3GeronimoPA Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 Folks, I just finished up the Army's Tactical Combat Medical Care course. I can say that this is the course for shoring up trauma skills for both point of injury and Role I/II trauma management. It's a lot of seasoned PAs teaching this course and it trains you on and makes you perform advanced hemorrhage control, airway management, tension pneumo mgt, and hypothermia management in great detail, with large amounts of hands on. It goes into great detail to meet the shortcomings of most PA programs such as RSI and field blood transfusions among other things. There were Docs and PAs in the room though Brigade Nurses, NP's, and sister service PAs are all welcome to attend. It's a must for anyone who wants to do point of injury care or Role I/II management of trauma. It's a legal must for all deploying PA's in the Army. Irreplaceable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andohert Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 What's up Nate? Looking forward to going in about 2 weeks, followed by a trip to the beach soon after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3GeronimoPA Posted October 31, 2010 Author Share Posted October 31, 2010 Not much. I got my Airborne Infantry gig I wanted. I just finished up a FTX up in the Yukon area outside of Fairbanks. It was so cold up there I had to sleep with my aftershave lotion in my sleeping bag or it would freeze up. It was a 10 day squad/platoon level training deal. I ran the med platoon through some trauma scenarios and of course the usual bumps, scrapes, bruises, and DT's. We were supposed to jump in but in typical fashion the C-17 we were flying up on was broke so we had to pull a U-ie and wait.... I was in the harness with a 100lbs ruck hanging off my chest for 7 hours before someone decided that we couldn't jump and would have to land at Eileson AFB. I'm glad I dehydrated myself good before jumping so I didn't piss myself. I'll be hanging out doing my usual 0600-1800x5 day weeks until early spring. Then going to Thailand for some training and then we're in the whole pre-deployment (field, field, JRTC, leave) pipeline for sometime late next year (no one gripe OPSEC. the Army Times just published a BCT deployment timeline for the next 2 years so it ain't super-secret G-14 classified). I may do some locum tenens stuff up here so I can make some bank. Alaska is awesome if you don't mind the cold. If you are ever up for fishing some red salmon early next summer, let me know. Enjoy TCMC. You'll feel real smart coming out of there. Take notes on their little tips and tricks. You'll be glad you did when you read back over that stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwells78 Posted October 31, 2010 Share Posted October 31, 2010 Here's a question- did you have any guard guys in your class when you went? I am looking to do this class as soon as humanly possible after I DC/ OBLC... Needless to say- I am stoked. J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3GeronimoPA Posted October 31, 2010 Author Share Posted October 31, 2010 No, our guard guys had to schedule a course independent of BOLC. One typically follows BOLC so there is no reason why you couldn't get on the TCMC website on AKO and get the course scheduled. I'd stay down there if I could and do it that way. If not, you'll have to go home and then come back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andohert Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Nate- sounds like a good time! I tried to talk my wife into taking an AGR job at Ft. Greely supporting an ADA BN for 2 years, but she was having none of it. I ended up taking an ortho position back in IL- going well and learning a ton. An old friend of mine and I are planning on doing an Alaska trip by 2015, so I'll see you up there at some point. Take care man. jwells- TCMC is required within 6 months of deployment, and since the Guard is cheap/always broke they only send us when we're in the deployment window. FWIW, get your CME requests in early too- I tried to get reimbursed for an August course, and was told the CME $ was tapped by June. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3GeronimoPA Posted November 12, 2010 Author Share Posted November 12, 2010 Andy I just got the scoop on some locums jobs up here. Big $$$ and they'll bring you here. PM me your phone number and I'll fill you in. If you took that AGR gig you'd make a ton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andohert Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 I'll have to take a look at that next year- gotta pay the man and take my desert vacation in a few weeks. Sucks for the family, but it feels good to be putting all that school to work like it was meant to be used. TCMC was the ****! Stay warm up there Nate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3GeronimoPA Posted December 11, 2010 Author Share Posted December 11, 2010 Enjoy your trip. I'm glad you enjoyed TCMC. You were there with Kate huh? I'm trying to brother. It's 14 degrees and there is 7 inches of snow on the driveway waiting on me to shovel it. I'm building motivation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.