The Doctors Saving Lives Today Are Training the Doctors Who Will Save Lives Tomorrow
By Saint Francis Health System Staff
When a trauma patient arrives at Saint Francis, a highly coordinated team springs into action within minutes. Attending trauma surgeons. Advanced practice providers. Residents. Each person with a role, each one ready. What looks like a seamless response is the result of a partnership that's not only saving lives today — it's shaping the future of healthcare across Oklahoma.
A Partnership Built Into Every Level of Care
At the heart of Saint Francis's Level I Trauma program is a public-private partnership between Saint Francis Hospital and the Oklahoma State University Medical Authority, established by the Oklahoma Legislature. It integrates OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine residents — in general surgery, orthopedic surgery, emergency medicine and otolaryngology — into every aspect of trauma care.
When a trauma patient arrives, residents work side-by-side with Saint Francis attending physicians to perform initial assessments, ultrasounds and coordinated care across specialties.
"It's like a well-oiled machine," said Dr. Ryan Parker, Associate Chief Medical Officer at Saint Francis. "You do your part efficiently, with great skill and confidence, and then step aside for your teammates to do their part."
Learning That Makes Everyone Better
Each trauma team includes an attending surgeon, an advanced practice provider, an intern and one or two senior residents. The Trauma ICU follows a similar structure. Rotating medical and physician assistant students also participate in rounds and educational opportunities, and residents from OSU and OU Tulsa School of Community Medicine rotate through both the Pediatric and Adult Emergency Centers.
That constant presence of learners doesn't slow the team down — it sharpens it.
"They have amazing questions that keep even the most experienced attending on their toes," Dr. Parker said.
Beyond direct patient care, OSU residents contribute to trauma case reviews, quality improvement initiatives and research projects that advance how trauma is treated — not just at Saint Francis, but across the field.
Quote from Dr. Ryan Parker
Personally, it reminds me of why I went into medicine. Seeing the 'aha' moment for a learner is very gratifying and grounding.
Training the Physicians Oklahoma Will Need
The stakes extend well beyond any single trauma bay. A 2024 federal health workforce projection estimated a national shortage of more than 187,000 physicians by 2037 — a gap that will hit rural states like Oklahoma especially hard.
The Saint Francis and OSU partnership is part of the answer. By training residents in one of the region's most demanding and comprehensive trauma environments, the program is building a pipeline of physicians prepared to serve Oklahoma communities for decades to come.
"We're making sure that we're training the next generation in a way that constantly improves care for Oklahomans," Dr. Parker said. "We need a steady flow of new physicians to take care of Oklahoma now and for future generations."
For patients across eastern Oklahoma, that commitment means something tangible: world-class trauma care today, and the physicians to sustain it tomorrow.
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