History of the Department

The Senate of Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) resolved during the 1996–1997 academic year to establish the Department of Emergency Medicine within the Faculty of Medicine and notified the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). In 1997, the Council of Higher Education approved the establishment of the Department of First and Emergency Aid within our university. The OMU Faculty of Medicine, Department of First and Emergency Aid, was founded by Assist. Prof. Dr. Levent Altıntop. The first research assistants were appointed to the department in 1998 and commenced their duties.

Since its establishment, the Department of Emergency Medicine has trained and graduated 87 Emergency Medicine Specialists. The department, currently staffed by 6 faculty members and 22 research assistants, continues to provide healthcare services while simultaneously maintaining its educational activities. Prof. Dr. Ahmet BAYDIN has been serving as Chair of the Department since 2018.

According to 2022 data from the OMU Health Application and Research Center, a total of 1,469,557 patients presented to the emergency department. At present, an average of 450500 patients per day apply to and receive services from the emergency department. In addition to adult patients, the Department of Emergency Medicine also provides care for pediatric trauma cases.

Patients arriving on foot or by ambulance undergo triage and are directed to the green, yellow, or red zones based on the urgency of their condition. The green zone serves patients with relatively mild clinical presentations; the yellow zone provides care for patients requiring observation or hospital admission; and the red zone is reserved for critically ill patients who need resuscitation or close monitoring. The red zone is equipped with 5 monitored stretchers, while the arena-style yellow zone contains 16 stretchers.

The emergency department also includes a 14-bed observation unit and a 5-bed second-level intensive care unit for patients who require inpatient monitoring. Additionally, two ultrasound devices, two X-ray machines, and two CT scanners are available in the emergency department. A magnetic resonance imaging unit and a KBNR (isolation) unit are planned to be added in the near future.

All patients presenting to the emergency department are received by paramedics at the entrance and are directed to the appropriate zone (green–yellow–red) according to the urgency of their medical condition. Patients requiring close monitoring and treatment—such as those presenting with cardiac complaints or respiratory distress—are evaluated in the monitored area, while others who do not require close observation are assessed in the yellow zone. Average waiting times vary based on patient load and clinical severity but remain below ten minutes on average.

Patients with multiple trauma, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and those in cardiac or respiratory arrest are rapidly transferred to the resuscitation room. They are evaluated by senior emergency medicine residents under the supervision of an Emergency Medicine specialist, and all necessary diagnostic and therapeutic interventions are performed. If hospitalization is required following evaluation and treatment, consultation is requested from the relevant department, and the patient is admitted accordingly. Critical care patients—particularly toxicology cases and those who cannot be admitted to other wards—are followed and treated in the Emergency Observation Unit and the Emergency Critical Care Unit under the management of Emergency Medicine specialists.

Although the emergency department provides uninterrupted service 24/7, it also prioritizes the training of future Emergency Medicine Specialists. Essential treatments and procedures outlined in the Emergency Medicine curriculum (TUKMOS Emergency Medicine v2.4) are safely performed by Emergency Medicine residents under faculty supervision. Educational and training activities are offered to Specialty in Medicine trainees, medical students, dental students, and students of the Vocational School of Health Services.

Emergency Medicine is a specialty requiring extensive knowledge and skill in the diagnosis and management of acute illnesses and injuries affecting patients of all ages. Emergency medical care begins upon arrival to the emergency department and continues until the patient is discharged or transferred to another physician’s care. With the establishment of Emergency Medicine Departments in our country, the approach, management, and treatment planning for emergency patients have been addressed at a more realistic and academic level.

In our department, specialty training is conducted with the primary goals of ensuring accurate initial diagnosis and treatment of all patients, teaching diagnostic and therapeutic methods (including radiology and minor surgical procedures), and preparing residents to manage emergency mass-casualty situations. Additionally, the program aims to equip future Emergency Medicine Specialists with the academic insight needed to conduct research in their field and to identify deficiencies and propose constructive solutions.

The progress and evaluation of our residents are conducted through a digital education platform developed by our faculty members, utilizing a competency-based student assessment system. Accreditation efforts for the training program are ongoing, with an application planned for the first quarter of 2024. In accordance with the principles of continuous professional development, meetings are periodically organized under the leadership of our department to update and enhance the professional knowledge and skills of emergency physicians working in Samsun and nearby provinces.