The Cutting Edge: An AAST Podcast

Military-Civilian Partnerships

In this special collaboration episode of the Cutting Edge and Frontline Surgery podcasts, host Dr. Caroline Park is joined by co-hosts Dr. Joshua Dilday and Dr. Rachel Russo, along with national trauma leader Dr. Mary Margaret Knudson, to discuss surge capacity and workforce continuity in military-civilian partnerships. Dr. Knudson traces the history of mil-civ partnerships from World War II through the National Defense Authorization Acts of 2017 and 2018, and examines whether the current 25 Mission Zero-funded partnerships are truly preparing the trauma system for large-scale combat operations (LISCO). The panel confronts a sobering reality: in a major conflict, military treatment facilities and embedded military personnel will all be deployed — leaving civilian trauma centers to receive combat casualties while already operating at capacity with reduced staffing. The episode explores what individual trauma centers and the national system must do now to prepare, including patient redistribution agreements, OR and ICU surge planning, and practicing combat casualty reception protocols well before they are needed. The panel confronts a sobering reality: in a major conflict, military treatment facilities and embedded military personnel will all be deployed — leaving civilian trauma centers to receive combat casualties while already operating at capacity with reduced staffing. The episode explores what individual trauma centers and the national system must do now to prepare, including patient redistribution agreements, OR and ICU surge planning, and practicing combat casualty reception protocols well before they are needed.

Critical Incident Stress Management for Trauma Teams

In this episode of the AAST Cutting Edge Podcast, host Dr. Caroline Park and co-host Dr. Susan Kartiko are joined by Shira Rothberg, licensed clinical social worker and Trauma Survivors Network Coordinator at Inova Fairfax Hospital, to discuss Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and its role in supporting trauma and emergency department staff after high-impact cases. Drawing on her training through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF), Shira breaks down how structured debriefs help providers normalize acute stress responses, reconnect with their teams, and access further support when needed. The conversation explores what CISM looks like in practice — from leadership recognition that a debrief is needed, to hybrid in-person and virtual formats, to the important distinction between something that is therapeutic and formal therapy. For trauma programs looking to implement CISM, the takeaway is clear: it starts with one or two trained facilitators and leadership buy-in — and once staff experience it, they keep coming back.

Injury Prevention Month: Advancing Trauma Prevention Beyond the Hospital

Injury Prevention Month: Advancing Trauma Prevention Beyond the Hospital In recognition of Injury Prevention Month, the Cutting Edge Podcast features a timely conversation highlighting the critical work of the AAST Prevention Committee and its impact on patients, trauma systems, and the communities we serve.  The discussion explores how trauma surgeons and acute care providers can lead prevention initiatives that address violence intervention, firearm injury prevention, falls, motor vehicle safety, and community-based outreach. Panelists emphasize that prevention is a systems-level responsibility, requiring collaboration across hospitals, public health partners, policymakers, and local organizations. By integrating prevention into trauma program infrastructure, advocacy efforts, and education, surgeons can move upstream—reducing injury burden before patients ever arrive in the trauma bay. As Injury Prevention Month reminds us, the work of trauma professionals extends far beyond operative care and resuscitation. Prevention is trauma care, and this episode highlights actionable ways AAST members can strengthen their role as leaders in community health and injury reduction.

Intergenerational Communication

In this episode of the AAST Cutting Edge Podcast, hosts Dr. Caroline Park and Dr. Susan Kartiko are joined by members of the AAST DEI Committee to tackle a timely and increasingly relevant topic in surgical education: intergenerational communication in trauma and acute care surgery. As today’s surgical teams span Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z—and soon Gen Alpha—the conversation explores how differences in communication style, feedback expectations, technology use, and learning preferences impact the operating room, trauma bay, research mentorship, and professional development. The panel discusses practical strategies for high-acuity environments, including expectation-setting during trauma laparotomy, delivering actionable and psychologically safe feedback, structured debriefing, boundary-setting in digital communication, and adapting teaching methods to modern adult learning science. Rather than framing generational differences as barriers, this episode highlights how intentional leadership, emotional intelligence, and inclusive teaching practices can strengthen surgical training, improve team dynamics, and enhance patient care outcomes. Whether you are a trauma surgeon, surgical educator, residency leader, or trainee, this episode offers actionable insights into mentorship, professionalism, and building high-performing, multigenerational surgical teams.

Pediatric Readiness

Kicking off the 2026 season of the AAST Cutting Edge Podcast, new hosts Dr. Caroline Park and Dr. Susan Kartiko launch this inaugural episode with a timely discussion on pediatric readiness in adult trauma centers. Joined by pediatric surgery leader Dr. Barbara Gaines, they explore the Pediatric Readiness Project, trauma verification requirements, and how emergency departments can strengthen preparedness for critically ill and injured children through structured assessment, process improvement, and multidisciplinary collaboration.  The episode highlights practical strategies including weight-based medication dosing in kilograms, pediatric airway and equipment readiness, imaging protocols, identification of Pediatric Emergency Care Coordinators (PECs), and partnership across trauma surgery, emergency medicine, pharmacy, and radiology—especially critical for rural and underserved hospitals where most children first present for care.  Keywords: pediatric readiness, trauma care, emergency department, assessment, implementation, healthcare, children's health, trauma centers, medical education, pediatric emergency care, surgery