on training and trauma care education. Leah Amundsen, an intensive care unit nurse at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, helped organize the event with colleagues Jennifer Gehrke, Katie Dillon, and Cat Miller to ensure healthcare professionals are up-to-date on the latest trauma care standards.

The agenda included five group speakers and ten interactive breakout sessions. Participants practiced essential skills like suturing pig’s feet, treating wilderness injuries, and addressing pediatric head trauma. Attendees also explored treating eye trauma and toured the Fort Wainwright Military Simulation Training Center.

“How do we best respond? We’re so different and remote,” Amundsen noted, emphasizing the unique challenges faced by medical teams in Alaska.

Emergency room nurse Chloe Conlon expressed excitement to refine skills like intubation, highlighting the conference’s role in fostering “teamwork and collaboration.” This year’s event also featured a mass casualty simulation of a plane crash, involving 11 volunteers portraying crash victims.

Doug Pense, who played a crash victim, underscored the importance of preparation in Alaska, reflecting on his experiences as a former ski patroller. The conference not only strengthened medical protocols but also built essential connections among health professionals in the region.