As a relatively new medical specialty, emergency medicine doesn’t have the benefit of a long history of research. However, a growing number of skilled researchers are changing that and are creating a thriving culture of academia in the field.
Professor David Taylor, Director of Emergency Medicine Research at the Austin Hospital in Melbourne, has spent his career laying strong research foundations for emergency medicine, ensuring better outcomes for patients continue to be pursued and discovered.
David believes that academic research can add greatly to the quality of patient care by generating evidence that leads to practice changes and ultimately better treatment.
David says, ‘It’s been shown, time and time again, that in academic departments and institutions where they do a lot a research, the patient outcomes are better’.
As a member of the IFEM Research Committee since 2012 and Chair from 2014 to 2019, David has led many major projects and developments to improve research in emergency medicine, including developing awards, endorsement programs, networks and guidelines for ethical conduct in research. He has seen the development of excellent research capabilities in his field over the years.
‘It has been great to see the progression. It started off at next to nothing and is now becoming quite sophisticated, which is fantastic’.
As part of his work with IFEM, David coordinated people from all over the world to improve and raise the profile of emergency medicine research and organised pre-conference research workshops for the International Conference of Emergency Medicine (ICEM). David says it was challenging at times, but he has really enjoyed the work and the opportunity to meet people from all over the world.
‘I don’t regret a minute of it. Through going to various meetings and going to the conferences, you meet lots of people who you see over the years. And it’s just been fantastic to be able to do that’.
David is very proud to have received the Order of IFEM and to have his many years of work acknowledged. He is now soon to retire and is enjoying putting his mind to things outside of work.
‘There are too many waves to ride, moguls to ski, curries to cook and garden weeds to pull, so I’m looking forward to that’.