Trauma Center appoints five junior residents as temporary EMOs

Trauma Center has seven sanctioned positions for EMOs, but for years only two doctors have been serving in these posts

Five junior residents have been deployed as EMOs or CMOs (emergency or casualty medical officers) at Trauma Center of King George Medical University (KGMU) to temporarily fill the five sanctioned positions that have been lying vacant for over ten years, according to Center in-charge Dr Prem Raj Singh.

(For representation)

Trauma Center has seven sanctioned positions for EMOs, but for years only two doctors have been serving in these posts. “We have had only two EMOs managing casualties, Dr Dhiren and Dr Sameer, both of whom have held the position for years. After graduating in the early 2000s, they were deputed for casualty management. But the kind of management required in casualty management in the ward is too strenuous for just two EMOs to handle.”

Until these positions were filled, he said, junior residents who performed well in dealing with critical casualty patients, would be taking on these roles. “They will be rotated every three to six months,” he added.

The Center deals with 300-350 patients every day and 10,000 -11,000 patients every month on an average. Previously, not even a single EMO covered the night shifts. “Now we can ensure the presence of at least two EMOs during the night shift, with one or two present for the morning and evening shifts,” said Dr Singh.

EMOs are imperative for casualty management, stepping in to facilitate patient registrations, emergency testing when required, discipline and working of junior residents assigned in the Trauma Centre, referrals going to and coming in from other hospitals, and more, explained Singh. “Proposals for filling these sanctioned positions with full-time doctors have been sent to the state government, but the process is stuck in the approval stage,” he said.