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Air Evac Lifeteam

Muskogee Air Evac Lifeteam paid a visit to the Muskogee campus to teach NSU physician assistant studies students more about its emergency air medical transportation services. Back row left to right: Professor Jaime Morris, Professor Kelly Gilcrest, Professor Mark Perdue, Grant Morgan, Devon Hughes, Raina Wrather, Grace Mitchell, Jared Yeahquo, Cade Henson, Anabel Jones and Kaylee Jones. Front row left to right: Professor Kelly Gilcrest, Alison Holcomb, Kim Nguyen, Breiah Estes, Sophie Bondurant, Karleigh Whitten, Jessica Reed, Rand Salous(above), Vanessa Morrison, Lekh Poudel, Hannah Huddleston, Makayla March

MUSKOGEE, Okla. — Northeastern State University-Muskogee students were confused as they gathered outside on a chilly Friday morning last week. They had no idea they were about to receive a special visit from the Muskogee Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter.

Air Evac Lifeteam provides emergency air medical transportation services operating more than 150 helicopter air ambulance bases across 18 states. Lifeteam 83 is based in Muskogee.

Among those in attendance at the surprise landing were NSU physician assistant studies students. The university is currently preparing to graduate their first cohort of physician assistants next month and many of the future medical professionals will be practicing where helicopter services like Air Evac Lifeteam are critical to deliver patients to lifesaving care in a timely manner.

“The main thing that's important for this cohort of PA students is that they are very likely going to be working in a rural setting,” NSU Physician Assistant Studies Program Director Mark Perdue said. “Students recognizing the capabilities of the air evac unit is going to be crucial to fill in their understanding of how the emergency medical system works.”

During the visit, students had the opportunity to explore an Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter and learn about emergency lifesaving measures from a flight team.

Mark Forrest, program director of Air Evac Lifeteam 83, enjoys facilitating these visits in the community to provide a better understanding of Air Evac Lifeteam’s mission and how they operate.

“It’s more than just a ride to the hospital,” Forrest said. “These flight teams are highly trained with multiple years of experience and take great pride in providing excellent patient care to the citizens of Muskogee and surrounding counties.”

To learn more about Air Evac, visit https://lifeteam.net/about/overview.

To learn more about NSU’s physician assistant studies program.