LAUSR

A pproximately 700 years ago, at the dawn of the renaissance, a big change on the paradigm of our understanding about knowledge occurred. This change was particularly pronounced in Western societies, who realized that ignorance was widespread and that a quest for knowledge was an essential activity for humanity. Thus, an age of humanism came to be. In that quest, we have progressively learned how to do research and innovation resulting in a progressively improved quality and quantity of life. This lecture is a tribute to the idea that knowledge is central to us. We are here as trauma surgeons because we have a hunger for knowledge, which can only be satiated if we spend an important part of our day generating new ideas for research and innovation. I have the honor of doing the Scott Frame. I talked with Joyce, Scott's wife, beforehand, as I never met Scott, and through her learned of a fascinating human being, a person who created the framework so that people like me can now spend the time and resources in a quest for knowledge. It is truly an honor to be here. I know that, like all trauma surgeons that I have met, he had two incredible qualities. One was his noncompromising search for excellence and expectations for excellence. The second one is the concept that he has a heart of gold, reflecting a certainty that we are here for something bigger than ourselves, an existential meaning that drives us to a never-ending endeavor to improve clinical outcomes. The work that I present comes from a number of experiences across my career, both as a trauma surgeon in the middle of the drug wars in Medellin, my formal training at the University of Pittsburgh, my work as a trauma surgeon in different parts of the country, and my attempt to understand the industry and their importance in the development of applications and products. My goal in this lecture is thus to demonstrate that a commitment toward the generation of knowledge by trauma and acute critical care physicians is sustainable and should be part of our daily activities. Beyond the altruistic ideal, however, I propose that our dedication toward research and innovation is