Eugene Weston Hobbs II, known as Gene Hobbs (born November 28, 1973) is an American technical diver and founding board member of the non-profit Rubicon Foundation. Hobbs has served as medical officer for the Woodville Karst Plain Project since 2004 and was named the 2010 Divers Alert Network/ Rolex Diver of the year. Hobbs was a hyperbaric technologist and simulation coordinator at Duke Medical Center before taking a position as the Director of Simulation for the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Clinical Instructor in the Department of Pediatrics. As of 2018, Hobbs is the business manager for the UNC Health Care Department of Neurosurgery.

Gene Hobbs
Gene Hobbs at work testing a medical simulator
Born (1973-11-28) November 28, 1973 (age 50)
Occupation(s)medical simulation coordinator, Certified Hyperbaric Technologist, technical diver

Early life and education

edit

Hobbs was born on November 28, 1973, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he attended Terry Sanford High School and graduated in 1992. He then attended the North Carolina State University (NCSU) where he majored in business management with a human resources concentration. While in college, Hobbs began volunteering at the F.G. Hall Hyperbaric Laboratory at Duke University Medical Center. Hobbs became a Certified Hyperbaric Technologist in 1997.[1][2] He was awarded credentials as a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator in 2015.[3] Hobbs earned an MBA with a concentration in healthcare from Fayetteville State University in 2020.

Diving and hyperbaric

edit

Hobbs was certified in scuba diving by H. Larry Brown at NCSU in 1993. Following this first class, he began assisting the diving classes while continuing his diving education.[4] Hobbs was certified as a cave diver and NAUI instructor in 1997.[2]

At the Duke F.G. Hall Lab in 1997, Hobbs worked on a project to evaluate emergency oxygen rebreathers for use in the delivery of first aid oxygen to diving accident victims.[5] This work culminated in the testing of Hobbs' prototype and subsequent marketing of the Remote Emergency Oxygen Delivery System (REMO2) by the Divers Alert Network (DAN) from January 1999 – August 2001.[6][7] This product was introduced at the Med-Trade convention and named the 1999 "Med-Trade new product of the year" however problems with manufacturing capability ended the project.[8]

Hobbs participated in other projects related to aging divers,[9] breath-hold diving,[10] and extra-vehicular activity.[11][12][13] Hobbs serves as a member of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society diving committee that shapes guidance related to diving medical safety.[14]

Education in hyperbaric medicine related topics via inter-institutional simulations has allowed Hobbs to tie his passion for diving with his career in medical training.[15][16]

Hobbs has made significant regular contributions to Wikipedia's scuba diving articles, particularly to their referencing. He was joint author of a 2009 article advocating participation in Wikipedia as a means of increasing awareness of diving medicine.[17]

Woodville Karst Plain Project

edit

Hobbs has served as medical officer for the Woodville Karst Plain Project since 2004. From this position, he has supported the medical communication and logistics for the team's divers.[18]

Simulation

edit

Hobbs began working as the Medical Simulation Coordinator for Duke University Medical Center's Human Simulation and Patient Safety Center in 2001.[19] Here his role in a young field involved development of resources for the program,[20][21] curriculum development,[22] and establishing the role he would provide within this new field.[23]

In 2007, Hobbs was part of the development team for a first person video game called 3DiTeams out of a collaboration between Duke University Medical Center and Virtual Heroes, Inc. and used for medical education and team training.[24][25][26] The project was unveiled to the general public in a workshop entitled "3DiTeams – Team Training in a Virtual Interactive Environment" hosted by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California, on October 16, 2007.[27]

Their team has continued to develop and test new training and assessment methods for healthcare providers and research personnel.[28][29][30][31]

In 2014, Hobbs joined the faculty at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine as Director of Simulation and Clinical Instructor in the Department of Pediatrics.[32] His role at UNC has involved patient safety projects as well as development of unique educational opportunities.[33][34] The quality improvement and patient safety initiatives include simulations for health system wide TeamSTEPPS[35] and Code Sepsis[36] projects as well as more specific work with postpartum hemorrhage[37] and trauma.[38]

