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If given the chance, I'd like to know what course or class you feel has helped your ability to be a medic the most? On deployments, what medications or gadgets helped you do your job the best? What training do you wish you would have had to help you out in a situation? Doyou have a good situation to talk about in a vignette format? What Army publication do you read the most of? Additionally keep up with post and conversations, as I promise follow ups with my questions and comments.
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Combat MedicCombat Developer
68W: Healthcare Specialist (Combat Medic)
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Combat MedicCombat Developer 68W: Healthcare Specialist (Combat Medic) Deployment Schools
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 8
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Hopefully I can get some responses on this if we can get past the "I'm a married E-5 pulling CQ on valentines day" ... This is a working avenue to be information used towards a MEDCOM effort that has FORSCOM and TRADOC star level visibility and implications. Make the most of your day people.
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SFC(P) (Join to see)
At the TRADOc level of advice...the Paramedic course would be a better COI than EMT Basic. Not only at the Military level, but for transistioning Soldiers after the Service. Greater knowledge base is a Combat Multiplier for our Force. Advances skills save lives and increase efficiency and productivity for Medics and their "patients".
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BCT3 was a fantastic course to go through as it's hard to beat live tissue training. Reading stuff in a book and having an instructor yell at you is all well and good, but to be able to actually see how fast hemorrhage can take place can really put your training in context and provide a serious motivator to complete tasks in a quick and efficient manner. When it comes to asking what type of further training I wish I had I'll always point to more of this.
For literature the Ranger Medic Handbook is the gold standard. If a medic can keep that memorized and execute what it teaches without thought then they're ahead of the power curve. Anatomy and Physiology books are always good too as there's always something new to learn. Also any literature explaining drug interactions. It's one thing to know the basics of a drug that every medic should know, but to actually understand what's going on biochemically can greatly benefit a medic practicing their trade.
For literature the Ranger Medic Handbook is the gold standard. If a medic can keep that memorized and execute what it teaches without thought then they're ahead of the power curve. Anatomy and Physiology books are always good too as there's always something new to learn. Also any literature explaining drug interactions. It's one thing to know the basics of a drug that every medic should know, but to actually understand what's going on biochemically can greatly benefit a medic practicing their trade.
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SFC (Join to see)
So I get it Live Tissue training (LTT) is what people love, but how many times does one person do that? I've completed TCMC, BCT3, and a lot of other LTT. I've probably done 5 swine and 7 goats. I've learned with that training, I'm really great at doing goats and pigs. Simman's are expensive and are really coming of age, since so much money is being dumped into that effort, I'm not sure if this the best way foward. I ask that you look them up before you say "no".
We've got a scope of practice (SOP) within our STPs, -800, TC3 standards, EMT, and local protocol. However there is a lot of lost information and standards that have vanished for a lot of units.
We've got a scope of practice (SOP) within our STPs, -800, TC3 standards, EMT, and local protocol. However there is a lot of lost information and standards that have vanished for a lot of units.
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SGT (Join to see)
TSgt David Holman, obviously yes. Medical necessity is why I added the so long as we can "justify it" comment. I'd never advocate for a medic to do something they have no idea how to do as a treatment method that isn't 100% called for.
SPC Scott Mayhew, I was just commenting on what I perceive to be a pretty large culture difference between National Guard medics and the active duty medics. All I was trying to say is that yeah it's a concern for you, and for good reason, but for us it's not even something discussed. The only thing that ever mattered in my unit(s) was whether you were competent and could justify your actions.
SFC (Join to see), I'm not sure if the type of simulator mannequin I've used in the past is the type you're referring to, so I'll hold off judgement until I look into it further. All I can say is that handling live flesh was a vastly different experience compared to any simulator I ever trained on. I only went through BCT3 once, but every medic that went through it with me commented afterwords that it was some of the best training they'd ever had. For context I went through the course in 2009 at Fort Campbell's Rascon School of Combat Medicine.
SPC Scott Mayhew, I was just commenting on what I perceive to be a pretty large culture difference between National Guard medics and the active duty medics. All I was trying to say is that yeah it's a concern for you, and for good reason, but for us it's not even something discussed. The only thing that ever mattered in my unit(s) was whether you were competent and could justify your actions.
SFC (Join to see), I'm not sure if the type of simulator mannequin I've used in the past is the type you're referring to, so I'll hold off judgement until I look into it further. All I can say is that handling live flesh was a vastly different experience compared to any simulator I ever trained on. I only went through BCT3 once, but every medic that went through it with me commented afterwords that it was some of the best training they'd ever had. For context I went through the course in 2009 at Fort Campbell's Rascon School of Combat Medicine.
