The staff of the Healthcare Simulation and Bio Skills Training Center at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth continually proves they are trailblazers of military medicine through their dedication to medical education and readiness.

The Combat Extremity Surgery Course held Nov. 19 - 20 was no exception.

The Combat Extremity Surgery Course provides deploying surgeons, combat medics and corpsmen the skills necessary to manage extremity trauma.

The skills taught at the course teach these medical teams to provide care on the battlefield and prepare them to treat an extensive array of conditions. Topics in the course include pelvis disruptions, spine injuries, external fixation principles, combat amputations, limb salvage, blast trauma, pediatric trauma, vascular access and emergency shunting of the extremities and burn management.

"We have members from the direct medical field with the physicians, as well as physician extenders with physician assistants and PA fellows," said Lt. Mike Pullen, chief orthopedic surgeon resident at NMCP and a participant in the course. "We have residents, as well as other medics and people who participate along the chain of the medical commands. So we are not just educating physicians, but also physician extenders and other front line personnel, such as medics and corpsmen, so that we are prepared for combat."

This course speaks volumes to the superior medical education provided at NMCP.

During the course, participants were able to practice many of the techniques that could be required on the battlefield by practicing with cadaver limbs. The course allowed the practical application of external fixation principals - external fixation may be used to keep fractured bones stabilized and in alignment. This technique is used as a damage control measure and is an effective initial stabilization procedure for combat-related fractures.

"This course is important because it educates us on the type of injuries that we may encounter should we be deployed," said Lt. Cmdr. Brian Mannino, chief orthopedic surgery resident at NMCP and a participant in the course. "It also reinforces a lot of the principals that we learn throughout our residency in regards to damage control orthopedics and the multiple-trauma injured patient."

Ensuring that the right people with the right capabilities are continually ready to deploy in support of the Navy and Marine Corps enhances the medical readiness of our operation forces and allows the medical team to provide optimal support during the continuum of deployment, which can primarily be achieved through courses like this one.

According to Mannino, many surgeons are likely to be deployed to austere environments where they are asked to care for the trauma-injured, battle-wounded patient, and training makes them as ready as they can be when they are placed in the situation.

Reflecting and promoting the culture of jointness between the services, more than 60 surgeons, physician's assistants, combat medics and corpsmen from all branches of the armed forces attended the course from locations throughout Hampton Roads and the East Coast.

"Ultimately, we all have one goal and that is to take care of our injured Sailors, Marines, Soldiers and Airmen," Mannino said. "In order for us to be prepared to do so, there needs to be crosstalk throughout the different branches and break down barriers to allow us to share information freely and in an open environment."

Spanned over two days and about 18 training hours, the course has been approved for 14 American Medical Association Physician's Recognition Award category one credits.

The AMA PRA and the related credit system recognize physicians who demonstrate their commitment to staying current with advances in medicine by participating in certified continuing medical education activities.

Pullen agrees that deploying surgeons, combat medics and corpsmen alike gained valuable skills and knowledge from taking this course.

"There a number of things I gained from the completion of this course; first, a better understanding of how to manage war extremity trauma, which is much different than the civilian trauma that we primarily see." Pullen said, "And secondly, a better appreciation for how complex the injuries are, so we are prepared to handle these things."

For more news from Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, visit www.navy.mil/local/NMCP/.