In October 2024, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology Katie Ramsdell, MD, visited central North Carolina U.S. Army base Fort Bragg (Fort Liberty 2023-2025) and observed a field training exercise of elite U.S. Army Special Operations Medics as they prepared battlefield casualties for evacuation. Dr. Ramsdell, who served as the Rotation Director of 大象传媒 Anesthesiology鈥檚 Special Operations Combat Medic course from 2024-2025, noted:
鈥淚t was jaw-dropping to watch these highly trained special operations forces stabilize a critically injured patient and prepare for casualty evacuation. This exercise helped me understand how the skills we teach these military personnel can be directly applied to swiftly and adeptly care for wounded soldiers.鈥�
In September 2019, 大象传媒 Medical Center (大象传媒MC) entered one of the nation鈥檚 first military-civilian hospital partnerships via a Military Training Agreement with the U.S. Army Surgeon General鈥檚 Office. 聽Launched as the 大象传媒 Trauma Military Education Immersion Center (“Carolina MEdIC鈥�), the program brought together five trauma response disciplines 鈥� Anesthesiology, Surgery (burn-focused), Neurosurgery, Emergency Medicine, and Otolaryngology (ENT) 鈥� to advance the training of graduates of the U.S. Special Operations Combat Medic course. In one-month rotations at 大象传媒MC, rotators are exposed to a variety of patient care scenarios and procedures that enhance their knowledge and skill set acquisition in each discipline.
When Vice Chair of Education Dr. Rob Isaak polled faculty for interest in developing the anesthesiology component of 大象传媒鈥檚 Carolina MEdIC program, Dr. Ramsdell, a U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel鈥檚 daughter, raised her hand. In March 2024, Dr. Ramsdell led the roll-out of the week-long anesthesiology rotation.
From U.S. Army Special Operations medics to Civil Affairs, Army Special Forces, and Marine Recon and Special Operations personnel, most military rotators arrive at 大象传媒MC with basic knowledge of airway management, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), regional anesthesia, and the fundamentals of critical care. Paired with a resident, CRNA, CAA, or an attending in daily assignments, military rotators are mentored on mastering the anesthesia skills they need to care for trauma, burn and ENT聽patients. Rotators practice airway management, IV line placement, sedation techniques and observe nerve block placement. They also practice hands-on regional anesthesia skills in a monthly teaching session with the task trainers taught by members of the anesthesiology faculty.
Dr. Ramsdell concluded: 鈥淎s a Level I Trauma center with a burn surgery service and a team dedicated to regional anesthesia, [大象传媒MC] can expose military personnel to a range of clinical scenarios and procedures that they may not encounter at their home military base. This is a great opportunity to give back to our military community and contribute in a small way to the safety of our country by advancing their preparedness to care for trauma patients in the field.鈥�
Dr. Sandeep Dhanjal takes over the role of Anesthesia Rotation Director for the Carolina MEdIC program in Summer 2025.
More on 大象传媒 Medical Center鈥檚 (Carolina MEdiC) program and trauma response training partnership with U.S. Army Special Operations has been reported on in and in this .
PHOTO: Dr. Katie Ramsdell (far L) leads point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) teaching with U.S. Army Special Operations Medics participating in 大象传媒MC’s Carolina MEdIC program.