Page 119 - JSOM Summer 2019

An Ongoing Series

Introduction to the NATO Special Operations
Combat Medic Research Ongoing Series

Adrian Murphy, MD, MRCS, FFSEM, FRCEM, PhD

ince 2017, the International Special Operations Training has a long tradition of teaching, research, and scholarship.
Centre (ISTC), Pfullendorf, Germany, and University UCC provides NSOCM students with a world class, student-
SCollege Cork (UCC), Ireland, have partnered to de- centered, and evidence-based medical education, informed by
liver the first academically accredited Special Operations operational needs. This allows for students to mature in pur-
Forces (SOF) medical training program internationally. suit of clinical excellence and develops critical thinkers with an
Graduates who successfully complete the NATO Special Op- enthusiasm for lifelong learning.
erations Combat Medic (NSOCM) course are now awarded a
university-accredited Diploma in Military Special Operations Developing NSOCM students’ research skills is an integral
Medical Care. component of this course. Students are given the necessary
tools to source and appraise relevant medical literature and
The ISTC NSOCM course aims to transform the SOF Opera- develop the core skills required to perform their own research
tor/first responder into a SOF combat medic with an ad- study. Students are then tasked with producing a study proto-
vanced and broad-based scope of practice to effectively treat col and undertaking de novo reseach in an area of their inter-
life-threatening injuries and illness in the austere, hostile, est. The following series is intended to highlight their efforts
and tactical settings. Not only do students gain a robust ed- and is very much a reflection of the evolving academic devel-
ucation in assessing and treating the immediate threat to life, opment of the SOF medic.
but this course also teaches the critical skills required to sus-
tain life throughout the prolonged field care phase of patient Acknowledgments
management. The assistance of Mike Hetzler (Lecturer, School of Medicine,
UCC), Alan O’Brien (Security and Defence Medicine, Pro-
UCC is ranked in the top 2% of universities internationally. gramme Coordinator, UCC), and the extended staff at ISTC
The School of Medicine at UCC was founded in 1849 and Medical Branch is gratefully acknowledged.

Correspondence to adrian.murphy@ucc.ie
Dr Murphy is a consultant in emergency medicine and prehospital emergency care and a senior lecturer in emergency medicine at the School of
Medicine, University College Cork, Ireland.

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