Improving Trauma and Critical Care Proficiency and Readiness for Air Force Personnel in Critical Medical Specialties: A Pacific Air Forces Perspective
Abstract
The RAND Corporation's Project AIR FORCE was asked to examine the challenges faced by U.S. Air Force medical personnel in acquiring and maintaining the skills for clinical proficiency and readiness for wartime, especially those in Pacific Air Forces. The goal of this research project was to investigate approaches for increasing readiness and proficiency and to suggest a systematic approach for the Air Force Medical Service to follow when identifying who needs training to maintain readiness, what type of training is needed, and how to consider a portfolio of activities for meeting those needs. In this report we provide demographics for 14 critical medical Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSCs) selected by the sponsor, review the Air Force's medical readiness requirements for specific AFSCs, and assess the system for monitoring whether medical personnel have met the requirements. We then provide a set of activities and policies that would increase medical personnel readiness that were gathered from meetings with stakeholders and a review of literature. Finally, we discuss an approach for developing a portfolio of readiness building activities applicable across locations and specialties. This report should be of interest to decisionmakers responsible for policies aimed at ensuring the proficiency of medical personnel in critical specialties, as well as the development and assignment of these medical personnel. More broadly, the research will be of interest to those who study military medical readiness and military manpower and personnel issues.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 22, 2024
- Accession Number
- AD1221957
Entities
People
- Carl Berdahl
- Edward W. Chan
- Jonah Kushner
- Lisa M. Harrington
- Mark Toukan
- Matthew E. Walsh
- Sean Mann
- Shreyas Bharadwaj
- Thomas Goughnour
Organizations
- RAND Corporation