Stay ConnectedCreated in 2016, Medic Mindset is hosted by EMS Educator, Ginger Locke. She is an Associate Professor of EMS Professions at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas.
The podcast started as a resource for Ginger Locke’s paramedic students as they transitioned to the field. With 10-20K listens per episode, the show has surpassed the original target audience.
Copyright: © All rights reserved
"Some people love doing crosswords or Sudoku. I love finding my learner's cheat code. I love figuring out what really works for this person versus the previous people that I had. It's an opportunity for me to exercise my creativity." - Keith Velaski This episode delves into the art of precepting in EMS. The episode features insights from Keith Velaski, a seasoned flight nurse with extensive experience in various clinical and transport settings. The discussion emphasizes effective preceptor-learner relationships, educational strategies, and essential traits for successful precepting. Love, Ginger
He's the White Tiger. Dr. J.R. Pickett. Or simply J.R. His teams follow him and in this episode he gives away some of the secrets of his leadership philosophies: How he gets buy-in from his team. What he understands about millenials. How he balances decisiveness with tactical patience. Why conflict is essential for successful teams. What he learned during COVID.
Paramedic, Taylor Kellogg joins us. This episode is a chance to take a break from clinical learning and listen to the story of a medic who has a passion for meteorology. Wildland fires in Southern California, a thunderstorm on a goat ranch, tornadoes while on shift, flooding that brought him eye-to-eye with a snake knocking on the station door & winter storms in Central Texas. He marvels at the good & the ugly that natural disasters provoke in humanity and how extreme weather makes us vulnerable in a way that connects us.
Dr. Maia Dorsett joins us again! You may remember her from the Thinking: Lift Assist episode. This time she shares what she knows about the process of death notification. It's a passion-topic for her because she knows how important these conversations are for the loved ones of patients who have died... and for us. She frames a death notification as a procedure that can be taught, learned and practiced.
Freedom House EMS is EMS' origin story. It was almost erased until Kevin Hazzard meticulously researched the story so it can sit in the forefront of our our collective consciousness. Kevin Hazzard reads 2 chapters from his latest book, American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became American's First Paramedics.
reflects on a based on a book called "" by . In this story, the characters are faced with impossible challenges inside a hospital in the days after Hurricane Katrina. There are so many parallels between what they experienced and what out of hospital paramedics are presented every day. The first time I heard Kevin's voice was in 2016 when he was a guest on . They were discussing his book "1000 Naked Strangers" where he recounts memories from working for Grady EMS in Atlanta for over a decade. I was struck by this quote during that interview: "There are a lot of situations where it's just not practical to wait for it to be completely safe and you gotta just try to weigh the odds." With that quote, I knew he'd be a guest well-matched for Medic Mindset where we understand the grey in which decisions are made in EMS everyday. Shownotes at medicmindset.com
How do we find our way out of this? Initial education, recruitment and retention in EMS are all in crisis. Paramedic and EMS educator, proposes an educational pathway for paramedics in this keynote lecture at the 2022 National Association of EMS Educators' Annual Symposium. Days before delivering this keynote talk, David was working with a crew to hoist people out of disastrous flooding in Kentucky. He called on those in attendance to offer financial support through this if possible. This episode was made possible through the collaboration of some of the best in EMS education: , and 's David Fifer
I don't have favorite episodes but if I did, this would be one of them. With my girlfriend Cassi by my side, I caught up with and at a conference. It's the first ever double-date on Medic Mindset! Cassi & Kris are both paramedics. Sara and I have the perspective of the significant-other to a paramedic. We swap stories and Cassi and Kris offer up ideas about what medics need from their spouses/partners. This episode is really a gift to the family members of medics. Take a listen and if it resonates with you, consider having your loved-ones listen. Maybe it will spark good conversation about what you need when you get home from shift or how best to connect with you while on shift. Kris and Sara were absolute gold. During a busy conference, where they were both speakers, they took the time to hide away with us in our hotel room for recording. The conversation was so special to me because conferences can be full of small talk, but this was different: we put away our phones and had a rich meaningful conversation that I hope you enjoy!
This is a special cross-post with the brand new pediatric podcast from NAEMSP: The Pediatric EMS Podcast created by Drs. Joelle Donofrio-Odmann and Dr. Joseph Finney. Dr. Donofrio-Odmann has been a guest on the show previously in . Other guests in this episode are Drs. , and They've created these . While you are there subscribe to their podcast which is sure to be a hit.