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SFC (Join to see)
actually not all cadaver labs are costly, I think the idea to some commands is the "weird" part. San Marcos has a great one, this one gets you recently perished. Most get to you as close as four days after death. No homocides or weird siutational deaths but natural causes. They bleed with assistance of a machine, and it might cost 1000-1500 per a "cadaver". Goats and Pigs are cheaper to raise and sustain but it's the paper work that is costly in those cases.
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SPC (Join to see)
SFC (Join to see) - A group out of the University of Minnesota is working on a very realistic simman right now. I was one of the first people to run through their test before they opened the study army wide. I don't know the current status of the study or where it went from Lewis. I really enjoyed the test and the simulation was very well built.
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As a combat medic and a Paramedic I can tell you that any and all advanced classes will def set you up for success. BCT3, PHTLS, A&P, Live Tissue, ACLS, and def Pharmacology. Know your meds. I've seen too many medics that don't understand basic medications and dosages.
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SFC(P) (Join to see)
Good call, Branch. Pharmocology is a great one. Understanding your meds and the their effect on the various systems will keep Joes alive.
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I have just completed the army's new flight paramedic course. I was a flight medic with a combat deployment prior to this course.
Pros. The course is civilian taught and College based at a building away from big army so we can consentrate on the material. The instruction is straight forward and great for some of the inexperienced medics. The course itself has a perfect layout between chapters of the book, clinical experience and didactic training.
Civilian instructors are very experienced and knowledgeable in the field.
Clinicals with San Antonio Fire during your paramedic course is perfect. It gives all of the active medics the ability to use critical thinking with medical patient.
Also the clinical rotation in all areas of University Hospital are amazing and have very willing to teach staff if you are willing to learn.
CONS. The army side
PT at 0450 to 0600 back to barracks to get ready for school. Leave 0700 for your 1hr drive in the San Antonio traffic to get to school by 0800 class from 0800 to 1700 then your 1hr drive back to the base. 1800 you get back and senior leadership of course want you to some how study your 3 chapters for that night and do pt on your own before going to bed at 10. Something has to go and your there for school not PRT at 0450 that has no benefit for experienced soldiers.
No pay for in and aroumd mileage driving for pov to and from school and to and from clinical sited that are 45 mins away from base.
The base need to rethink there punish all because of one policy.
The no drinking policy for prior service "really" and for people living off post Also.
Pros. The course is civilian taught and College based at a building away from big army so we can consentrate on the material. The instruction is straight forward and great for some of the inexperienced medics. The course itself has a perfect layout between chapters of the book, clinical experience and didactic training.
Civilian instructors are very experienced and knowledgeable in the field.
Clinicals with San Antonio Fire during your paramedic course is perfect. It gives all of the active medics the ability to use critical thinking with medical patient.
Also the clinical rotation in all areas of University Hospital are amazing and have very willing to teach staff if you are willing to learn.
CONS. The army side
PT at 0450 to 0600 back to barracks to get ready for school. Leave 0700 for your 1hr drive in the San Antonio traffic to get to school by 0800 class from 0800 to 1700 then your 1hr drive back to the base. 1800 you get back and senior leadership of course want you to some how study your 3 chapters for that night and do pt on your own before going to bed at 10. Something has to go and your there for school not PRT at 0450 that has no benefit for experienced soldiers.
No pay for in and aroumd mileage driving for pov to and from school and to and from clinical sited that are 45 mins away from base.
The base need to rethink there punish all because of one policy.
The no drinking policy for prior service "really" and for people living off post Also.
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BCT3, TC3, CMAST, the EMT portion of your AIT is OK, but any kind of Advanced Life Support classes. Take Civilian courses relating to trauma and medical calls. Pharmacology is good, A&P 1 and 2 at a college. You'll have varied answers based on varied experiences. Someone that was outside the wire will have a different experience and skill set than someone stuck in a BAS or Role 1,2,or 3. My beat advice is get a indepth understanding of the body and how the systems work independently and in unison. When you know how it works, it's easier to fix or atabilize.
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Having just gotten out of AIT and going to my unit, books such as Ranger Medic Handbook and online training at 68Wtraining.com (may be wrong URL) have really helped. Learning from my leadership has also helped. I'm getting ready to deploy and hope out pre deployment training is just as good as what I've received thus far.
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SFC (Join to see)
Would you be interested in letting me know what you do for predeployment? Also what part of the world are you heading to?
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PFC (Join to see)
We haven't started the training yet, but I know we will be going to Fort Sam for 3 weeks for training. Ask me in a few months and I can get more details. We're an ambulance platoon heading to Afghanistan.
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I had the chance to attend the 300F-1 course, that was great training. If only that would be available to more medics.
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SFC (Join to see)
What about the course was good, and what other courses cover this same type of task list?
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Looks like I have this huge trending post now developing a lot of information. I need some assistance here, as there are only really a few people talking. Be sure to invite your friends or comrades in on this talk.
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