Meet Dr. Todd Larsen from Code Black Movie

Dr. Todd Larsen is an assistant medical director at St. John's Regional Medical Center and St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital in Ventura County.  He has worked there since graduating from the Emergency Medicine residency at LAC-USC in 2009.  His focus is on Pre-hospital Care, Education, and Quality Assurance. "In the midst of the chaos...I got my education that allowed me to practice medicine how I do." Sonosite interviews Dr. Todd Larsen from Code Black Movie, whose role in the film is portrayed as the calm, collected, senior resident. Dr. Larsen shares that in fact the director Ryan McGarry was Dr. Larsen's med student. As a result, Dr. Larsen is a brief feature of the film.

It was a very complimentary little montage that they put together, of things that no one ever gets to see yourself do.

Dr. Larsen also had the advantage of being the last senior class in the old facilities of LA County Hospital, in C-Booth.

Dr. Larsen shares about his training in C-Booth: "I think that all the classes before me, my class especially, drew a lot from that experience." When asked about the experience of watching himself in the film, Dr. Larsen claims he was not critiquing himself. "It was really neat to be able to experience this movie and go back a little bit in time and see C-Booth in action." Instead, he says,

You never see yourself in that position, and no one else ever sees you in that position...so seeing that on the screen...It was really cool...

Dr. Larsen also gives insight into the doctor's perspective on healthcare, especially with the last interview question. Sonosite asks Dr. Larsen what he hopes audiences will get out of the film.

Dr. Larsen shares openly his opinions regarding healthcare reform, a hot topic among doctors and the public alike.

"Is healthcare a right?...If it is a right, and I really truly believe that we should provide basic healthcare for everyone, we need to figure out a delivery system that's fair, that we don't inundate hospitals with everybody because there is no other place for them to turn." Dr. Larsen hopes, he tells us, that discussion surrounding healthcare discussions, are more intelligent, that the bar is raised about them, after having watched this film. Unique to this interview, Dr. Todd Larsen has experience outside of LA County Hospital. Sonosite asks for a comparison between LA County and other hospitals, and Dr. Larsen explains that there are practices that happen only at LA County Hospital.

 I think that's another hugely valuable role of these institutions, is that they train young physicians like are profiled in the movie, and they come out with skillsets that you don't get if you practice at UCLA.

Watch the Code Black Movie Trailer