These two guests are partners: a flight medic and a flight nurse. They dig into their relationship in a way that will make the listener think about their own role as a partner. We also have a chance to hear the flight medic reflect on a near-miss with a medication error, what he wished he had learned more about in paramedic school, why he isn't a firefighter and a wide range of other topics. The listener will quickly hear what I heard: These two partners are the perfect yin-yang. She's spirited and animated. He's calm and steady. Together, they have each others' backs.
White Tiger, Dr. JR Pickett is back! Previously, he has talked to us about Syncope and Shortness of Breath. This time it's all about abdominal pain. He emphasizes the history and physical exam and includes a few ultrasound nuggets. What's the difference between a thoracic aortic dissection and an abdominal aortic aneurysm? Why is abdominal pain so concerning in geriatric patients? How can you adjust your physical exam techniques to gain the trust of pediatric patients? And why does White Tiger only cry one tear when he has appendicitis?
Ginger Locke speaks to the topic of Feedback. In this recording from University of Washington's Grand Rounds, she explains that paramedics are not getting enough feedback. She outlines theories for why it is scare, what we can do about it, and how feedback might look in the future.
Paramedic & friend, Natalie Zink and I waited over 2 years to publish this one after recording. Listen to find out why and to find out where she is now.
Critical care and flight medic, Jace Mullen and Ginger discuss all things medical and rock climbing. Topics include: The Principle of Charity in arguments, why code-switching is an essential skill of paramedics, how to be a good re-tweeter, what still scares him, how he decided to transition out of urban 911 to critical care/flight medicine and what it was like to get COVID during the first months of the pandemic. Shownotes at medicmindset.com
After seeing Dr. Joelle Donofrio-Odmann's talk in Prodigy EMS' Refresh 2021, I knew Medic Mindset listeners needed to hear from her. She is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine and an EMS Associate Medical Director in San Diego, CA. In this episode of The Thinking Series, she shares her passion and expertise on the topic of Pediatric Respiratory Distress. She covers how she uses the pediatric assessment triangle to stratify patients and how she thinks about the diseases of the upper and lower airways and the ones that don't fit neatly in either.
What do the greats of EMS read? EM Physician and EMS educator, Dr. Maia Dorsett shares what, when and how she reads.
What do the greats of EMS read? Paramedic Michael Herbert shares what, when and how he reads.
What do the greats of EMS read? Flight Nurse Nyssa Hattaway shares what, when and how she reads.
What's the one book you'd recommend to a brand new paramedic? 3 guests answer this one question. The guests are: Flight Nurse, Nyssa Hattaway. Paramedic, Michael Herbert. EM Physician, Dr. Maia Dorsett.
How do we let each other know that a fellow medic has died? The guest in this episode, Christa Stedman, is a Public Information Officer (PIO) for Austin-Travis County EMS. Together, we sort through her thought-process about delivering tragic news.
So thrilled to have Dr. Heidi Abraham as a guest in The Thinking Series. She discusses causes of bradycardia and the mindset needed to approach patients who are bradycardic.
Shownotes at medicmindset.com In reference to how he collaborates with 911-callers to put order to chaos: "It's like trying to jump on a moving train. You're not trying to stop the train or divert it, because the train has gotta go where the train's gotta go. You are just trying to get on it. And if you can get on the train... If you can get in... If you can insert yourself with them... then you can start exercising your influence on the controls."
Ginger had the honor of sitting down with one of the EMS greats, Mike Taigman. He was in Austin for ESO's Wave 2020 conference. ESO was generous enough to allow Medic Mindset the opportunity to record Mike's session called, "Managing Stress Like A Boss" and gave them a space during a very busy conference to record an interview.
The Mixtape Series features 3 anonymous paramedics who answer the same question. In this episode, Ginger asks, "What do you remember about your first ride along?" Take a listen to their responses and see how some themes were repeated. medicmindset.com for show notes @gingerlockeatx and @medicmindset on twitter
Dr. Jason Pickett and Ginger discuss the topic of Shortness of Breath. They discuss the assessment, differential diagnosis and therapeutic interventions related to the chief complaint. They work their way down the respiratory tree, thinking aloud as they go. Throw in a couple of case studies and you've got some delicious brain-nuggets for paramedic students everywhere. medicmindset.com for full show notes.