Work with interprofessional teams is one area in which he has continued to specialize.[35] In 2016, their team collaboration with North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine was recognized by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) and Association for Prevention Teaching and Research when the team's One Health case submission was selected in a national competition.[15] Hobbs advocates for the use of standardized patients to portray other team members or having other clinicians as faculty if interprofessional learners are not an option.[39]

In addition to his role in graduate medical education, Hobbs also created a course for UNC undergraduate students to participate in simulation activities throughout the health system.[40]

Hobbs authored a book chapter on the role of a simulation operations specialist in research that was published in 2016.[41] In 2017, the UNC Anesthesia team including Hobbs was awarded the "First Place Research Abstract at the 17th Annual International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare".[42] He received a plaque recognizing his "contributions and service" to the Society for Simulation in Healthcare and Simulation Operations and Technology Section in 2018.[43]

Hobbs left his simulation director role in 2017 to take on a role as business manager for the UNC Health Care Department of Neurosurgery.[44] In addition to the day-to-day operations of the Department of Neurosurgery, Hobbs serves on a committee providing oversight their educational laboratory focused primarily on cadaveric and task oriented simulation training. He also began blogging in the Society for Human Resource Management Blog in 2017 and concentrates his posts on simulation, workplace safety, and workforce accommodations.[45]

Rubicon Foundation

edit

In 2002, Hobbs joined with divers Brian Armstrong and James Wagner in the formation of the Rubicon Foundation to further diving education, research and conservation efforts.[46] The first major project Rubicon started was the Rubicon Research Repository created to aggregate often hard to find literature in the fields of diving and hyperbaric medicine. This included scanning creation of metadata for many documents that were not indexed in any database as well as negotiation of copyright permissions with the organizations to make these items available to the public.[47] Hobbs received a "Special Achievement Award" from the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society for his creation of the Rubicon Research Repository in June 2005.[48] This work has continued and grown in their effort to create greater communication and collaboration between the diving medical community and divers.[49][50][51]

 
Divers Gene Hobbs and Brian Armstrong debrief following dive for the B25 recovery project

Dr. Simon Mitchell has recognized Hobbs "alongside Dick Clarke as CHTs who have made spectacular contributions to the field".[52] As a result of his work with the Rubicon Research Repository, Hobbs was named the 2010 Divers Alert Network/ Rolex Diver of the year.[1] This was the 22nd time this award has been presented to someone that has "contributed significantly to dive safety or the DAN mission".[1] Later that year, Hobbs began diving a rebreather having completed his training with Gregg Stanton.

The B-25c Mitchell bomber was ditched on 4 April 1943 and remained 45 metres (148 ft) below the surface of Lake Murray (South Carolina) for 60 years.[53] The recovery effort was headed by Dr. Robert Seigler and supervised by Gary Larkins of the Air Pirates. Hobbs participated in the recovery effort with divers from Association of Underwater Explorers (AUE), the Rubicon Foundation, and Woodville Karst Plain Project in 2005.[53] The project was documented by the History Channel and televised on their show Mega Movers.[54] The plane is being preserved by the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham, Alabama.[55]

Hobbs teamed up with Keith Gault of the United States Navy Experimental Diving Unit to apply probabilistic models developed by Dr Wayne Gerth to the understanding of problems facing the technical diving population.[56] This project is ongoing and included various breathing gases and decompression styles.[57]

In 2010, Rubicon started Project Pink Tank with a goal to improve the knowledge available to breast cancer survivors about their engagement in scuba diving.[58][59] The methods applied for this project will also influence further diving medical research.[59]

Personal life

edit

Hobbs met his wife Becky while working in the Human Simulation and Patient Safety Center and they were married at Anse Chastanet in October 2004.[60][61]

