Remembering Dr. R Adams Cowley: A Revolutionary & Pioneer of Trauma Medicine

Dr. Cowley (center) instructing in the old CCRU Dr. R Adams Cowley passed away 25 years ago today, but his contributions will live on forever in the form of thousands of lives saved. R Adams Cowley, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon, was the founder of United States’ first trauma center, University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, and the Maryland EMS System. He revolutionized trauma medicine and is responsible for the development of the “Golden Hour” concept. As Dr. Cowley explained in an interview: “There is a golden hour between life and death. If you are critically injured you have less than 60 minutes to survive. You might not die right then; it may be three days or two weeks later — but something has happened in your body that is irreparable.” Dr. Cowley (left) with fellow trauma surgeon Dr. Gens in 1983 “R Adams Cowley was a pioneer, a man of immense vision and the father of American trauma care systems,” Dr. Thomas Scalea, Shock Trauma Physician-in-Chief, said. “At a time when we take organized trauma care for granted, it is important to remember that none of this would have happened without him and a few others who refused to take no for an answer. They fought the political and medical battles to demonstrate that organized trauma care saves lives. I am privileged to continue his legacy.” A Baltimore Sun photo shows Dr. Cowley performing open-heart surgery on a 2-year-old boy After many years o...
Source: Life in a Medical Center - Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: Tags: Doctors trauma Uncategorized r adams cowley shock trauma Source Type: blogs