Medical education at Boston MedFlight is continuous and ongoing. Each new medical team member completes a comprehensive orientation program, followed by ongoing educational experiences including; case reviews, clinical rotations at consortium and community hospitals, cases in the BMF simulation center, specialty courses, and online educational programs.

Each new team member participates in an extensive competency-based orientation addressing safety, clinical, operational, organizational, and system components of Boston MedFlight practice. This orientation provides progressive responsibility and independence for clinicians, until they complete the program as safe and competent critical care providers who are adept at operating in the Boston MedFlight system. Each new team member has two experienced clinical preceptors to guide them through the orientation, as well as utilizing the resources of the Boston MedFlight Education Department.

Following orientation, new members are initially paired with one of their preceptors as a partner, then with a progressively increasing group of senior partners to ensure that they are well supported throughout their entry into the Boston MedFlight system. All new clinicians complete a probationary period of at least six months after their successful orientation.

To help ensure the quality of care provided to patients by Boston MedFlight, every team member participates in an ongoing educational program. This program is consistent with our continuous performance improvement philosophy and also consists of content presented at our regular staff meetings, high-fidelity human patient simulation, in-hospital clinical rotations, self-directed educational programs, and attendance at professional education programs.

Our staff meetings include administrative and operational updates, but are especially focused on medical continuing education. Each meeting features at least one invited lecturer who brings topic expertise from outside the Boston MedFlight organization. Additionally, our Medical Director and six Associate Medical Directors lead crews in interactive case reviews highlighting the physiology, diagnosis, and management of unique and complicated cases.

Boston MedFlight is fortunate to have an on-site high-fidelity human patient simulation center at our Bedford base. This simulation center, designed and operated by Boston MedFlight clinicians, features adult, pediatric, and neonatal manikins in realistic environments. Both new and experienced clinicians participate in real-time cases in the simulation center to hone their skills in scene management, team interaction, crisis resource management, medical care, and procedural skills.

Each medical team member must also complete a minimum of 40 hours of clinical education and training each year in various in-hospital disciplines to maintain current experience with clinical practices. Working in conjunction with our six consortium hospitals and with hospitals in the community, we are able to take advantage of opportunities in these clinical areas:

ATLS - The Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) is sponsored by the American College of Surgeons and provides a framework for the management of the injured patient.

Emergency Egress Training - Survival Systems Training Inc. instructs pilots, medical team and passengers in water aircraft ditching emergency and escape procedures, as well as rescue and sea survival techniques.

FCCS - The Fundamentals of Critical Care Support (FCCS) course is sponsored by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and provides exposure to the essential principles of critical care. The course, which consists of lectures and skill stations, offers guidance for decision making in the care of critically ill patients during the initial hours of management.

PFCCS – The Pediatric Fundamentals of Critical Care Support (PFCCS) course, sponsored by the Society of Critical Care Medicine includes lecture and skills stations that address the core components of the early management of critically ill pediatric patients.

STABLE – The STABLE Program is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and addresses the post-delivery management of neonatal patients who require transport to tertiary neonatal intensive care units. The Cardiac STABLE modules review the physiology, presentation, and management of the group of neonatal patients with congenital heart disease.