EMS exists in many variations throughout the world. In the United States, our current EMS system has only been around for about the past 50 years. In the beginning, EMS provided little more than first-aid care and it was not uncommon for a mortician and a hearse to provide a patient with transportation to the hospital. In the 1970's, EMS was given increased recognition and with strong federal leadership and funding a more sophisticated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system was born which included the development of a professional body of emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
In the 80's we realized that we had great ideas for prehospital care education and the still relatively new EMS system and the tremendous faculty to develop them. What we needed was an administrative structure where the development and delivery of prehospital educational programs and research could thrive and aid the development of the EMS System. So with the help of some extraordinary individuals we founded the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care. The Center was a new organization in EMS - the only one of its kind located on the West Coast.
Over 20 years later we are still thriving. We have grown from a handful of dedicated faculty and staff to over 120 strong reaching over 12,000 students per year. We find ourselves surrounded by an extraordinary team of committed administrative and EMS professionals, operating five interconnected divisions. Together we serve the general public, EMTs, paramedics, hospital professionals, nurses, medical students, and physicians working in clinics, hospitals, ambulance companies and fire departments throughout the nation.
Our commitment to making a local, national and international difference to emergency medical services and the patients they serve remains stronger than ever.
Every year we deliver a tremendous number of quality education programs and services. Our faculty participates in local and national associations and forums. We help raise the important questions in prehospital care and education that need answers and we generate research to expand the fund of knowledge available in prehospital care. We do believe that it is the responsibility of emergency medical professionals worldwide to develop a body of evidence that examines prehospital emergency care. Through the Prehospital Care Research Forum at UCLA we focus on our mission to assist, recognize and disseminate prehospital care research conducted at all provider levels. The future of EMS depends on the quality and quantity of research we produce.
While we are proud of our Center's past accomplishments and contributions to the field, there is still very important work to be done. Our passion is prehospital care education and research and about making a difference for our students, patients, prehospital care providers, and the emergency medical services system. If you have the passion to help develop the best care for patients and to become the best student, provider, educator or researcher that you can be, we hope that you will join us.