This week, Aebhric O’Kelly talks with Zach Andrews, a SOF medic, to discuss his journey through the MSc in Austere Critical Care, with a focus on his thesis on microcirculation in resource-limited settings. He shares insights into the challenges and learning experiences of his studies, the development of the AMSS score for assessing microcirculation, and his future aspirations in medicine, particularly in rural EMS and education.

Takeaways

Zach is on active duty in the U.S. Army as a SOF medic.

He works as a critical care paramedic in a rural county.

His thesis focused on microcirculation in resource-limited settings.

He explored noninvasive methods for assessing microcirculation.

Zach developed the mottling score to evaluate microcirculation.

He emphasises the importance of basic medical skills.

Zach plans to pursue a doctorate in the near future.

He aims to validate his Microcirculatory Integrated Severity Scale (AMSS) in real-world settings.

Zach believes in the significance of education in rural healthcare.

He appreciates collaborative problem-solving in medical training.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Zach Andrews and His Journey

06:08 Exploring the Master's Program in Osteo-Critical Care

13:20 Thesis Topic: Microcirculation in Resource-Limited Environments

20:24 Developing the Microcirculatory Integrated Severity Scale (AMSS)

24:25 Future Plans and Advice for New Practitioners