In 2009, Hobbs and his wife lost their son Andrew who was born with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia after thirty days.[62][63][64] Their second son was born in 2011. They currently reside in Pittsboro, North Carolina.[2]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Gene Hobbs Wins 2010 DAN/Rolex Diver of the Year Award". Divers Alert Network. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
  2. ^ a b c "Gene Hobbs". Rubicon Foundation. Archived from the original on May 22, 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ "Hobbs earns CHSE". Retrieved 2015-12-27.
  4. ^ Brown, H Larry (April 27, 2004). "Continuous service award (10 years)". North Carolina State University Physical Education Department. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ Pollock, NW; Natoli, MJ; Hobbs, Gene W; Smith, RT; Winkler, PM; Hendricks, DM; Mutzbauer, TS; Muller, PHJ; Vann, RD (1999). "Testing and evaluation of the Divers Alert Network closed-circuit oxygen breathing apparatus (REMO2)". Divers Alert Network Technical Report.
  6. ^ staff. "DAN Medical Research Oxygen Rebreather". Divers Alert Network. Archived from the original on 2012-03-21. Retrieved 2013-04-03.
  7. ^ Pollock, Neal W; Hobbs, Gene W; Natoli, Michael J; Hendricks, David M; Gabrielova, Ivana; Delphia, Bruce C; Vann, Richard D (2000). "REMO2: an O2 rebreather for use in emergency medical applications". Wilderness Environ Med. 11 (1): 60.
  8. ^ "1999 Med-Trade new product of the year: Remote Emergency Oxygen Delivery System (REMO2)". New Orleans, LA: Cornerstone Health Group, Inc. and Divers Alert Network. November 1999. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  9. ^ Mummery HJ, Stolp BW, deL Dear G, Doar PO, Natoli MJ, Boso AE, Archibald JD, Hobbs GW, El-Moalem HE, Moon RE (February 2003). "Effects of age and exercise on physiological dead space during simulated dives at 2.8 ATA". J. Appl. Physiol. 94 (2): 507–17. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00367.2002. PMID 12391136.
  10. ^ Natoli, MJ; Hobbs, GW; Pollock, NW; Stolp, BW; Corkey, WB; Gabrielova, I; Hendricks, DM; Schinazi, EA; Almon, AK; Pieper, CF; Vann, RD (2000). "[abstract] OXYGEN ENHANCED BREATH-HOLD: IMMERSION AND TEMPERATURE EFFECTS". Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society Annual Meeting. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-16.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ^ Gernhardt, Michael. "Keynote address Rebreather Forum 3" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  12. ^ Space and Life Sciences Directorate "Special Scientific Achievement Award" presented to EVA Prebreathe Reduction Protocol Development Team by Dave R Williams on November 1, 2001
  13. ^ Bonner, Paul (January 26, 1998). "Duke Helps NASA study bends". The Herald-Sun (Durham, North Carolina). p. B1-2.
  14. ^ Hobbs, Gene (2013). "Rescue of an Unconscious Diver". Alert Diver. Divers Alert Network. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  15. ^ a b Brewer E, Rost E, Cozart R, Davidson G, Durham C, Hobbs GW, Joyner BL, Scolaro KL (2016-02-05). "A Veteran and His Dog". Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC)/ Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR) One Health Interprofessional Education Initiative. One Health Scholar Project. Archived from the original on 2017-04-13. Retrieved 2017-04-12.
  16. ^ Hobbs GW, Mills WA, Hexdall E, Messina J, Joyner BL (2016-06-28). "Putting it all together: Interdisciplinary teams in a pediatric mixed modality simulation". Association of Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE) 2016 Annual Conference. Tampa, Florida, USA.
  17. ^ Li, Josephine H; Hobbs, Gene W; Perkins, Robert W (2009). "The Use of Wikipedia for Increasing Awareness About Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine. (Abstract)". Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine. 36 (4). Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society: 253. Archived from the original on April 15, 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-15.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. ^ Kernagis, DN; McKinlay, C; Kincaid, TR (2008). Brueggeman, P; Pollock, NW (eds.). "Dive Logistics of the Turner to Wakulla Cave Traverse". Diving for Science 2008. Proceedings of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences 27th Symposium. Dauphin Island, AL: AAUS. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved 2013-04-03.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  19. ^ Babcock, Pamela (2002). "Thinking differently, technology goes to school". Duke Magazine. 88 (4). Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  20. ^ Taekman, Jeffrey M; Temo, JM; Hobbs, Gene W (January 2002). "MedicalSim-L: An Internet Discussion List for Human Simulation". International Meeting on Medical Simulation Santa Clara, CA.
