Page 76 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Winter 2014

Figure 14 SFMS’ reported confidence in their ability to Figure 17 Reported perceived need for more or less
sustain their medical skills in various medical areas. sustainment training in the various medical areas.

Figure 15 SFMS’ reported confidence to sustain their medical
skills in an “ideal” medical sustainment program. Ideal Medical Sustainment Program
SFMS reported that they consider the following char-
acteristics as more than quite important in a medical
sustainment program: provided by a subject-matter ex-
pert, always available, incorporates new technology, in-
cludes actual patient care, provided face-to-face with an
instructor, includes hands-on simulation, can be used as
a quick reference, and is incorporated into other train-
Need for Change ing events. Other characteristics that were considered
SFMS reported that the MPT program needed moderate between moderately important and quite important in-
changes and that the NTM needed just below moder- cluded the ability for medics to select the topics, local
ate changes. SOCMSSC only needed a little more than availability, practice questions, and performed in a clini-
slight change. No program needed significant or extreme cal setting (Figure 18).
change (Figure 16).
Discussion
SFMS reported, however, that they needed more sus-
tainment training in all areas of medicine. The top five While SFMS are well-trained medical technicians when
areas were anesthesia, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, they complete their initial medical training, failure to
chronic medical conditions, and clinical ultrasound. The sustain and build upon that knowledge leads to the de-
majority of medical areas were rated between a little cay of their medical knowledge and skills. 20,21 The cur-
more and moderately more (Figure 17). rent medical sustainment program for SFMS is designed
to sustain each SFMS’s medical knowledge and build
Figure 16 Reported perceived need to change the various upon their initial training through hospital experiences,
components of the current medical sustainment program. didactic medical lectures, and hands-on training and
certification. Time and other training demands, how-
ever, hinder the ability of SFMS to complete their medi-
cal sustainment training.

In this descriptive study, the attitudes and beliefs of cur-
rent SFMS provide insight into the operators’ perspec-
tive on the current medical sustainment program and
whether the program meets their perceived current and
future needs. As the war in Afghanistan continues to mi-
grate from combat operations to advise and assist mis-
sions, the role of SFMS will refocus on missions other

66 Journal of Special Operations Medicine Volume 14, Edition 4/Winter 2014