Essentials of
Trauma Patient

Most of us don't struggle with trauma because we don't know enough. We struggle because everything happens at once - the patient is unstable, the owner is panicking, and there's no specialist standing next to you telling you what to do first. The difference between a case that goes well and one that haunts you is rarely a single fact. It's knowing what to reach for, in what order, while everything is moving. That's exactly what this course is built to teach.

What you'll learn, week by week

Week 1

Assessment of the Trauma Patient

A clear plan when every second counts.

Trauma cases can feel overwhelming, but a clear, step-by-step approach makes all the difference. In this module you'll learn how to assess and stabilise injured patients quickly and confidently.

What you will master inside this module:

• Triage effectively, both over the phone and when the patient arrives
• Use a structured ABCD primary survey to spot and treat the most urgent problems first

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• Use bedside ultrasound (AFAST/TFAST) and basic blood tests to get critical answers fast
• Recognise shock and life-threatening bleeding, and know when to reach for blood products
• Provide pain relief safely, even in unstable patients

By the end, you'll have a clear plan for approaching any trauma patient, so you can act decisively when every minute counts.

Week 2

Traumatic Brain Injury

Spot it early. Act before it spirals.

TBI can look very different from patient to patient, and early decisions have a significant impact on recovery. In this module you'll learn how to spot, assess and treat TBI confidently.

What you will master inside this module:

• Recognise TBI when it's not obvious, and when to suspect it from the trauma history
• Work through the neurological exam step by step, including the modified Glasgow Coma Scale

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• Understand primary vs secondary brain injury and why early intervention matters
• Manage intracranial pressure with hyperosmolar therapy (mannitol or hypertonic saline)
• Know when to use imaging and how to interpret findings
• Stabilise safely: oxygen, fluid therapy, seizure control and careful analgesia

By the end, you'll have a clear plan to approach any suspected TBI, from first contact through the critical first hours.

Week 3

Respiratory Trauma

When every breath is the emergency.

Respiratory trauma can deteriorate rapidly, making early recognition and decisive action critical. This module teaches you how to assess, stabilise and treat breathing emergencies with confidence.

What you will master inside this module:

• Spot and differentiate pneumothorax, lung contusions, diaphragmatic hernia, rib fractures and airway tears
• Use oxygen therapy effectively, including when to escalate to high-flow oxygen or intubation

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• Perform thoracocentesis and place chest drains step by step, staying calm under pressure
• Manage pain safely without compromising breathing
• Recognise look-alike conditions that cause tachypnea but aren't true respiratory emergencies

By the end, you'll be prepared to quickly assess any dyspneic trauma patient and act to protect their airway and improve oxygenation.

Week 4

Abdominal Trauma

Find the hidden injury before it finds you.

Abdominal trauma can hide serious injury behind a deceptively stable patient. This module teaches you how to find it early and stabilise before things spiral.

What you will master inside this module:

• Differentiate blunt from penetrating trauma and understand their common injury patterns
• Use AFAST, radiographs and contrast studies to diagnose hemoabdomen, uroabdomen, diaphragmatic hernia and GI perforation

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• Recognise when free fluid is blood, urine, bile or septic exudate, and why it matters
• Stabilise patients with haemorrhage or electrolyte derangements, including transfusions and severe hyperkalaemia
• Plan for surgical intervention when indicated, and set realistic expectations with owners

By the end, you'll feel prepared to approach any abdominal trauma patient with a clear plan, from triage through surgery and recovery.

Week 5

Complications in Polytrauma

Anticipate the spiral. Stay ahead of it.

Polytrauma patients often look stable until they're not. This module helps you anticipate complications and respond effectively when things change fast.

What you will master inside this module:

• Recognise patterns of injury in road traffic accidents, falls and severe bite wounds
• Understand the second-hit effect: how inflammation, coagulopathy and reperfusion injury spiral into organ failure

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• Approach decision-making around surgery timing and damage-control stabilisation
• Manage acute respiratory distress syndrome, trauma-induced coagulopathy and sepsis
• Choose fluids, analgesia and transfusions wisely to support recovery without adding risk

By the end, you'll feel prepared to lead the care of complex trauma patients, anticipate pitfalls, and support recovery step by step.

You don't have to take our word for it. Here are a few words from vets and students who have already joined.

Want to hear more from our vets? See all testimonials

Pick your start date and save your spot

We run Essentials of Trauma in small guided cohorts so Dr Meyer and the team can properly support everyone and answer real clinical questions along the way. Enrolment for the next cohort is open now, and you get full access the day yours begins - so you can plan your six weeks around the shifts you're already working. Once a cohort's start date passes, the next chance to join is the following month.