UCAN - University of Chicago Aeromedical Network

12/01/2025

UCAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE CRITICAL CARE AND TRAUMA CONFERENCE 2026

📅March 3, 2026 - INDIANA
📅April 23, 2026 - ILLINOIS

Are you ready for the opportunity to connect with passionate professionals, learn about emerging trends, and explore new ideas that can elevate patient care?! Register today and join us for our 2026 UCAN Make A Difference Conference!

🚁 NEW THIS YEAR - POSTER ABSTRACTS
We are excited to announce that this year, our conference will debut a scientific poster session featuring original research. Prizes will be awarded to the winning posters and announced at the conclusion of the conference. Please refer to our pinned post for more information and reach out to Tim at timothy.curtis@uchicagomedicine.org for any further questions.

🎟️ Register Now!
Early Bird registration is open for a limited time. Don't miss your chance to secure your spot and save money!!

Indiana - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ucan-make-a-difference-critical-care-and-trauma-conference-2026-indiana-registration-1751747767729?aff=oddtdtcreator

Illinois - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ucan-make-a-difference-critical-care-trauma-conference-2026-illinois-registration-1751743384619

UChicago Medicine presents the 12th "UCAN Make a Difference" Critical Care and Trauma Conference in Indiana and Illinois!

11/25/2025

Interested in showcasing your hard work and research? Join us for our first poster presentation competition at next years UCAN Make a Difference Conference 2026. Accepting submissions now! See details below.

11/09/2025

Our entire team is keeping their thoughts and prayers with the Vanderbilt LifeFlight team, the crew members involved, their families and everyone impacted by this devastating crash.

Although details are limited at this time, our love and support is not. Please keep Vanderbilt LifeFlight in your thoughts and prayers.

11/06/2025

Tune in tomorrow to Good Morning America to see some of our fearless flight mamas talk about their journey into motherhood, flying while pregnant and unbreakable bonds! ♥️🫶🏻

11/01/2025

Get ready to SAVE THE DATE(S)!!!

March 3, 2026 ~ Indiana
April 23, 2026 ~ Illinois

Ticket sales will be open soon, so, follow us to stay up to date on ticket sale openings and those early bird specials! ☀️🐦

Anything NEW for the 2026 conference….??
We’re so glad you asked! 🤩

We are calling for any and all abstracts! The 2026 UCAN conference will feature a scientific forum with poster presentations of original scientific research.

Poster presentations will be formally judged during the conference and a winner will be chosen. We would love nothing more than for those who want to participate to use this as an opportunity to showcase your research and data. More information is to come, but in the meantime if you have any questions regarding poster presentations please reach out via email to Timothy.curtis@uchicagomedicine.org

Any questions regarding the conference itself please email UCANConference365@gmail.com or call (773) 702-9895

We can’t wait to see you all there! 🚁🚑🏥

10/27/2025

AMTC (Air Medical Transport Conference) 2025 kicked off this week in Omaha, Nebraska! A few of our nurses, Alex and Michelle, are excited to expand their knowledge in caring for both adult and pediatric patients in the transport environment!

10/24/2025

✨We have some exciting news to share!✨

Our Assistant Medical Director, Michael McCartin, has been named to the inaugural “40 Under 40: Rising Leaders in Medical Transport” list by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS).

This initiative recognizes young professionals making a meaningful and measurable impact across the multiple disciplines of the medical transport industry. At UCAN, we deeply appreciate the dedication and expertise Mike brings to our program. His commitment to keeping our team informed on best practices, his insightful crew meeting chalk talk “The Mike Drop,” and his consistent support in problem-solving are invaluable to our continued success. 🚁

Help us congratulate Mike on this GREAT achievement! Way to go Mike! We couldn’t be more proud!

10/17/2025

Last week our nurses participated in their quarterly airway review or should we say…. Halloween Horrors 👻🧛🏼🦸‍♀️🎃

A HUGE thank you to our dynamic educator duo Teri and Katie for putting on a phenomenal airway sim which included Frankenstein, baby Wolverine, Dracula, baby mummy and Chuckie.

& of course we all dressed up for the occasion 👻

10/13/2025

Meet the Crew Monday ☀️🎃

The flight nurses and pilots are always out and about…. but who are the faces to the voices on the phone when you call into UCAN dispatch? The ones who field MULTIPLE calls a shift, facilitate MANY interfacility and scene transports and most importantly making sure the on duty crew is STAYING SAFE whether they’re on a flight or on a ground transport… why those are our amazing communication specialists and we are pleased to introduce two of them! ☺️

Heather Grigsby - Communication Specialist 📞
&
Therese Bathurst - Communication Specialist📞

🚁 How long have you been with UCAN?
Heather - 5.5 years
Therese - 2.5 years

🚁 What’s something you enjoy doing outside of work?
Heather - Going to concerts
Therese - Crafting, all the crafts

🚁 On your way into work, what do you like to listen to?
Heather - Rock music
Therese - Country music

🚁 What is the last TV show or book you’ve binged?
Heather - Yellow Jackets
Therese - Prison Break

🚁 Favorite Chicago Sports Team?
Heather - Chicago Cubs ⚾️
Therese - Chicago Cubs ⚾️

🚁 How would your coworkers describe you?
Heather & Therese - Double trouble ⚡️

10/09/2025

Our hearts are with our brothers, sisters and all those affected by this tragedy at REACH Air Medical Services in California. We are thinking of you all and praying for a recovery for all crew members involved. 🫶🏻🚁

Our team members remain hospitalized, and we want to assure everyone that they are receiving the very best care. We know this is a difficult time for their families, friends, and colleagues, and our thoughts are with them as we hope for healing and recovery.

The individuals involved are:
• Pilot Chad Millward, who is in critical yet stable condition;
• Flight Paramedic Margaret "DeDe" Davis, who is likewise critical but stable; and
• Flight Nurse Susan "Suzie" Smith, who remains in critical and unstable condition.

On behalf of our crew, their families and REACH, we extend heartfelt thanks to the bystanders who helped during their rescue. We deeply appreciate those who became first responders by supporting our flight crews during their time of need and showed exceptional courage during this crucial moment.

Regarding the accident itself, it is standard aviation protocol for all inquiries to be handled directly by the NTSB. This is essential to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation, and therefore we encourage all questions related to the incident to be directed to them. We are fully cooperating with the NTSB and FAA in their investigation and will continue to assist them as needed.

10/07/2025

It’s spooky season 👻🚁