Michael Abernethy

Michael Abernethy, MD, is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He has served as Chief Flight Physician for UW Health Med Flight since 2008 and has been a full-time faculty member since joining in 1992. With over 30 years of experience and thousands of patient transports, he is recognized as one of the world's most experienced helicopter flight physicians, providing critical care transport across the upper Midwest.

Dr. Abernethy's educational background includes:

• Undergraduate: The Ohio State University
• Graduate: The Ohio State University
• Medical School: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
• Residency: University of Chicago Medical Center (Chief Resident)
• Diploma in Retrieval and Transfer Medicine (DRTM) from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

His research focuses on Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) utilization, procedural and behavioral sedation, and emergency airway procedures. As a globally recognized expert in critical care transport, he has advanced prehospital care through clinical innovation and international education, lecturing in over 15 countries across six continents.

Dr. Abernethy's publications from 1992-2021 reveal consistent contributions to optimizing air medical systems, with key themes in HEMS outcomes comparison, emergency sedation protocols, and aeromedical physiology. His work bridges clinical practice and system-level improvements in emergency medical services.

His distinguished honors include:

• Faculty and Fellow of Sports and Exercise Medicine (FFSEM) from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
• Diploma in Retrieval and Transfer Medicine (DRTM) from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (first American to earn)
• Fellow and Faculty of Trauma and Critical Care (FFTACC) from the Royal College of Surgeons of England and The ATACC Group

Through his leadership of UW Health Med Flight and extensive international lecturing, Dr. Abernethy has mentored generations of EMS professionals. His clinical instruction spans emergency airway management, sedation techniques, and critical care transport protocols.

As Chief Flight Physician, he directs the only upper Midwest air medical program that routinely flies with physicians, coordinating a specialized team of nurses, respiratory therapists, and pilots to deliver advanced critical care during patient transports.