  21. ^ Taekman, Jeffrey M; Hobbs, Gene W; Wright, MC; Andregg, BC (January 2005). "Management Interface-Simulation: A Web-Based Calendar and Resource Reporting System for Simulation Centers". International Meeting on Medical Simulation, Miami Beach, FL.
  22. ^ Taekman, Jeffrey M; Eck, JB; Hobbs, Gene W (January 2003). "Integration of PGY-1 Anesthesia Residents in Simulation Development". International Meeting on Medical Simulation San Diego, CA.
  23. ^ Hobbs, Gene W; Andregg, BC; Adrian, RJ; Taekman, Jeffrey M; Olufolabi, AJ (2004). "Time Management and the Role of a Simulation Coordinator". International Meeting on Medical Simulation, Albuquerque, NM.
  24. ^ Taekman, Jeffrey M; Segall, Noa; Hobbs, Gene W; Wright, Melanie C (2007). "3DiTeams – Healthcare team training in a virtual environment" (PDF). Anesthesiology. 107 :A2145. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-03-04. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
  25. ^ Taekman, Jeffrey M; Segall, Noa; Hobbs, Gene W; Wright, Melanie C (2008). "3DiTeams – Healthcare team training in a virtual environment". The Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. 3 (5 Supplement:112).
  26. ^ Taekman, Jeffrey M; Segall, Noa; Hobbs, Gene W; Wright, Melanie C (May 2, 2008). "3DiTeams – Healthcare team training in a virtual environment". Association of American Medical Colleges, Group on Information Resources; Professional Development Conference.
  27. ^ Caron, Nathalie (March 3, 2008). "Health Care Training Program 3DiTeams Becomes Critical New Tool". DigitalJournal.com. Retrieved 2013-04-03.
  28. ^ Wright MC, Phillips-Bute BG, Petrusa ER, Griffin KL, Hobbs GW, Taekman JM (January 2009). "Assessing teamwork in medical education and practice: relating behavioural teamwork ratings and clinical performance". Med Teach. 31 (1): 30–8. doi:10.1080/01421590802070853. PMC 6557133. PMID 18825572.
  29. ^ Ellis D, Hobbs G, Turner DA (November 2011). "Multidisciplinary trauma simulation for the general paediatrician". Med Educ. 45 (11): 1156–7. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2923.2011.04103.x. PMID 21936863. S2CID 7397692.
  30. ^ Taekman JM, Hobbs G, Barber L, Phillips-Bute BG, Wright MC, Newman MF, Stafford-Smith M (August 2004). "Preliminary report on the use of high-fidelity simulation in the training of study coordinators conducting a clinical research protocol". Anesth. Analg. 99 (2): 521–7, table of contents. doi:10.1213/01.ANE.0000132694.77191.BA. PMID 15271733. S2CID 41125759. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  31. ^ Wright MC, Taekman JM, Barber L, Hobbs G, Newman MF, Stafford-Smith M (December 2005). "The use of high-fidelity human patient simulation as an evaluative tool in the development of clinical research protocols and procedures". Contemp Clin Trials. 26 (6): 646–59. doi:10.1016/j.cct.2005.09.004. PMID 16226924.
  32. ^ staff. "Meet our staff". Clinical Skills and Patient Simulation Center. Retrieved 2014-12-19.
  33. ^ UNCsim. "UNCsim hits the Quality Fair".
  34. ^ Isaak, Robert; Chen, Fei; Hobbs, Gene; Martinelli, Susan M.; Stiegler, Marjorie; Arora, Harendra (2016). "Standardized Mixed-Fidelity Simulation for ACGME Milestones Competency Assessment and Objective Structured Clinical Exam Preparation". Medical Science Educator. 26 (3): 437–441. doi:10.1007/s40670-016-0277-0. ISSN 2156-8650. S2CID 77647625.
  35. ^ a b McNeal-Trice KA, Durham C, Alden K, Chuang A, Scolaro K, Hobbs GW, Tolleson-Rinehart S (April 19–23, 2017). "An Interprofessional Simulation Curriculum Designed to improve Communication and Teamwork Among Medical, Nursing, and Pharmacy Students". Southern Group on Educational Affairs (SGEA) of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Meeting.
  36. ^ Joyner BL, Blasius KR, Kellish A, Pumphrey MA, Hassing S, Hobbs GW, Willis TM (May 9–11, 2016). "Improving Code Sepsis Response Times with Hands-On Simulation versus an Electronic Alert". 8th International Pediatric Simulation Symposium and Workshops. Glasgow, UK.
