About the Author

Dr. Spear is an ER board certified physician and the Chairman of the Emergency Medicine Department at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, TX. He is board certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Spear has a keen desire through targeted training to upgrade the skills of people in the medical field and areas related to saving lives.  Consequently, he has conducted numerous training seminars for EMT's, paramedics, mountain rescuers, park rangers, policemen, firemen and lifeguards.

Beginning his career working in the field as an EMT and then as a paramedic, Dr. Spear has never forgotten his roots in EMS. His special projects bring new and advanced procedures and modalities to the field.

Dr. Spear is a pioneer in the field of the introduction of ultrasound equipment to emergency vehicles. Under his leadership, the Odessa Fire Department was first in the United States to implement the use of ultrasound in emergency vehicles. This introduction will lead to ultrasound being permanent equipment on all emergency vehicles in the U.S. within the next decade. Ultrasound provides an excellent upgrade to both quick response and diagnoses prior to hospital arrival.  Dr. Spear routinely uses ultrasound in the ER, both for simple cases such as pregnancy and more advanced cases such as central lines and pericardiocentesis.

Dr. Spear is Chief Medical Examiner of Ector County, a position that he has held since 1997. He has used this position to provide anatomical and forensic training to countless participants. This led to the development of a forensic course for EMS personnel.

He is also Adjunct Professor of Anatomy at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, Adjunct Professor for Odessa College, and Assistant Professor at Texas Tech University in Odessa, internal medicine department.

Dr. Spear formed OEPAF, Inc., (Odessa Emergency Providers Achievement Fund, Inc.,) a non-profit corporation to fund emergency medical education. In 1995 he developed the Anatomy of Trauma CE course designed to train physicians, paramedics and emergency room staff. This was accomplished with grants from TDH.

He is Regional Faculty for Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support. He set up an Advanced Trauma Life Support site with a USDA research facility. He is an NREMT examiner and a lifeguard certified by the American Red Cross. He has also received additional training in whitewater rescues.

For more information, or to order the EMS Ultrasound 2nd Edition textbook, call 1-800-806-1982, or visit www.911sono.com.