Clinical challenges and EMS games are powerful learning tools that blend vulnerability, courage, and joy. In this episode, recorded live at the 2025 New York State Vital Signs conference, Prodigy Medical Director Maia Dorsett and Prodigy Director of Critical Care Shane O'Donnell speak with the organizers behind the NY Vital Signs EMS Games to explore why simulation-based competition matters for learners and educators. Listen in to hear how these competitions create psychologically safe spaces for growth, translate conference learning into real-world decision-making, and push clinical reasoning far beyond checklists. We unpack how thoughtful scenario design, intentional debriefing, and educator humility turn stress into deep learning. Mastery in EMS can come from this curiosity, reflection, and a willingness to step into discomfort.

Ginger Locke highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute."

The EMS Educator is published on the first Friday of every month! Be sure to turn on your notifications so you can listen as soon as the episode drops, and like/follow us on your favorite platform. Check out the Prodigy EMS Bounty Program! Earn $1000 for your best talks! Get your CE at www.prodigyems.com. Follow @ProdigyEMS on FB, YouTube, TikTok & IG.

How can EMS educators help their learners find resilience in what is sure to be a challenging profession? In this episode, recorded live at the 2025 New York State Vital Signs Conference, Prodigy EMS Medical Director Maia Dorsett sits down with renowned artist, retired paramedic, and counseling therapist Dan Sundahl. Their conversation explores the powerful intersection of creativity, trauma, and learning in EMS. Starting with a “Mindset Minute” from Ginger Locke, the episode challenges the traditional analytical focus of EMS education and highlights how inductive, creative thinking supports both better clinical reasoning and mental health. Dan shares his journey through PTSD, the role of art in healing, and the transformative potential of post-traumatic growth. Educators will gain insight into how creative pathways, neuroplasticity, and deliberate processing can help learners find resilience—and even emerge stronger—after difficult experiences.

Ginger Locke highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute."

The EMS Educator is published on the first Friday of every month! Be sure to turn on your notifications so you can listen as soon as the episode drops, and like/follow us on your favorite platform. Check out the Prodigy EMS Bounty Program! Earn $1000 for your best talks! Get your CE at www.prodigyems.com. Follow @ProdigyEMS on FB, YouTube, TikTok & IG.

What if EMS educators placed as much focus on emotional intelligence, empathy, and reflective practice as they do knowledge and skills? Listen in as hosts Maia Dorsett, Hilary Gates and Rob Lawrence talk with Liz Harney, quality assurance leader at Baptist Health in Kentucky and former paramedic program director, to explore the often-overlooked affective domain of EMS education. Liz shares how her frustration with the neglect of the affective domain inspired her to transform her own EMS instruction—bringing emotion, awareness, and humanity into every case study, scenario, and clinical rotation. From teaching students to manage bias and self-regulate under pressure, to modeling vulnerability and connection as educators, this conversation reveals how intentional focus on the affective domain can elevate not only patient care, but also the well-being and longevity of EMS clinicians.

As Liz says, teaching the affective domain can help your students "choose the version of themselves they want to walk into a room."

Ginger Locke highlights the episode's key points with her "Mindset Minute."

Mentioned in the episode:

Bloom's Taxonomy for cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains: https://www.astate.edu/a/assessment/assessment-resource-links/files/Revised-Bloom%20s-Taxonomy-All-Domains.pdf

Rob's story about the hypothermic man on a bench: https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/20700524.hoodie-heroes-commended/

Addressing Bias in Patient Care: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/addressing-bias-in-patient-care-part-1-of-2/id1573326528?i=1000565780169

The EMS Educator is published on the first Friday of every month! Be sure to turn on your notifications so you can listen as soon as the episode drops, and like/follow us on your favorite platform. Check out the Prodigy EMS Bounty Program! Earn $1000 for your best talks! Get your CE at www.prodigyems.com. Follow @ProdigyEMS on FB, YouTube, TikTok & IG.