b'4 EAST news | 2021 Issue 210 Year Look Back- Traumacasts Then and NowCarrie Valdez, MD, EAST Online Education Committee ChairLauren Dudas, MD, EAST Online Education Committee/Traumacast ModeratorHello, and welcome to the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma Traumacast series. Im your host, Dr. Babak Sarani. It all started more than ten years ago.Babak had a chance encounter with Richard Sevelle, the host of iCriticalCare, an SCCM podcast. Richard happened to take the FCCS course hosted by Babak at the University of Pennsylvania. Babak was a podcast connoisseur and iCriticalCare was one of his favorites. The two struck up a conversation and Richard invited Babak onto the show to be interviewed on establishing successful FDM and FCCS courses (Episode #154). Babak received an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at producing a podcast and thought, how hard can this be? We should do this for EAST!Babak pitched his podcast idea to Christine Eme, EAST Executive Director, who brought it to the EAST Board. Though few had heard of or listened to many podcasts, the Board was in favor of a volunteer willing to create a new EAST product. We asked Babak why he wanted to start a trauma podcast and he replied, I could see it was a way people learn and it was the right thing to do. Plus, I got to meet a lot of people! With the greenlight from the EAST Board, Babak ordered a suitcase of recording equipment (who doesnt remember Babak hauling it around the meetings?!). His wife thought he may have lost his mind as boxes arrived and he gleefully admired microphones and headsets.The first recording, Clinical Practice Guidelines in Trauma Care with Dr. Michael Rhodes went well. Babak then interviewed Dr. Thomas Scalea on hepatic necrosis after angioembolization. Though initially skeptical, after the interview Dr. Scalea declared, This is a great idea! Bolstered with confidence and unbridled enthusiasm, Babak set out to create the Traumacast series. On advice from his mentor, Richard Sevelle, Babak held true to the doctrine- never do a phone interview. Babak started traveling the Eastern seaboard interviewing prominent trauma surgeons until he had 11 podcasts recorded and edited. The first Traumacast was published on August 19, 2011. A few months later, Babak secured a small conference room at the 2011 EAST Annual Scientific Assembly and recorded five more Traumacasts. Babak was awarded the EAST Distinguished Service Award for his efforts. The podcast was a hit!Traumacast was initially housed under the IT Committee chaired by EAST Past President Dr. Bruce Crookes and Babak found himself on his first EAST Committee. The IT Committee was sun downed and the Online Education Committee, chaired by EAST Past President Dr. Andrew Bernard, adopted the Traumacast. Dr. Matt Martin joined the committee and started moderating Traumacasts along with Babak and Andrew. There was a call for volunteers to become a moderator and Dr. David Morris raised his hand but was turned down.Not to be discouraged, Dr. Morris arrived at the 2014 EAST Annual Scientific Assembly ready to get active on his new committee. Dr. Matt Martin, now chair of the Online Education Committee, wanted to make Traumacast a priority. Matt held his first committee meeting at the EAST Annual Scientific Assembly.with three volunteershimself, Andrew Bernard, and the eager David Morris. Matt recognized Babak-like enthusiasm and later called David to invite him to become a Traumacast moderator. David was a DJ in college and excited to dust off two turn tables and a microphone. With Matts leadership, they created the new intro with helicopters and worked to increase Traumacast topics on critical care and emergency general surgery.'