First Red Cross resuscitation courses for military medical students

The American Red Cross continues to build momentum after announcing its market entry for resuscitation education in February by facilitating the organization's first advanced resuscitation courses to medical professionals at the Uniformed Services University. This event marks the next phase in the Red Cross collaboration with the Military Training Network as its exclusive training provider for resuscitation and first aid education.

As part of the Red Cross Resuscitation Suite educationprograms, Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) are based ona new educational approach. These programs were part of the U.S. military'sweek-long training for 178 students in the third year of their clinicaltraining aspect of medical school. Military Training Network instructorcandidates and military leadership included Brig. Gen. Sharon Bannister, MD, deputyassistant director, Education and Training, Defense Health Agency, DefenseHealth Headquarters; Arthur L. Kellermann, MD, MPH, dean of the F. EdwardHebert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the HealthSciences; and Paul Cordts, MD, deputy chief medical officer, Defense HealthAgency.

The instruction took place under the auspices of theUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, whose primary mission is toprepare students for service as physicians, advanced practice nurses, dentists,and scientists in the Military Health System.

“Our resuscitation education will enable the learner to act,make the correct decisions, and improve team dynamics and the patientexperience whether in the hospital or the field," added David Markenson,MD, the newly-appointed chief medical officer for the Training Servicesdivision of the American Red Cross.

In recognition of the Red Cross resuscitation program andlong-standing involvement and support of EMS education, the Commission onAccreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE) named the organizationto its Board of Directors. CAPCE oversees continuing education in EMS,including the development of continuing education standards to which the RedCross will now be contributing.

The new resuscitation education programs meetcertification and licensing requirements for healthcare, EMS and other publicsafety professionals.