As the only Level I Trauma Center in Central Virginia, VCU Medical Center has become renowned for its excellence in clinical care of the injured patients and the contributions to education and research in the science of trauma.

For these accomplishments, the Center is verified and re-verified by the State as well as the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons. In spite of the outstanding care, sadly death is the culmination of trauma for many patients, many in the prime of their life. Clearly, the solution is prevention of these injuries by programs that are multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional, extending beyond hospitals to the community.

One of the chief missions of the Division of Trauma, Critical Care and Emergency General Surgery is to develop and enhance such programs at the community, national and international levels. I am personally grateful for the able leadership of Dr. Michel Aboutanos for all that we accomplished, as highlighted in this newsletter. Much more remains to be done, and we welcome the participation of anyone interested in preventing the calamity of trauma.

— Rao R. Ivatury, MD, FACS