New brunswick trauma program – Research Sub-Committee

Dr. James French, BSc BM Dip IMC RCS ED FCEM

James is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Dalhousie University. He moved to Canada from Cambridge where he was a Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine. James has a keen interest in delivering and understanding healthcare, systems performance and disease prevention in the Pre-hospital Environment. James (as a member of Magpas, a UK Emergency Medical Charity) received the Queens Award for Voluntary service in 2004 and the Queen Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2011 for his work in this field.

Dr. Atkinson is Associate Professor at the Department of Emergency Medicine, Dalhousie University, as well as Director of Research, Department of Emergency Medicine, Saint John, NB, and Chair, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP) Research Committee. Paul moved to Canada with his wife Julie, and three children Jordyn, Lucy and Jack, in December 2009, from Cambridge, UK where he was a Consultant and College Tutor. He graduated from The Queen’s University of Belfast with First Class Honours in Physiology and with honours in his primary medical degree. He completed general internal medicine rotation in Belfast, before training in Emergency Medicine in Cambridge. He also completed a year of high specialist training at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, Australia. He was Chair of the UK College of EM Ultrasound Certification board from 2008–11. He continues to direct the international ECCU ultrasound course and is a regular presenter at international ultrasound conferences. Dr Atkinson’s interests include medical education, ultrasound training and patient experience improvement and he has several publications in various peer reviewed journals. His research interests include emergency ultrasound, competency standards, injury, health policy, patient monitoring, and educational methods.

Brian Attfield, SBStJ, ACP

Brian is the Coordinator of Clinical Quality for Ambulance New Brunswick.  Brian oversees all clinical quality programs with Ambulance NB, including 100% cardiac arrest review, investigations, occurrences, clinical competency, and focused Patient Care Review, and assists the Education Department with remediation planning following Clinical Competency Review.  Brian started his career as a paramedic in the Ottawa area before moving to New Brunswick and completing his diploma in Advanced Care Paramedicine.  Brian then fell in love with the Maritimes, and lives and works in the Moncton area.  Brian has held volunteer leadership positions with Saint John Ambulance, working for years as the Provincial Training Officer in Ottawa, and co-authoring the national Medical First Responder manual.  In the Maritimes, Brian had the opportunity to cross-train as a Critical Care Transport Coordinator (Trauma Desk), Emergency Medical Dispatcher (911), and as a Collaborative Emergency Centre (ER) Paramedic.  This gave Brian the opportunity to expand his career as the Manager of Critical Care Transport (Trauma Desk) where he helped develop the NB TeleStroke programs with Ambulance NB.  Brian then had the chance to work for Princess Cruises as a ship-board Medical Officer before returning back to NB to continue his leadership career in Clinical Quality.