In this microsode, Ginger Locke asks a panel of Texas EMS Medical Directors a question about medical errors at the Texas EMS Conference in Fort Worth. Panelists are: Jeff Jarvis Taylor Ratcliff Jason Pickett Heidi Abraham
This episode felt like some of the first episodes of Medic Mindset. The purpose in sitting down together was to discuss his performance in the EMS World clinical challenge but we ended up talking about all kinds of things like career longevity and advice he would give new medics. His name is Andrew Azelton and he has been in EMS for 18 years and you will hopefully hear what I heard in his voice. He was engaged and happy to talk shop and he seemed just generally peaceful and happy in his work and life. I left the conversation with more energy than when we started and I hope he will have that effect on you as well. Go to medicmindset.com for bonus material.
Ginger talks to Dr. Ben Abo. He is a paramedic and EMS physician. He’s been on the Ted stage. He’s the medical director for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue’s Venom response teams. He’s a fellow in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine. He’s saved a stranger who collapsed on train tracks. He’s an international man of mystery and in this episode, we will talk about none of that. Instead, Ginger reached out to him because she wanted to make an episode about the use of humor in emergency medicine. Ever since the first day she saw a picture of him in scrubs, in the ER, talking on a banana phone, she knew he would be the one to teach us about humor in medicine.
In this episode Ginger talks to Jon Bailey. Jon is a FF/Paramedic in Fairfax County, Virginia. He is the lead educator of Fairfax County Fire and Rescue’s EMT to Paramedic program. He has a bachelor of science in emergency medicine from the university of Pittsburgh and a master’s in EMS education and leadership from George Washington University. Ginger reached out to Jon after a friend told her about an event called the EMS World Clinical Challenge. Take a listen to this episode and see if you might be inspired to participate in the Clinical Challenge at Expo.
This is a recording of a talk Ginger did about Medical Education at FlightBridgeEd's #FAST19 symposium. Shownotes and slides at medicmindset.com
For the second time, I’m visiting with Tania Glenn. She’s been on the show before with an episode that released in January of 2017 and since then I’ve gotten tons of questions for Tania from listeners. I wanted to ask some of those questions and to talk to her about a documentary she recently released. We discuss: How, in her documentary, she challenges leaders of EMS departments to better invest in the care of paramedics’ mental health. How she works with dispatchers to process traumatic audio memories. Why she models her practice after Southwest Airlines. And which cuss word she finds the most versatile. Show notes at medicmindset.com
This is an episode in The Thinking Series of the Medic Mindset podcast where expert clinicians indulge the host, Ginger Locke. In the series, she digs into their brains to explore how they approach the process of patient assessment and differential diagnosis. Show notes at medicmindset.com Following the show and Ginger on twitter @medicmindset and @gingerlockeatx
Max Dodge, board member of National Stop the Bleed Month, shares with Ginger how Medic Mindset listeners can get involved with the Stop the Bleed campaign. She ended up talking to him about bleeding control for an hour.
This episode is a response to the many requests I get from listeners looking for help on the national registry’s written exam. To bring you the most useful advice, I contacted this guest. In my opinion, he is the country’s expert in the area. He understands the logistics of the test and the part that really lights my fire is the way he addresses the psychology of the test… the mindset of success… what he calls “mojo.” It’s an honor to get to speak to him directly after referring students to his materials for years. Meet my new friend and expert National Registry Pass-ologist, Dan Limmer. medicmindset.com
In anticipation of FlightbridgeED's #FAST19 symposium, Ginger asks Eric Bauer and Michael Perlmutter one simple question: "How could you hurt a patient with a BVM?" Show notes at medicmindset.com
Ginger Locke and Dr. Jason Pickett hunkered down in a recording closet and pretended the world didn't exist for an hour with one mission: data-mining Dr. Pickett's brain for his thoughts on syncope. Thanks to Michael Herbert for the custom art for the episode. Show notes at medicmindset.com
This is a special edition of Medic Mindset where Ginger Locke gave her #1 tip for finding happiness and meaning in the profession to graduates of City College of San Francisco.
Shock the System (an EMS World Collaboration) by Ginger Locke
The Thinking Series is where Ginger Locke talks with some of the sharpest minds in Emergency Medicine about how they think through chief complaints. In this episode, one of the country’s few flight doctors, Dr. Cynthia Griffin, shares how she sorts through patients with the chief complaint of agitation. She works both in-hospital and out-of-hospital, so her perspective is truly unique. What you will quickly hear is that she is relatable, smart, and happy to share what she knows with medics because she was one for many years before becoming an Emergency Medicine doctor. She makes a point to describe how she actually leans into the patients who are the most salty because she knows, like all of us, we can be biased when confronted with the agitated patient.
Ginger Locke discusses the importance of good questions and deep listening. She weaves in recommendations from her own research and from Editor-in-Chief of EMS1.com, Greg Friese.
