The Surface Warfare Medical Institute (SWMI) welcomed the Vietnam Ministry of Health for a tour of the Independent Duty Corpsman (IDC) Program, Dec. 20.

The ministry visitors were military and civilian personnel interested in establishing a mid-level provider program. A view into the IDC program will help the ministry in their Coastal Medicine Initiative decreed by President of Vietnam Trần ại Quang. This initiative will provide medical care, emergency services and disaster response/relief to the people along the coast, at sea, and on the neighboring islands of Vietnam. IDCs are adept at all these tasks and insight into this program could have broad relevance to the interests of the Vietnamese people, as well as their neighbors.

During the tour, the Ministry of Health was offered a brief of an IDC's scope of practice, their expertise in humanitarian missions, trauma and internal medicine. Before departing, the party expressed their gratitude, declaring the tour a great success. Once again SWMI was able to showcase the comprehensive and far-reaching responsibilities of the IDC for a visiting nation, and we hope it will promote Vietnam's long term health care goals.

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