The Red Blanket Society Alumnus Association

“RB to the OR!” This term captures the essence of the LAC+USC experience in emergency medicine. In the early years of the training program, someone had the idea that placing small squares of red cloth on the gurneys of patients who were seriously ill or injured would signify to others (X-ray, transport, consults etc) that they were unstable and needed to be expedited through the system. “Red Blankets” became the highest priority patients in the whole medical system. Although we stopped using actual red blankets in the early 1980’s, the term “RB” still has the same connotation in the emergency department today. In one episode of the TV show “ER”, an actor said “RB this patient to the OR”. I’m sure he had no idea what RB meant or where it came from.

The society was founded in 1990 by Richard Goldberg and Peter Obligato who became the first president, followed by Steve Kishineff and the current president, Brad Gerberich. Since then many of our more than 400 graduates have joined the society and served as officers.

The RB society serves several functions. First, it provides significant support to the program in the form of contributions of textbooks for the department libraries, equipment, and financial support for resident activities including the yearly graduation ceremony. In addition, the RB Society has created a fund to provide seed money for research projects by both residents and current faculty, and has contributed funds for residents to participate in the department’s various international missions.

The RB Society and the DEM co-sponsor a reception at every national ACEP Scientific Assembly which serves as a venue for old classmates to reunite and for current residents to make personal contacts with their predecessors. Every year the society selects one of our alumni as Alumnus of the Year, celebrating the tremendous professional success achieved by graduates of this program. Past honorees have included Richard Bukata, Gerry Whelan, Ron Stewart, Billy Mallon, and many others who have achieved national prominence in organized medicine, academics, or community practice.