The Deputy Medical Director for Austin Travis County EMS, Dr. Jason Pickett, and I sat down and recorded a joint podcast about clinical teaching. His podcast is called the Austin Travis County Office of the Medical Director Official Podcast and he released a longer version of this episode. I've really enjoyed getting to know Dr. Pickett because he teaches me something every time we get together. In this next hour, you will hear my delight as he teaches me things about teaching! This episode is about teaching, but you can't talk about teaching without talking about learning. Whether you are a clinical preceptor, a classroom teacher or a paramedic student, I think there is something here for ya.
This guest remembers exactly where she was on September 11th, 2001. She was 10 years old at the time. In this microsode, she reflects on what that day was like for her as a child and what 9/11 means to her now as she works the streets of NYC as an EMT. In classic Medic Mindset fashion, Ginger doesn't let us off easy. She invites us to not only think about our own story of what that day was like for us as individuals, but to also think about our EMS family as a whole as we continue to see deaths from 9/11 related illnesses. Shownotes on medicmindset.com
In "The Thinking Series," Ginger talks with the sharpest minds in emergency medicine about how they think. This time she delves into how an EMS Medical director asks her medics to bend their brains around the topic of tachycardia. Her name is Dr. Katherine Remick and she is triple board certified in Emergency Medicine, EMS and Pediatrics. She is a professor at The University of Texas’ Dell Medical School in Austin but Ginger met up with her at an EMS Station in Hays County Texas where Dr. Remick is the medical director. This is the first episode of Medic Mindset recorded at a station so you are invited to enjoy this episode with occasional sounds of the station in the background. Show notes at medicmindset.com Twitter: @medicmindset
The guest thinks he has sorted out how to become what has been affectionately called a "Lifer." They are the rare breed of medics who have managed to make a career of this bizarre job. He is 4 years in and he seems to have pieced together a good chance at becoming a career-medic. Show notes at medicmindset.com
We pull back the curtain a bit on a well known educator, podcaster, and flight medic, Eric Bauer. He is the founder and CEO of a critical care education company, FlightBridgeEd. We discuss critical care topics like acid-base balance, intubation, ventilators and EKGs. We also discuss leadership topics like mentoring. I even get some marriage advice out of him. Listen in as I pick the brain of the man you want to know if you have any interest in becoming a flight medic or a better ground medic. Show notes at medicmindset.com
This is a first in a series of episodes about the cognitive process of differential diagnosis. It’s called “The Thinking Series.” Extensive show notes for everything discussed at medicmindset.com Ginger Locke talks to the brightest clinicians in emergency medicine about how they think. They approach the concept one chief complaint at a time and dive into the complexities of clinical reasoning. Dr. Brandon Bleess is a physician who is board certified in both Emergency Medicine and EMS. He’s the medical director for an aeromedical service in Illinois. He’s on the faculty at the University of Illinois’ College of Medicine and has been active in the prehospital setting since becoming an EMT in 2003. Connect with him on twitter : @bbbleess Meet Dr. Bleess….
In this episode we capture the story of Noah Galloway (@Noah_Galloway) and Ashley Liebig (@ashleyliebig). In 2005, he was an infantryman and she was a combat medic. They were both assigned to the US Army’s 101st Airborne Division serving in Iraq. When Noah was injured by a roadside bomb, Ashley, as part of his medical team, started talking to him and their conversation has lasted over a decade. Show notes at: medicmindset.com
Dr. Peter Antevy is a man on a mission. He is working to change the psychology of medics on pediatric calls. Show notes at medicmindset.com During our talk, we discuss: the importance of staying on scene during pediatric arrests, why ACLS and PALS should be taught together, how to change your mindset to be in the zone with pediatrics, the principles of the Handtevy Method, his comments on length-based tapes, cognitive offloading and the pre-arrival period, why his medics want to run pediatric calls, the process of getting to closure, Just Culture, why he thinks he latches on to really big problems, questions from the Medic Mindset facebook group about: pediatric head trauma, febrile seizures, pain management and ketamine, his reflections on the Parkland Shootings, and advice to medics with big ideas. Connect with him: Handtevy.com Twitter: @handtevyMD Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCef_Z3tSxhwtYbMBHBlLb7w
In this episode, Ginger talks to Tyler Christifulli. It's accurate to call him a flight medic, but he's so much more. He's also a podcaster and an EMS Educator. In listening to his FOAMfrat podcast, it's obvious he is a sharp guy but being in the same room with him is a completely different animal. He has charisma for days but what is really mesmerizing about him is how he brings out the best in others. Show notes: medicmindset.com Find Tyler online: www.foamfrat.com
This is a recording of a talk Ginger did at the Wisconsin EMS Conference in January 2018. She discusses skills and techniques for performing under pressure.
