For more than thirty years, Dr. Martin A. Schreiber, MD, has worked at the intersection of trauma and innovation. A colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and longtime professor of surgery at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). He built a career on one question: How do you keep people alive when everything is against them?
Whether in a military or civilian setting, his strength has always come from knowledge, guidance, and a calm hand in moments of crisis.
Clinical and Surgical Expertise
Martin Schreiber, MD, spent more than ten years at Oregon Health & Science University, where he led the Division of Trauma, Critical Care, and Acute Surgery.
At OHSU’s Division of Trauma, Critical Care, and Acute Surgery, Schreiber served as Chief of Trauma, Critical Care, and Acute Surgery and Professor of Surgery, leading one of the nation’s busiest trauma programs.
His expertise includes hemorrhagic shock, brain injury, and damage-control surgery, which are central to both battlefield and hospital care. He focused on improving outcomes through better systems, faster decision-making, and smarter resource use.
At 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road (Mail Code L611), his team at OHSU tested and refined new methods for blood transfusion and prehospital care. These were not just academic studies but practical solutions that could save lives in any setting.
Schreiber’s early work in surgical critical care shaped how doctors manage bleeding and shock. His studies on whole-blood transfusion showed that using a single full unit of blood could be safer and more effective than separating its components. That approach, once standard in wartime, is now used again in civilian hospitals.
He also contributed to research on traumatic brain injury, emphasizing how early control of bleeding and careful fluid management can prevent further damage. His methods have become part of modern trauma training across the country.
Professional Background and Credentials
Schreiber earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago in 1984 and his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1988. He completed his surgical residency and trauma and critical care fellowship at the University of Washington.
He has served in both military and civilian leadership roles. Including Chief of Surgery for the 31st and 228th Combat Support Hospitals and Director of the Joint Theater Trauma System for U.S. Central Command. As a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, he led surgical teams in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Central America.
In the military, he was responsible for building data systems that tracked injuries, surgeries, and outcomes in real time. These systems helped doctors identify which treatments worked best and improved survival rates for soldiers with severe injuries.
In civilian medicine, he became a leading voice for research in hemorrhagic shock, trauma resuscitation, and outcomes improvement. He has authored more than 300 research papers published in The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, Transfusion, and Military Medicine.
His qualifications reflect a rare mix of frontline experience and academic depth, uniting both sides of trauma care.
Institutional Affiliations
At Oregon Health & Science University, Schreiber built a trauma division that became a national model for research and readiness.
He also served as an adjunct professor of surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He trained and mentored military doctors preparing for deployment.
Under his direction, OHSU partnered with the Department of Defense to study prehospital blood transfusion, damage-control resuscitation, and austere surgical care. Schreiber’s work connected the needs of civilian hospitals with the realities of combat medicine. Closing the gap between research and real-world application.
Conference Participation and Speaking Engagements
Schreiber has been a respected voice at national and international medical conferences. He has spoken at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress, the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, and the Military Health System Research Symposium.
His lectures often focus on practical lessons from the field, showing how military innovation can strengthen civilian care. He explains complex ideas in simple terms, encouraging collaboration between surgeons, medics, and policymakers.
At the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, he continues to guide new generations of trauma professionals. Many of his former students now hold key positions in trauma centers and military hospitals worldwide.
Bridging War and Medicine
When Schreiber first deployed to Iraq, trauma care lacked consistency. Each hospital worked in isolation, and lessons from one battlefield rarely reached another. He helped change that.
By leading the Joint Theater Trauma System, Schreiber created a unified network where data and experience flowed across military units. This allowed doctors to adjust quickly, adopting new techniques based on real outcomes.
The results were measurable. Survival rates for critically injured soldiers improved year after year. Many of the same methods, such as early blood transfusion and rapid evacuation, are now standard practice in civilian trauma care.
At OHSU, Schreiber carried these lessons home. He helped build systems that mirror the speed and structure of military medicine. Proving that readiness is not just for war zones but also for everyday emergencies.
