DIMO strengthening medical ties worldwide

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Benjamin Silva
  • 59th Medical Wing Public Affairs
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  Defense Institute for Medical Operations officials recently sent out an eight-person team to head-up and teach an aeromedical evacuation and critical-care transport course in Ankara, Turkey.

The five-day course provided the advanced training necessary to care for critically ill or injured patients in a rigorous environment of flight.

“This course is designed to accommodate 24 students at a time,” said Maj. (Dr.) Richard Conte, the team’s co-chief. “The Turkish military requested two back-to-back courses so that they could have 45 military members trained. DIMO [officials] reconfigured this course to accommodate 45 students by adding two instructors and one extra day to the course. This initiative benefited both the Turkish military and DIMO by cutting the costs, instructors needed and (temporary duty) days in half.”

The 45 Turkish medics taught, were physicians, nurses and medical technicians at the Gulhane Military Medical Academy in Ankara, Turkey.

“Turkish medical personnel already have the capabilities to transport patients in peace time environments, but (because of) real-world terrorist threats, they needed training on how to evacuate patients in an austere environment,” Dr. Conte said.

The first four days of curriculum included training, tabletop exercises and hands-on equipment stations. It ended with a simulated patient mission exercise. During this exercise, the students were divided into teams and assigned a patient scenario using live animals as simulated patients. These animals were constantly monitored ensuring they were treated humanely at all times.

Students received their patients from a holding facility, a simulated expeditionary medical support center, combat support hospital or mobile aeromedical staging facility where they prepared the patients for flight. Each team loaded their patient into a field ambulance and drove them to a helicopter. The patients were loaded onto the helicopter where patient-care scenarios were added. While the actual flight was simulated, the team performed a four-man litter carry from the helicopter to a C-160 cargo aircraft.

“Once all the patients have been loaded onto the C-160, the doors and ramp are closed, the lights are dimmed, and the (emergency power units) are fired up creating the stressors of flight as close to real world as we can get,” Dr. Conte said. “In this environment, the teams are given emergency scenarios to deal with. The exercise is terminated after the C-160’s simulated landing.”

Other Turkish aircraft used during the course included a CN-235, which is a Turkish dedicated medical transport aircraft, and an HH-60 medical evacuation helicopter.

“The Turkish people were real receptive and thankful for us teaching them, and I’m proud that I was able to be a part of it,” said Tech. Sgt. Scott Woodcox, team respiratory therapist from the 59th Medical Wing at Wilford Hall Medical Center here.

The course is only one of many courses offered by DIMO. Other courses include HIV/AIDS planning/policy development, trauma and critical-care pararescue and health law and ethics to name a few.

“DIMO courses bring people of various countries together to help build a common base of understanding among dedicated health-care professionals,” said Lt. Gen. (Dr.) George Peach Taylor Jr., Air Force surgeon general.

Other team members were: Lt. Col. (Dr.) Todd Carter, co-team chief; Lt. Col. (Dr.) Ronald Pauldine, physician; Capt. Jerry McCartney, nurse; Maj. (Dr.) Darvin Chin, physician; Tech. Sgt. Timothy Carentz, respiratory therapist; and Master Sgt. Marcus Vigil, animal lab clinician.