A Story Of Saturday Nights, Trauma And The Car Radio

The radio in Patricia Sanchez’s car is tuned to her favorite hip-hop station. It’s loud and the bass is booming. And that’s intentional. She says it gets her ready to hit the trauma center floor running, from the first minute. 

It’s early Saturday night. Throughout the city, couples are readying for dates. Friends are agreeing which bar or club they’re meeting at later that night. 

For Patricia, it’s another Saturday night of trauma at the region’s only Level 1 trauma center at University Medical Center of El Paso. 

Some of the many people making plans won’t finish their nights at home but instead will become trauma patients, wanting to make it to the next day alive, with the help of surgeons, nurses, medical techs and so many more providers at UMC.  

The medical team at UMC’s trauma department has, collectively, centuries of experience caring for trauma victims. 

They will build on that experience in the late hours of Saturday night. They also know that every  case is unique, every patient, with their own story, their own dreams yet realized and a hope that when Sunday arrives, things will be better.

(Note: Music at the beginning of this episode is exclusive content for Better Health In The Borderland.)

Production Team:
Writer and host: Ryan Mielke, Director of Public Affairs, University Medical Center of El Paso
Audio engineer: Diego Muniz, Manager of Video and Audio Production, University Medical Center of El Paso

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