Page 130 - JSOM Winter 2017

An Ongoing Series

Mastering the Basics Makes the Best Medics in the World

An Interview With Shawn Kane, SWMG (A) Commander
and Dean of the JSOMTC

Interviewed by COL (Ret) Andre Pennardt, MD

Please provide our readers a brief overview of the high- refreshes SOCM [Special Operations Command]-level task.
lights of your Special Operations Forces (SOF) career. In 2018, we are looking to start the Special Forces Medical
Wow, tough one to answer, because there have been so Sargent Skills Sustainment Course. We are still working out
many opportunities, challenges, and, most importantly, great the details, but this course will be somewhere between 9 and
relationships. One of the highlights defi- 15 days and will refresh both SOCM skills and SFMS [Special
nitely has to be helping to set up the Forces Medical Sergeant]/SOIDC [Special Operations Inde-
CJSOTF-A [Combined Joint Special pendent Duty Corpsman] skills.
Operations Task Force-Afghanistan] in
Bagram back in late 2001 and early 2002. How does the JSOMTC staff ensure training materials re-
It was the Wild West, there was pretty main current and reflect changes in standards of medical
much nothing in Bagram, and to . . . help care?
establish the CJSOTF-A and the overall We don’t decide what we teach in a vacuum. Our customers
US footprint in the country was an awe- decide and tell us what knowledge, skills, and attributes they
COL Shawn Kane some opportunity. The other highlights want our grads to have. This information comes to us from the
are the Soldiers and the family members JMEAC [Joint Medical Enlisted Advisory Council] and from the
I have had the privilege to work with and care for—some truly 18D Critical Task Review Board. So, once we have an idea of
amazing people. what tasks we are gong to teach, we
“We need to make sure we develop lesson plans and a POI [plan
What are the greatest challenges of intent]. These materials are reviewed
you face as the Special Warfare Med- don’t live on our laurels.” by multiple personnel, from the course
ical Group (SWMG) (A) Commander directors, associate deans, and external
and Dean of the Joint Special Operations Medical Training subject matter experts.
Center (JSOMTC)?
The greatest challenge is to ensure we graduate the greatest The time frame of the training pipeline places limits on
number of medics possible while not sacrificing quality. Our what medical education can be provided. Which skills, if
forces are short medics, as well as other skills, so we need any, do you wish would receive greater focus in the cur-
to try [to] maximize our graduation rate. Another challenge rent curriculum?
is focusing on the basics. We are making “apprentice”-level I would love for our students to get more clinical hands-on
medics, not master medics. I think at times people get dis- time in an outpatient setting. Many times, there isn’t anything
tracted by the latest topic and gadget, and tend to move exciting about seeing patients in an outpatient setting, but
away from the basics. Mastering the basics is what makes our it’s a great way to teach and learn critical thinking and medi-
grads the best medics in the world. cal decision-making. Their trauma skills are excellent and, in
a perfect world, they would get more outpatient clinical ex-
In what ways does the JSOMTC ensure SOF medics main- pertise prior to graduation. But this gap is addressed in unit-
tain their skills and certifications? What steps do you take specific programs and MPT [medical proficiency training].
to disseminate lessons learned from the field?
The Special Operations Medics Skills Sustainment Course Are there changes you would like to see in the USSO-
(SOCMSSC) is how we do this. We run this 9-day course 20 COM Advanced Tactical Paramedic command certifica-
times a year and every graduate is required to come back tion program?
every 2 years. SOCMSSC covers all the requirements for ATP If there was one change that I would like it would be that
[Advanced Tactical Paramedic], refreshes the medics on the every ATP is trained here at the JSOMTC. In my opinion, we
basics of TCCC [Tactical Combat Casualty Care], and allows are slowly moving away from the goal of medical interoper-
for current lessons learned to be shared. SOCMSSC only ability that we have been working toward for years. It would

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