Essential Burn Care for Non-Burn Specialists

Despite a decreasing number of burns and improvement in mortality of burn patients in the United States, burn injuries are still frequent. Non-burn specialists such as emergency medicine physicians and primary care physicians will inevitably treat burn patients. In many instances, the first clinicians to see burn patients are non-burn specialists in the urgent care, emergency department, or primary care clinic, yet they typically do not have any formal training or exposure to burns in residency. As a result, many clinicians feel uneasy about managing burns even if the burn is minor. If a burn center is in a reasonable proximity, one can transfer the patient, but prior to transfer, or if no burn center is available, these clinicians may have to perform the initial management. It is important that they understand the basic principles of burn care. In times of burn disasters, non-burn specialists are needed to care for burn patients as burn centers can be quickly overwhelmed. They should be able to manage burn patients including stabilization, resuscitation and wound care. The text includes all current management available today for the care of burn patients. It is organized in a stepwise manner with clear information listed in sequential chapter formats. Chapter one offers the basic epidemiology of burn care while chapters three and four discuss the initial assessment and management. The chapter five discusses inhalation injury while the next three chapters focus on burn wound management including face and hand. The majority of chapters that follow center on a specific type of burn or burn patient. The last few chapters discuss aftercare including scar management and burn rehabilitation. Written by experts in the field, Essential Burn Care for Non-Burn Specialists is a valuable guide for any physician involved in burn treatment such as emergency physicians, primary care physicians, and general and plastic surgeons.


Dr. Jong Lee is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas.  He is currently the Annie Laurie Howard Chair in Burn Surgery, Associate Director of Burn Services, Co-Medical Director of Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Program Director of the Surgical Critical Care Fellowship, and Program Director of the Burn Fellowship at the University of Texas Medical Branch.  He is also the Chief of Staff - Burn Surgery at Shriners Hospitals for Children - Texas.  He obtained his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine in 1992 and completed his surgical training at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center/Temple University School of Medicine in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 2001.   He then completed Burn Fellowship and Surgical Critical Care Fellowship at University of Texas Medical Branch/Shriners Hospitals for Children - Texas.
He has practiced burn surgery, taking care of both adults and children since 2002 at the University of Texas Medical Branch and Shriners Hospitals for Children - Texas.  He has 44 peer reviewed journal articles and 27 book chapters.  He has spoken locally, nationally, and internationally on burn care.  He is a member of several professional organizations including American Burn Association and International Society for Burn Injuries.
He also received the Outstanding Teacher Award in the Department of Surgery six times and was selected as the Osler Faculty Scholar of McGovern Academy of Medicine at University of Texas Medical Branch for being outstanding clinician educator.  He has trained 31 Surgical Critical Care Fellows and Burn Fellows in addition to being recognized as one of Texas Super Doctors by his peers since the December 2019 issue of Texas Monthly magazine.