  37. ^ "Yes, You Can! Using Simulation in Quality Improvement!". UNCsim. 2016-10-13.
  38. ^ "Optimizing Tarheel Trauma Care funded by IHQI". UNCsim. 2016-03-29.
  39. ^ Holtschneider, Mary Edel (2017). "Using Standardized Patients With Pediatric Scenarios in the Practice Setting". Journal for Nurses in Professional Development. 33 (3): 147–148. doi:10.1097/NND.0000000000000354. ISSN 2169-9798. PMID 28471999.
  40. ^ Read, Z (2016-01-14). "An Education in Medical Simulation".
  41. ^ Hobbs, Gene W (2015-11-02). Simulation research and the role of the simulation operations specialist In: Gantt L, Young HM (Eds.). Healthcare Simulation: A Guide for the Operations Specialist. Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118949412.
  42. ^ Stiegler M, Martinelli S, Chen F, Arora H, Hobbs GW, Isaak R. "Validity of Simulation-based Assessments for ACGME Milestone Achievement". Simulation in Healthcare: The Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. 11 (6 December 2016).
  43. ^ "Hobbs Recognized by SSH Simulation Operations and Technology Section".
  44. ^ UNC Neurosurgery (2017). "Good News December 2017".
  45. ^ Society for Human Resource Management. "Gene Hobbs".
  46. ^ staff (August 23, 2002). "NC Articles of Incorporation". Rubicon Foundation. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved 2013-04-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  47. ^ Davis, M (2008). "SPUMS website news". Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. 38 (1). Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-04.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  48. ^ staff (June 18, 2005). "UHMS Special Achievement Award Presented". Rubicon Foundation. Archived from the original on May 22, 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  49. ^ Hobbs, Gene W; Armstrong, Brian M; Armstrong, Heather C; Schreiber, Jeff S; Kaylor, Zeb M; Vann, Richard D (2007). "What Can The Medical Community Do For Technical Divers?". Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society Annual Meeting, Kapaluna, Maui Hawaii. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved 2013-04-04.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  50. ^ Salama, Asser (2010). "Accelerating no-fly time using surface oxygen". Tech Diving Mag (1). Retrieved 2013-04-04.
  51. ^ Citelli, Joe; Hobbs, Gene W (2012). "The Loop: Rooster Cogburn, Rebreather Diving and True Grit" (PDF). Underwater Speleology. 39 (3). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
  52. ^ Mitchell, Simon (September 30, 2008). "Re: Any advie for a pre-med student with aspirations of practicing hyperbaric medicin". TheDecoStop.com. Retrieved 2013-04-03.
  53. ^ a b Vartorella, Bill (September 16, 2005). "B-25 WWII plane retrieved from depths of Lake Murray". Columbia Star. Retrieved 2011-05-12.
  54. ^ Mega Movers (May 12, 2006). Mega Movers: B-25 Bomber DVD (DVD). History Channel.
  55. ^ "Rubicon Foundation: B-25c Project". Rubicon Foundation, Inc. Archived from the original on 2016-01-28. Retrieved 2011-05-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  56. ^ Hobbs, Gene W; Gault, KA (2009). "Decompression Risk Evaluation of Commercially Available Desktop Decompression Software Algorithms". Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine. 36 (4): 321. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-03.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  57. ^ staff. "Decompression Application Risk Assessment". Rubicon Foundation, Inc. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved 2013-04-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  58. ^ Sonne, Lisa (July 13, 2012). "Can diving benefit the health of breast cancer survivors?". DIVER Magazine. Retrieved 2013-04-03.
  59. ^ a b staff. "Project Pink Tank". Rubicon Foundation, Inc. Archived from the original on December 17, 2011. Retrieved 2013-04-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  60. ^ "Gene Hobbs's Photos". Facebook. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  61. ^ "gene_hobbs: Good to see you on here". Twitter. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  62. ^ Glass, Carol. "A Tribute To Andrew". Retrieved 2013-03-22.
  63. ^ "Andrew Hobbs Obituary". Fayetteville Observer. November 8, 2009. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
  64. ^ Rathod, Gayatri (2015-10-14). "Patient error and communication: TeamSTEPPS at UNC". Carolina Week.
edit