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Volunteer International Trauma Team opportunity


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Emed - if you haven't gotten to the online terrorism training yet, have fun. The site crashed on me at least 20 times mid training. Set aside a block of 2 hours to do that part in one sitting.

 

I was wondering how the team was doing over there with the new offensive for the western city. Sounds like things are pretty intense. Anyone not concerned about safety would be crazy.

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Just back from Iraq. 34 hrs in transit.  DogLovingPA was also on my team. we had 2 docs, 2 PAs, 1 NP, 3 RNs, and 1 paramedic. very intense experience. more serious trauma in 2 weeks than in my 30 year career as an EMPA, including during a 5 week trauma surgery rotation as a student. multiple GSWs and serious burns almost every day. We were 1-2km from the front lines and could hear almost constant gunfire, rockets, mortars, etc. We were colocated with an Iraqi special forces unit. we divided into 3 teams and rotated major cases 24/7 with everyone picking up the minor stuff as it came in. We had 4 acute beds and 4 minor beds, which could be used as swing beds when we had > 4 serious pts at once. The goal was to have all pts in/out in 15 min with bleeding/pain controlled, abx on board, major wounds/burns dressed,airway issues addressed, chest tubes, needle decompressions, etc  we lived/worked in an abandoned house, which had previously been used by ISIS as a sniper position. our room had sandbags against the windows.

trying to adjust to being home and catching up on all the stuff that has piled up over the last 18 days.

Another great experience with NYCMedics. They are still recruiting for additional teams through the end of august.

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18 hours ago, DogLovingPA said:

Great experience.  I miss Mosul already.  Not to mention it is strange to be eating my eggs all alone in the morning and with a fork.

and only having one breakfast instead of 4 each day....I miss it too. wish I could have stayed the extra week until the close of hostilities. The team is hanging out at a small village on the Tigris swimming now.

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You mentioned that the experience requirements are firm.  Can you imagine an exception if a year of experience includes an EM fellowship? Additionally, I do have combat MOS experience.

 

This is not me asking with anticipation that I will go; more like me keeping ALL options open.

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9 minutes ago, dphy83 said:

You mentioned that the experience requirements are firm.  Can you imagine an exception if a year of experience includes an EM fellowship? Additionally, I do have combat MOS experience.

 

This is not me asking with anticipation that I will go; more like me keeping ALL options open.

yes, an em fellowship would qualify. they started recruiting TODAY for the next 3 missions in the city of Tal Afar(another ISIS stronghold). deployments start august 1.

A 2 day TCCC or TECC course fulfills the tactical trauma training requirement.

I can't do teams 1-3 due to prior work commitments and a Haiti trip in Oct, but may do a later trip if they expand into 2018.

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17 minutes ago, EMEDPA said:

yes, an em fellowship would qualify. they started recruiting TODAY for the next 3 missions in the city of Tal Afar(another ISIS stronghold). deployments start august 1.

A 2 day TCCC or TECC course fulfills the tactical trauma training requirement.

I can't do teams 1-3 due to prior work commitments and a Haiti trip in Oct, but may do a later trip if they expand into 2018.

Thanks for the info. I would not be able to do anything until December but will keep this info in mind. May look for a TCCC type course in the meantime.

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This group obviously seems to be active in Iraq as of now, but what are their activities outside of that area? There seems to consistently be enough need around the world (eg. Africa) that they could stay busy. Just wondering in case I am not in a situation to make it to Iraq with this group before they stop sending teams.

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On Monday, July 24, 2017 at 8:01 AM, dphy83 said:

This group obviously seems to be active in Iraq as of now, but what are their activities outside of that area? There seems to consistently be enough need around the world (eg. Africa) that they could stay busy. Just wondering in case I am not in a situation to make it to Iraq with this group before they stop sending teams.

They are mostly a disaster response organization and work closely with the W.H.O., however they also do some ems training in the developing world. they have trained medics in Kenya, Malawi, and El Salvador.

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