FOAMfrat Podcast

EMS education has come a long way, but are we actually preparing clinicians to think critically, make decisions, and perform under pressure? In this episode of the FOAMfrat Podcast, Tyler sits down with Dr. Harrison Brookman and Mike Carunchio, host of The World's Okayest Paramedic, for a candid discussion about the current state of EMS education and where it needs to go. From the limitations of traditional classroom instruction to the value of realistic simulation, the conversation explores what it really takes to develop competent clinicians. The group also discusses the role of EMS conferences, learning from specialists outside emergency medicine, and the growing influence of social media educators. Topics include: How initial EMT and paramedic education has evolved Teaching critical thinking instead of memorizing algorithms Why simulation should prepare students for situations where everything goes wrong Building clinical confidence through experience and decision-making The value and limitations of EMS conferences What other medical specialties can teach prehospital clinicians The difference between education and entertainment on social media Why curiosity may be the most important quality in an EMS educator Whether you're an EMT, paramedic, instructor, or medical director, this episode challenges some familiar assumptions about how we teach, learn, and maintain clinical competence. Check out Mike Carunchio's podcast, The World's Okayest Paramedic. Subscribe to FOAMfrat for more conversations on prehospital medicine, critical care, and EMS education. #FOAMfrat #EMSEducation #Paramedic #EMT #FOAMed #CriticalCare #MedicalEducation

What if the way you pack your gear could actually make you better at resuscitation? In this episode of the FOAMfrat Podcast, Tyler sits down with Adam LaChapelle from The Resus Tailor to talk about resuscitation architecture: designing bags, equipment, and workflows around how clinicians perform under pressure. They break down the small details that can have a big impact on scene: where equipment lives, how kits should be organized, why standardization matters, how to reduce unnecessary cognitive load, and how to build airway and medication setups that follow the natural sequence of a procedure. The conversation gets into BVM and suction placement, RSI kits, medication organization, pediatric equipment, cric kits, cardiac arrest loadouts, and even the debate over where the zippers should be when you close your bag. The goal isn't to buy a fancy new bag. It's to ask a better question: *Does the way we organize our equipment make it easier or harder to take care of a critically ill patient?* Adam also gives us a look at the DECENT airway simulator and discusses how better training equipment can help clinicians develop more realistic airway skills. Whether you're designing an entire EMS system or just reorganizing the jump bag on your truck, this episode will probably make you look at your equipment a little differently. 

The Future of Airway Quality Improvement: Learning from Every Intubation In this episode of the FOAMfrat Podcast, Dr. Harrison Brookeman sits down with John Winstead, Captain of the EMS Specialist Program at Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, to discuss how video laryngoscopy recordings are changing the way we evaluate, teach, and improve airway management. From building a sustainable airway recording program to creating a culture of objective feedback, they share practical lessons learned from reviewing hundreds of real-world intubations. The conversation explores first-pass success, the importance of suction and preparation, team-based airway management, and how video review can transform both individual performance and system-wide practice. As airway procedures become increasingly rare but remain critically important, the question is no longer "Did we get the tube?" It is "How can we get better every single time?" Tune in for a forward-looking discussion on the future of airway education, quality improvement, and the role technology may play in making prehospital airway management safer and more effective.

In this episode, flight paramedic Nicholas Henchal and EMS physician Dr. Harrison Brookeman break down salicylate toxicity from the ground up. What started as a casual conversation at the crew table turns into a deep dive into one of the most misunderstood overdoses in EMS and critical care. They walk through the full spectrum of aspirin toxicity, from subtle prehospital clues to advanced hospital management. You'll hear how patients can appear relatively stable early on, why respiratory alkalosis precedes metabolic acidosis, and how the situation can spiral once the electron transport chain is disrupted. The conversation also delves into real-world decision-making: when to suspect it, when not to intubate, how to manage ventilation if you have to, and why treatments like bicarbonate, glucose, and even dialysis play a critical role. There's also a strong discussion of the dangers of missing this diagnosis and how quickly things can go downhill if the underlying physiology isn't understood. Link to interactive Anion Gap Tool: https://claude.ai/artifacts/latest/d3b744cf-5a1b-4bb7-88bc-4f74fd97ec16 FOAMfrat.com

What does sepsis management look like for EMS? Tyler and Kevin Collopy break down the current state of sepsis care, including EMS recognition, hospital sepsis bundles, fluid strategies, vasopressor use, lactate trends, and the debate around prehospital antibiotics. The conversation focuses on practical decision-making and why identifying septic shock early can change outcomes long before the patient reaches the hospital.