Operational Clinical Readiness Pathways – An individualised training model to prepare ADF general surgeons for deployment
Abstract Background: Modern developments in civilian surgical practice have driven a shift in general surgeons’ experience towards subspecialised and minimally invasive approaches, while military surgery continues to rely on a breadth of skills and traditional open techniques. The authors have previously described an Operational Clinical Skill Set (OCSS) for deployable ADF General Surgeons. It is… Read more »
“If you’re happy and you know it raise your hand (and answer the question)” Learner centered strategies for teaching Army junior health officers on the pilot Health Officer Basic Course.
L Daly Introduction The Australian Army employs a range of specialist service officers (SSOs) and general service officers at junior level (Lieutenant or Captain) across four health corps and 12 trades. Currently, new Junior Health Officers (JHOs) are required to undertake a range of health and logistics training courses in addition to all-corps training. During… Read more »
Art, Trauma, and PTSI: An Interview with Dr. Frank Ochberg
L Abbott Dr Frank Ochberg is a pioneer in the study and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which he believes should be renamed post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI). As his research developed, he believed that PTSI was a more relevant term. Approaching combat trauma through the lens of an injury rather than a disorder was,… Read more »
Training War-Time General Surgeons in a Peace-Time ADF
K Bender, A Pearson Introduction Until as recently as the second Gulf War, the skill sets of civilian general surgeons were readily transferrable into military surgical practice. The modern Australian Defence Force (ADF) faces an evolving issue where this is no longer the case. Civilian surgical practice has evolved rapidly, with newly qualified general surgeons … Read more »
Medical Officer Training – An Infantryman’s Perspective
Preface This article is based on a presentation the author delivered at the annual conference of the Australasian Military Medical Association, Canberra, October 2018. Introduction The aim of this paper is to provide an infantryman’s perspective on how the Army trains its medical officers. It is written in the first person because it is my… Read more »
LEGAL MEDICINE ASPECTS OF PRACTISING MEDICINE IN THE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE (ADF) – A personal perspective
Introduction The practice of medicine in the ADF is becoming increasingly complicated by administrative requirements, Health Directives and Instructions, with better informed patients and by an increasing doctor liability for medical outcomes. Patients and lawyers perceive modern medicine to be an exact science and, consequently, expect positive outcomes and have reduced tolerance for adverse… Read more »
Lessons Learnt in Asylum Seeker Health, a Personal Reflection
Operation Resolute is the ADF’s contribution to domestic maritime security activities. At any one time up to 400 ADF personnel are assigned to Operation Resolute. The commitment includes RAN Armidale-class Patrol Boats (ACPB), AP-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Australian Army Regional Force Surveillance Units, a Transit Security Element and standby RAN fleet units. A Medical… Read more »
A holistic view of post-traumatic stress disorder
Introduction Post–Traumatic Stress symptoms account for an increasing number of presentations to health service facilities by Australian Defence Force personnel . The cost of management is absorbing a significant proportion of the Defence health budget, much of it expended on external health care providers. The recent disproportionate increase in mental disabilities, such as Post -Traumatic… Read more »
Retention of Senior Medical Officers, time for a rethink on career progression?
A large preoccupation of junior medical officers in the military is to think about our return of service obligation and the decision on whether or not we will choose to stay beyond it. One of the most significant retaining factors will be whether or not we see ourselves enjoying the work that comes with the… Read more »
2025 AMMA Conference
