Learning Objectives:

1. Discuss the difference between "injury patterns" and "patterns of injury."

2. Compare crash dynamics in a head-on crash versus a rollover crash with respect to the anticipated injuries.

The relationships between violence, traumatic injury and the healthcare environment are recognized as significant problems throughout the world. Interpersonal violence is identified as a serious public health concern, yet profound deficits exist in the healthcare environment to deal with this epidemic. Road traffic injuries alone are on the rise and are becoming a leading cause of the global disease burden. This two-part session will emphasize the differences between blunt and penetrating trauma using the principles of physics and forensics in the analysis of clinical injuries. Part 1 will address violence and intentional injury, ballistics, wound identification and the importance of forensic evidence collection and preservation. Part 2 will address non-intentional injuries, crash and fall dynamics, missed injuries and the use of forensics in identifying blunt traumatic injuries and in evidence collection. Short case studies will be threaded throughout each session.