Your role as a trauma surgery PA

[theswordfish]

Hi there!  I just started a trauma surgery position at a level 2 trauma center and so far I am loving it. I love shift work (before i was in private practice general surgery) and the surgeons are all great to work with.   Right now they are doing some changes in management and infrastructure, which is great because I can get my say/opinion in and create my own role.   The previous PA that has been with this group has been doing only rounds and paperwork. I would rather not be a scribe with order privileges and am interested in expanding my skill set and learning more procedures.   I have not being doing much ICU work yet, but that is in the works, and with my new schedule (15  10-hr shifts/month)  I have a lot more time to study on my own so I anticipate being able to pick it up quickly.  There are no residents so nobody else to compete with. The only thing I need to do is convince the docs to let me do things they are used to doing without any help. 

For those of you in trauma surgery, what procedures do you do? If any are with an MD, what is your role?  How do you fit that in  (as well as OR assisting) with your rounding responsibilities?  Do they call you to do something or do you push for them to let you help?  Do you help with trauma codes in the ER?  If so, what is your role?   

Thanks!!!