COL Clifford Cloonan, MD, FACEP

Syllabus

 

I. Lecture Title: Training and Sustaining of Special Operations Medics/Corpsmen within the Department of Defense – COL Clifford Cloonan, MD, FACEP

II. The pre-requisites, selection, and medical training and sustainment of Special Operations Forces (SOF) medics/corpsmen at the Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center (JSOMTC) is discussed as is SOF medic/corpsmen performance on standardized examinations to include EMT-B/P and ACLS. The clinical experience provided to students in NYC and in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area EMS stations and hospitals is covered and the utilization of advanced technologies, to include the use of human patient simulators and computer based/Internet based instruction, is also discussed.

 

  1. Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this presentations participants will be able to:

  1. State the pre-requisites, selection process, and training sequence of SOF medics/corpsmen
  2. Generally compare SOF medic performance on standardized examinations to that of other groups of health care providers
  3. Describe the clinical experience that is afforded to SOF medics/corpsmen in NYC, Tampa – St. Petersburg, and in military hospitals and, in general, quantify the magnitude of that experience in numbers of patients seen and procedures done.
  4. Describe, in general, the use of advanced technologies at the Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center to facilitate the medical training of SOF medics/corpsmen.

 

  1. Discussion

A. History of the Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center

    1. Pre-requisites and selection process for attendance in the Special Operations Combat Medic Course (SOCM) and Special Forces Medical Sergeants Course (SFMS)
    2. Training and sustainment of Special Operations Combat Medics and Special Forces Medics
    3. Performance of SOF medic/corpsmen candidates on standardized examinations
    4. Clinical training for SOF medics/corpsmen in initial and sustainment training
    5. Use of simulations, computer based instruction (CBI), and other "advanced" technologies

V. Summary: The JSOMTC is a "state-of-the-art" medical training facility with a worldclass instructor cadre and a highly selected and motivated student body. As documented by performance on a number of standardized, nationally recognized, examinations SOF medics/corpsmen are some of the best pre-hospital personnel in the U.S. and are among the best combat medics/corpsmen in the world. Clinical training in some of the highest patient volume urban medical systems in the U.S. provides an invaluable contribution to SOF medic/corpsmen training. The on-going introduction of simulations, CBI, and other "advanced" technologies into the training program promises to even further advance the quality of training provided to these students.