Brigham And Women’s Hospital 8th Stepping Strong Trauma Research and Innovation Annual Symposium 2025

Trauma Surgery & Research Symposium 2025 | Trauma Rehabilitation and Recovery | Injury Prevention | Surgical Innovation | Traumatic Brain Injury | Multidisciplinary Trauma Care

Course Overview

The Brigham And Women’s Hospital 8th Stepping Strong Trauma Research and Innovation Annual Symposium 2025 is a multidisciplinary medical education program focused on advances in trauma research, injury prevention, trauma rehabilitation, recovery, and innovations across the continuum of trauma care.

Organized by the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation in collaboration with Mass General Brigham, this eighth annual symposium brings together trauma surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, clinical researchers, healthcare professionals, and multidisciplinary experts to explore emerging approaches to improving outcomes for patients affected by traumatic injuries.

The Stepping Strong Center is dedicated to advancing trauma innovation for injured civilians and military personnel through investigative collaborations spanning injury prevention, prehospital care, acute treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term recovery.

The 2025 symposium emphasizes post-acute care and rehabilitation for traumatic injury, highlighting innovative research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and emerging strategies designed to improve functional outcomes and quality of life for trauma survivors.

The program begins with presentations from the 2025 Stepping Strong Breakthrough Award finalists, providing an opportunity for participants to learn about promising trauma research projects and contribute to the selection of the award recipient.

Following these presentations, expert-led discussions address developments in trauma rehabilitation and recovery, with a keynote presentation exploring future directions in post-traumatic rehabilitation.

Through scientific presentations, research discussions, and multidisciplinary perspectives, the symposium aims to strengthen collaboration among researchers, healthcare professionals, and public health stakeholders while promoting innovation throughout the trauma care continuum.

Course Details

• Course Title: Brigham And Women’s Hospital 8th Stepping Strong Trauma Research and Innovation Annual Symposium 2025
• Official Event Name: 8th Annual Stepping Strong Trauma Research & Innovation Symposium
• Organizer: The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation & Mass General Brigham
• Institution: Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Date: November 6, 2025
• Location: Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• Original Event Format: Hybrid (In-Person and Virtual via Zoom)
• Educational Program Time: 3:00 PM–5:45 PM EST
• Primary Specialties: Trauma Surgery, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Orthopedic Surgery, Emergency Medicine, and Critical Care Medicine
• Main Focus: Trauma Research, Innovation, Rehabilitation, and Long-Term Recovery
• Original Live Activity CME Designation: Maximum of 2.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
• Nursing Continuing Education: 2.25 Nursing Contact Hours

Target Audience

This educational activity is intended for:

• Physicians
• Physician assistants
• Nurses
• Nurse practitioners
• Pharmacists
• Athletic trainers
• Psychologists
• Social workers

Recommended Medical Specialties

The symposium is particularly relevant to:

• Trauma Surgeons
• Orthopedic Surgeons
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialists (Physiatrists)
• Occupational Medicine Specialists
• Geriatricians
• Emergency Medicine Physicians
• Critical Care Physicians
• Psychiatrists

Additional healthcare professionals, clinical investigators, rehabilitation researchers, and public health specialists involved in trauma prevention, management, and recovery may also benefit from the educational content.

Program Overview

The 8th Stepping Strong Trauma Research and Innovation Annual Symposium 2025 explores advances in trauma care through three major educational components.

Stepping Strong Breakthrough Award Presentations

The symposium features research presentations from finalists competing for the 2025 Stepping Strong Breakthrough Award.

These presentations showcase innovative investigations aimed at addressing unmet needs in trauma prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and recovery.

Participants gain exposure to emerging scientific approaches and research initiatives designed to improve care for individuals experiencing traumatic injuries.

Trauma Rehabilitation and Recovery Panel

A multidisciplinary panel of experts examines important developments in post-acute trauma care, rehabilitation, and recovery.