Overlearning is the process of practicing a skill after you have reached competence. Yep… after you are already competent. The benefit of overlearning a skill is that it becomes automated. Think "muscle memory." An automated skill requires less concentration and less working memory and thus frees up your mind to focus on other things when performing in wicked environments. Show notes at https://gingerlocke.wordpress.com/2018/01/05/microsode-1-overlearning/
Dr. Jeffrey Jarvis is a paramedic turned EMS medical director. You might end up listening more than once because this talk is rich. He packs a ton into the hour. Video Laryngoscopy, Ketamine, Delayed-Sequence Intubation, ultrasound, push-dose pressors, and how he asks his medics to approach EKGs. If you hang around until the end, you get to hear him share a bit about the challenges he faced as a paramedic. Show notes at medicmindset.com
In this episode, I talk to a 20-year medic from New Orleans. His name is Jon McCarthy and he recently wrote a book called Hard Roll. He's an example of what I hope our EMS authors will be. He's honest and captivating without being overly dramatic. This episode is a reminder that we should cheer on the artists within our ranks. Tania Glenn sends a special message at the end of the episode. Show notes at medicmindset.com Follow on twitter @medicmindset Email Ginger at gingerlockeatx@gmail.com
Ginger's guest discusses how he has avoided burnout after 10 years in EMS. How he balances work and family. Which calls have become his favorite. Advice to his younger self. And why he says the job is easy!
He's the mentor I'd wish for any medic just starting in EMS because he has navigated 20 years in the field and come out on the other side with the most sincere and kindest of hearts.
Ginger Locke interviews an ER nurse about what it's like to work with medics. Connect with Medic Mindset on twitter @medicmindset and Facebook.
Part 2 of the SWAT medic from Episode 9. Listeners adore him. Show notes at medicmindset.com Twitter: @gingerlockeatx Facebook group: Medic Mindset Group
Michael Lauria (@ResusPadawan) is the perfect match for the concept of @medicmindset. Within the first minutes, he outlines tools for performing under stress. As a pararescue medic, he speaks from personal experience and as an academic, he knows the science behind his advice. Listen as we discuss the mind of a resuscitationist. Dig into the lengthy show notes at medicmindset.com Everything we reference is there. Love, Ginger
Part 1: He's a SWAT medic, but he doesn't fit neatly in the tactical medic mold. Listen for yourself. medicmindset.com @gingerlockeatx
If anyone appreciates what it is like to be a medic without actually being one, it's Dr. Tania Glenn. She's a leading clinician in the identification and treatment of PTSD and specializes in caring for emergency responders. I caught up with her in her office, but her work takes her all over the country. She's one of us and we are lucky to have her on our team. Find her at: taniaglenn.com @drtaniaglenn on twitter To see the picture I took during the interview and other show notes, go to medicmindset.com and find Episode 8. Enjoy! Ginger #suckitptsd
In this episode, Ginger deviates from the usual long, meandering format as she interviews a medic about his experience performing a surgical airway. Show notes at medicmindset.com
The guest in this episode is a true "student of the game." Listen to the FOAMed (Free Open Access Medical Education) resources he uses. He is stoic, thoughtful, and a man of few words. For the listener, that means each concept he chooses to share drips with intrigue. In particular, the discussion of his second failed intubation is a must-hear. I respect him tremendously for bringing that conversation back to the focus of the patient. Show notes at medicmindset.com Love, Ginger
I say it with every episode, but this one really does feel like my favorite so far. I couldn't be happier to share this medic with you. She's happy. She's competent. She's real and she willingly lets me wander around in her brain for a bit. Show notes can be found at medicmindset.com Love, Ginger
Don't be intimidated by the length of this one. The best thing about this guest was that he didn't ask me to edit a thing. He tells us about his experience with video laryngoscopy, books recommendations, and about his life living in a cabin in the woods. His dry sense of humor made me wish it was longer than an hour. Show notes can be located at medicmindset.com Love, Ginger
This one was a blast. She is an open book about what life is like as a medic and the listeners are loving her. She bravely entertains Ginger's questions about the unique intimacy shared between EMS partners. She is brave and funny and speaks from an authentic heart. Show notes can be found at medicmindset.com Love, Ginger
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
