EMS Week Profile: Mumtaaz Allen

In the small town of Minot, North Dakota, an impetuous and innovative paramedic has revitalized her rural area’s idea of continuing education with a fun and satisfying idea.

Mumtaaz Allen, a paramedic serving the Minot Air Force Base, created the “Potluck Lectures,” which brought busy EMS colleagues working at rural volunteer ambulance services, city systems, air ambulance services and Minot’s Trinity Health together for CE presentations centered around a potluck dinner. Meals were provided by Allen and by anyone who wanted to share their favorite dish. The gatherings allowed EMS providers and local physicians to dialog and hear concerns and challenges while satisfying CE requirements.

While dinners have been placed on hold because of the pandemic, squads and individuals continued to log in at suppertime to keep the communication open. Allen coordinated with Jeffrey Sather, MD, medical director of Trinity Health’s Emergency Trauma Center, to speak to the group to ensure local EMS services were well informed and on the same page with the hospital at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Topics of discussion during the interactive forums included PPE, high-risk clinical procedures, vaccinations and more.

Because of Allen’s diligent efforts, working relationships between EMS and receiving providers at the local ER have improved markedly, says Amy Johnson, paramedic for Minot Air Force Base’s 5th Medical Group. “Many volunteers who take only a few calls to the ER each year say they feel more comfortable and at ease giving a report to the providers or asking questions in the ER thanks to these informal educational lectures,” says Johnson.