Research and Publications
Throughout his career, Dr. Martin Schreiber has focused on what happens in the first few minutes after injury, the critical period when resuscitation decisions determine survival. His studies have guided trauma teams toward safer, more efficient ways to replace lost blood, control bleeding, and protect the brain.
A Controlled Resuscitation Strategy
In one landmark investigation, Schreiber led a multicenter study titled “A Controlled Resuscitation Strategy Is Feasible and Safe in Hypotensive Trauma Patients.” The research tested whether trauma patients with dangerously low blood pressure could safely receive smaller, more targeted volumes of fluid instead of the large infusions traditionally given. The results showed that controlled resuscitation not only worked but also reduced the risk of fluid overload and other complications later. These findings helped shift modern trauma care toward precision rather than volume.
Balancing Blood Components
Schreiber also co-authored “Transfusion of Plasma, Platelets, and Red Blood Cells in a 1:1:1 vs a 1:1:2 Ratio and Mortality in Patients With Severe Trauma.” This pivotal trial compared two blood transfusion ratios to determine which was more effective at saving lives in patients with massive bleeding. The study showed that a balanced 1:1:1 ratio led to improved clotting and lower mortality, shaping transfusion protocols across both military and civilian trauma systems.
Tranexamic Acid and Brain Injury
Another major milestone came with Schreiber’s leadership in “Effect of Out-of-Hospital Tranexamic Acid vs Placebo on 6-Month Functional Neurologic Outcomes in Patients With Moderate or Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.” The study evaluated whether early administration of tranexamic acid, a drug that helps prevent blood clot breakdown, could improve long-term neurological recovery. The results demonstrated meaningful benefits and changed how both military medics and emergency responders worldwide manage traumatic brain injury before hospital arrival.
Hemorrhage Control and Innovation
In “Haemorrhage Control in Severely Injured Patients,” Schreiber and his colleagues examined strategies to stop bleeding quickly and effectively in complex trauma cases. Their findings reinforced the importance of early surgical intervention, rapid access to blood products, and coordinated team responses, all central ideas behind the damage-control resuscitation model that Schreiber helped establish.
Modeling the Human Response to Shock
Schreiber’s work on “Digital Twin Mathematical Models Suggest Individualized Hemorrhagic Shock Resuscitation Strategies” was based on his interest in advanced technology. This study investigated the use of digital twin modeling, or computerized simulations of patient physiology, in creating personalized treatment plans for hemorrhagic shock. The research paved the way for personalized, data-driven care by forecasting the impact of various resuscitation methods on individual patients.
Understanding Trauma-Induced Coagulopathy
Schreiber also co-authored “Clinical and Mechanistic Drivers of Acute Traumatic Coagulopathy,” a detailed analysis of how severe injury disrupts the body’s ability to form clots. The study identified key biochemical triggers behind trauma-related bleeding disorders, giving clinicians new tools to detect and treat acute coagulopathy early.
Education and Mentorship
As Professor of Surgery, Schreiber viewed teaching as part of his duty. He trained hundreds of residents and fellows, many of whom now lead trauma centers across the country.
He emphasized teamwork over hierarchy and often reminded his trainees that trauma care succeeds only when everyone performs in sync. His teaching style blended science with empathy, showing that good surgeons are defined not just by skill but by calm judgment under pressure.
Through his involvement with the American College of Surgeons, he helped develop national trauma verification standards and hospital readiness programs.
Legacy of Steady Change
Having completed his tenure at Oregon Health & Science University, Dr. Schreiber continues to advance trauma research and military medicine through national projects and mentorship programs.
Dr. Schreiber’s research shaped new standards for blood transfusion and resuscitation. His leadership improved both military and civilian trauma systems. His mentorship continues to guide the next generation of surgeons and medics.
For Martin Schreiber, every advancement has one goal: giving the next patient a better chance than the last.