The discussion highlights ongoing research and clinical approaches to improving patient outcomes, strengthening rehabilitation services, and supporting recovery following traumatic injuries.

Keynote: The Future of Trauma Rehabilitation

The keynote presentation focuses on emerging opportunities to improve long-term outcomes for trauma survivors.

Particular emphasis is placed on innovative rehabilitation research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strategies for improving functional recovery and quality of life following traumatic injury.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Discuss the innovative advancements and insights into the future of trauma care that will improve patient outcomes.
2. Examine the problem of lack of funding allocated towards trauma research by providing a platform for our researchers to present their current funded projects in injury prevention, pre-hospital care, treatment, and recovery of traumatic injuries.
3. Recommend innovative research that will provide education on current standards of practice and research that is being conducted through the center to promote opportunities for healthcare workers to collaborate and incorporate these innovations into their patient care.
4. Develop partnerships and opportunities for collaboration across various public health sectors to promote further innovation, awareness and to advance research and funding for trauma care on the Federal and Local level.

Official Program Topics

Thursday, November 6, 2025

3:00 PM — Opening Remarks & Welcome

• Ali Salim, MD

Stepping Strong Breakthrough Award Presentations

3:05 PM — Breakthrough Award Presentations

Moderator:

• Molly Jarman, PhD, MPH

3:05 PM — Breakthrough Award Finalist Presentation

• Rayan Harari, PhD, MBA

3:17 PM — Breakthrough Award Finalist Presentation

• Peter Masiakos, MD, MS, FACS, FAAP
• Chana Sacks, MD, MPH

3:29 PM — Breakthrough Award Finalist Presentation

• Zain Hashmi, MD

3:40 PM — Break

Trauma Rehabilitation and Recovery: Presentations & Panel Discussion

4:00 PM — Presentations & Panel Discussion

Moderator:

• Ali Salim, MD

4:00 PM — Expert Presentation

• Juan Herrera-Escobar, MD, MPH

4:10 PM — Expert Presentation

• Chloe Slocum, MD, MPH

4:20 PM — Expert Presentation

• Chyna Lovell, PhD

4:30 PM — Expert Presentation

• Yi Lu, MD, PhD

4:40 PM — Panel Discussion

Keynote Presentation

5:00 PM — Keynote Presentation

• Simon Driver, PhD

5:30 PM — Questions & Answers

• Moderator: Ali Salim, MD

5:45 PM — Adjournment

Program times are listed in Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Major Topics Covered

Trauma Research and Surgical Innovation

• Emerging developments in trauma care and medical research
• Innovative approaches to traumatic injury management
• Translational research and clinical applications
• Trauma research funding and innovation initiatives
• Stepping Strong Breakthrough Award research projects
• Multidisciplinary scientific collaborations

Trauma Rehabilitation and Long-Term Recovery

• Post-acute rehabilitation following traumatic injury
• Functional recovery and patient-centered rehabilitation
• Multidisciplinary rehabilitation approaches
• Long-term health and quality-of-life outcomes
• Emerging rehabilitation research and clinical innovation
• Strategies to improve recovery after severe traumatic injuries

Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurological Recovery

• Rehabilitation considerations following traumatic brain injury
• Long-term health challenges affecting brain injury survivors
• Physical activity and healthy behavior interventions
• Neurological and functional recovery research
• Community-based rehabilitation and recovery initiatives

Injury Prevention and Trauma Care Continuum

• Trauma prevention and public health initiatives
• Prehospital and emergency trauma care
• Acute trauma treatment and rehabilitation transitions
• Coordination across the continuum of trauma care
• Injury-related disability prevention
• Civilian and military trauma research

Multidisciplinary Collaboration and Research Development

• Collaboration among trauma surgeons and rehabilitation professionals
• Partnerships across healthcare and public health sectors
• Research translation into clinical practice
• Advancing trauma-related funding opportunities
• Innovations in multidisciplinary patient management
• Future directions in trauma rehabilitation and recovery

