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Academic Overview and Program Impact

The Division of Trauma and Critical Care Surgery is the academic home of Mississippi’s only Level I trauma center. With more than 6,000 trauma evaluations each year, our teams deliver high-acuity surgical care across the full spectrum of injury severity. We lead trauma, emergency general surgery, burn surgery, and surgical critical care services for the state.

Our division includes dedicated clinical and research faculty, advanced practice providers, and interdisciplinary partners who uphold rigorous quality and safety standards. We collaborate closely with the UMMC Mississippi Burn Center, Anesthesia Critical Care, and multiple surgical specialties to provide coordinated, expert care for critically ill and injured patients.

We also contribute to national trauma advancement through research, innovative clinical programs, and participation in state and regional trauma initiatives. Our mission is to deliver exceptional patient outcomes while training the next generation of trauma leaders.

Research and Innovation

Our division conducts robust clinical and translational research to improve trauma systems, resuscitation science, surgical critical care, and burn care. Faculty actively contribute to national trauma scholarship, publish in leading journals, and participate in multicenter trials. We integrate research into every aspect of patient care and education, ensuring our practices reflect the most current evidence.

Education and Fellowship Training

We offer a fully accredited Surgical Critical Care Fellowship that provides immersive training in trauma resuscitation, burn management, and high-acuity surgical critical care. Fellows gain broad operative experience and advanced procedural skills while working alongside faculty deeply committed to mentoring and academic development.

Our division also plays a central role in teaching general surgery residents, medical students, and rotating residents from multiple specialties. Through hands-on training and structured curriculum, we
prepare future surgeons and intensivists to excel in complex trauma care.

Educational offerings also include nationally recognized trauma education programs such as:

• Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)
• Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS)
• Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma (ASSET)
• Rural Trauma Team Development Course (RTTDC)
• Stop the Bleed

Collaboration and Systemwide Impact

Our division maintains strong partnerships across UMMC and with statewide EMS, emergency medicine, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, rehabilitation, and public health agencies. Together, we support Mississippi’s trauma system and serve as a referral center for hospitals across the region. As the state’s Level I trauma center, we provide leadership in trauma readiness, clinical standards, quality improvement, and coordinated response. We remain dedicated to improving outcomes for injured patients through innovation, education, and a deep commitment to the communities we serve.