Nov. 9, 2009

The first annual Southwest Trauma & Acute Care Symposium took place at the beautiful Doubletree Paradise Valley Resort in Scottsdale Arizona on November 5 and 6, 2009.

More than 180 paid attendees and 14 vendors showed up to kick off the first ever national trauma symposium of this magnitude in Arizona. Doctors and nurses throughout Arizona and from coast to coast came out in a volume three times what was initially planned for our first event; not bad considering we are still in a recession!

Ten national speakers including Dr. Thomas Scalea (keynote speaker) gave 17 concise and up-to-date talks on a variety of trauma topics; at times, it was standing room only despite being in the largest convention room of the resort.

The resort was beautiful; lunch was outside in typical fall Arizona weather and the reception featured the pool as the backdrop. The food was usual for a medical conference in that it was arguably the best anyone had tasted at a symposium.

All in all, everyone had an enjoyable time in the backdrop of world class education with a pinch of post card Arizona weather to make it memorable. We look forward to making next year even better - join us on November 4 and 5 2010!

Chris Salvino, MD, MS, MS, MT, FACS
Symposium Chairman
AZTRACC President