The UAB Department of Emergency Medicine has established its first formal section, Prehospital Medicine, effective Sept. 1, 2026. The new section provides a dedicated organizational structure for the department’s long-standing leadership in prehospital and out-of-hospital emergency care. Will Ferguson, Jr., M.D., associate professor, has been appointed as the section’s inaugural chief.
Will Ferguson, Jr., M.D.
Prehospital Medicine was created to improve the quality of emergency care patients receive before they arrive at the hospital and in other out-of-hospital settings. The section brings together clinical leadership, education, research, quality improvement, and community partnerships to improve patient outcomes and strengthen emergency care systems.
By working with emergency medical services (EMS) agencies, health care systems, and public safety organizations at the local, regional, state, and national levels, the section aims to advance evidence-based practices, support EMS professionals, and encourage innovation. Its long-term goal is to become a nationally recognized leader in prehospital medicine known for high-quality patient care, education, research, and strong partnerships.
"Prehospital medicine has always been core to who we are as a department,” Ferguson said. “By bringing our emergency medical service care, education, research, and quality efforts together under one section. It gives prehospital care the structure and visibility it deserves and now we are better positioned to serve our patients and grow as a national leader in this space."
It will also build partnerships with EMS agencies, public safety organizations, and government entities to support stronger systems of care, disaster preparedness, and mass-casualty response efforts.
Ferguson’s insight into emergency care comes from over 30 years of experience. From precepting EMS providers in the 1990’s to now, as a medical director for numerous air and ground agencies, including Birmingham Fire and Rescue and the Birmingham Regional EMS System. He runs a free Statewide EMS education program, Alabama EMS Challenge, which provides monthly physician-led continuing education for EMS nurses and physicians. He currently oversees the Emergency Medicine Residency’s EMS education, UAB’s EMS Fellowship, and teaches prehospital patient care principles to preclinical medical students.