Peking University, January 27, 2022: China's rapid response medical team for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics is ready for action. More than 70 doctors and rescuers will provide emergency medical care for athletes such as alpine skiers. Sun Tianyuan talked to one of the team members to find out what he signed up for.
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Bai Peng from PKU Third Hospital
When you're speeding downhill at up to 150 kilometers per hour, any mishap could be devastating. But alpine skiers at this year's Winter Olympics are in good hands.
Meet the crew – China's emergency medical team for the Beijing Games, also known as "doctors on skis". Bai Peng is one of them.
Bai Peng Alpine Skiing Medical Care Team "I'm a huge aficionado of the sport. I've been skiing for 12 years and I always feel free like the wind, gliding on the snow, under the blue sky. I simply can't resist the feeling of being able to go anywhere I want."
In 2018, when China was recruiting the team, Bai thought, hey, why not make full use of his hobby.
Bai Peng Alpine Skiing Medical Care Team "So I took the test and passed it. I'm glad that I could apply my professional skills with my hobby."
Bai's regular job at Peking University Third Hospital doesn't require carrying a 15 kilogram-med kit all the time.
But on the snow, the doctor literally brings the entire emergency room to the patient.
Bai Peng Alpine Skiing Medical Care Team "Here are some bandages that we could use to stop the bleeding. Some appliances may not be used in one in a hundred scenarios. But it could be the one the patient's life depends on. So we have to prepare for all kinds of situations."
Be it an ankle sprain or a coma, the doctors must arrive at the scene within four minutes using a technique called side slipping.
Bai Peng Alpine Skiing Medical Care Team "Normally that helps you move slowly down the slope horizontally. But it's still too fast on challenging slopes and an icy snow surface. We had several incidents and injuries over the past three years of training."
Aside from defying gravity and the challenging terrain, the staff also have to deal with the extreme cold in the mountains.
Bai Peng Alpine Skiing Medical Care Team "You can't feel your fingers in just 30 seconds. So you must make a quick assessment of the condition and begin treating the injured, then clear the site and get out of there."
Their team – built from scratch – is a newcomer in the field of snow sports professional medical care. But they are ready, with the art of healing.
