Related Experiment Videos
The profile of level I trauma center directors
Daniel Tran1, Heidi Frankel, Reuven Rabinovici
1Section of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
Background:
No data are available regarding the characteristics of the trauma directors of Level I trauma centers.
Methods:
Questionnaires were mailed to 102 directors of Level I trauma centers. Data were analyzed in a blinded fashion.
Results:
Seventy-two directors responded. All were men, with a mean age of 48 +/- 6 years. Fifty-eight percent of directors were fellowship trained. Directorship was assumed 7.3 +/- 6.1 years after training and the average time on the job was 8.6 +/- 6.1 years. Directors work in urban (93%), university-affiliated (67%) institutions that admit 1,000 to 2,000 patients annually (50%). Practice time distribution is as follows: trauma clinical care, 33%; general surgery, 20%; administrative work, 18%; critical care delivery, 17%; and research, 11%. Directors take 6.6 +/- 2.2 night calls per month, with half of them taking in-house call. Eighty-eight percent of directors are involved in research. Seventy-eight percent of directors earn $200,000 to $325,000 per year, with the largest group making $225,000 to $250,000. Salary is derived from clinical revenues (42%) and hospital (37%) or university (20%) support. Compensation is higher in community hospitals and tends to be higher in the Midwest.
Conclusion:
The profile of the trauma director at a Level I trauma center was described. This may be important in trauma career and systems development.