Course Director and Faculty

Course Director

Ali Salim, MD

• Division Chief, Trauma, Burn & Surgical Critical Care — Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• BWH Endowed Chair in Surgery, Harvard Medical School

Symposium Faculty and Presenters

Molly Jarman, PhD, MPH

• Lead Investigator, Center for Surgery and Public Health
• Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
• Injury Prevention Program Director, The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation

Rayan Harari, PhD, MBA

• Faculty, Harvard Medical School
• Affiliated Faculty, Harvard Data Science Initiative

Peter Masiakos, MD, MS, FACS, FAAP

• Director, Pediatric Trauma Services, Massachusetts General for Children
• Co-Director, Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Gun Violence Prevention

Chana Sacks, MD, MPH

• Breakthrough Award Finalist Presenter

Zain Hashmi, MD

• Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Juan Herrera-Escobar, MD, MPH

• FORTE Co-Investigator, Center for Surgery & Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Research Director, Center for Surgery & Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Chloe Slocum, MD, MPH

• Trauma Rehabilitation and Recovery Panel Presenter

Chyna Lovell, PhD

• Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Mass General Brigham

Yi Lu, MD, PhD

• Director, Neurological Trauma, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Co-Director, Adult Spinal Deformity & Scoliosis Program, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Harvard Medical School

Keynote Speaker

Simon Driver, PhD

• Director, Discovery Center for Brain Injury & Concussion Recovery, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Why This Course Is Relevant

Traumatic injuries remain an important cause of disability, long-term functional impairment, and healthcare burden. Improvements in acute trauma care have increased the importance of effective rehabilitation strategies and long-term recovery planning.

The Brigham And Women’s Hospital 8th Stepping Strong Trauma Research and Innovation Annual Symposium 2025 highlights research efforts focused on improving outcomes throughout the trauma care continuum.

By bringing together experts in trauma surgery, rehabilitation, neuroscience, and public health, the symposium provides an opportunity to examine emerging clinical research and strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration.

Key educational benefits include:

• Understanding emerging developments in trauma research and innovation.
• Exploring approaches to improving rehabilitation and functional recovery.
• Learning about innovative research presented through the Stepping Strong Breakthrough Award.
• Reviewing multidisciplinary perspectives on post-acute trauma care.
• Examining challenges related to trauma research funding.
• Identifying opportunities for collaboration across clinical and public health disciplines.
• Exploring future directions in trauma rehabilitation and long-term recovery.

The symposium is particularly relevant to healthcare professionals seeking to understand advances in trauma research, evidence-informed rehabilitation practices, and multidisciplinary care for patients recovering from traumatic injuries.

Short Description

Brigham And Women’s Hospital 8th Stepping Strong Trauma Research and Innovation Annual Symposium 2025 is a multidisciplinary educational program focused on trauma research, rehabilitation, injury prevention, surgical innovation, traumatic brain injury recovery, and long-term patient outcomes.

Key Highlights:

• ✅ 8th Annual Stepping Strong Trauma Research & Innovation Symposium.
• ✅ Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Mass General Brigham educational program.
• ✅ Breakthrough Award finalist research presentations.
• ✅ Advances in trauma rehabilitation and functional recovery.
• ✅ Traumatic brain injury and neurological rehabilitation research.
• ✅ Multidisciplinary expert panel on post-acute trauma care.
• ✅ Injury prevention, trauma management, and long-term recovery.
• ✅ Research collaboration and innovation funding opportunities.
• ✅ Keynote presentation exploring the future of trauma rehabilitation.
• ✅ Expert perspectives from trauma surgery, rehabilitation, and clinical research.

 

Topics

• Opening Remarks

• Stepping Strong Breakthrough Award Finalists

• Panel Discussion: Trauma Rehabilitation and Recovery

• Keynote Speaker: Simon Driver, PhD

• Closing Remarks

• Lunch & Learn: Healthy Aging

• Lunch & Learn: Occupational Health

• Lunch & Learn: Intimate Partner Violence

• Lunch & Learn: Climate Change