Military to Civilian Job Transition

30 min lecture on transition from service to civilian working in the ED. How to create the relationships with local and large groups. How to optimize your CV to stand out in the Civilian world.

Objectives:

1. When to start thinking about your next step.
2. What is the process and timeline for going from Military to civilian.
3. What are the differences between military and civilian PA roles, attending relationships.

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Charting Your Path: Personal & Professional Development as an Army Physician Associate (Student Track)

This presentation is designed to emphasize the critical role of professional organizations and ongoing personal and professional development for Army Physician Associates. We will explore the value of continuous involvement in both your career and personal growth, including opportunities for further education such as advanced degrees and specialized training. Additionally, we’ll examine the various roles within the Physician Associate profession, from clinical practice to education and administration. By the end, you will gain valuable insights into how these elements can shape and enhance your career trajectory within the Army.

Objectives:

1. Understand the importance of professional organizations and continued involvement in personal and professional growth.
2. Explore opportunities for ongoing education, including advanced degrees and specialized training.
3. Gain insight into different roles within the PA profession, including clinician, educator, and administrator.

Musculoskeletal Injuries and Fracture Management for Primary Care

Musculoskeletal injuries, including fractures, are commonly encountered in primary care settings. Proper assessment, diagnosis, and management are essential to ensure optimal patient outcomes. This presentation will provide an overview of musculoskeletal injury assessment, casting and splinting techniques, and fracture management, with an emphasis on evidence-based practices.

Objectives:

1. Learn general principles of musculoskeletal injury assessment.
2. Learn the proper use of a splint versus a cast.
3. Identify commonly used casting materials and when to use them.
4. Identify proper cast application and removal.
5. Describe appropriate patient education regarding casting/splinting.
6. Understand general fracture principles and when to refer out fracture care.
7. Understand the management of specific fractures. 8.Recognize osteoporotic fractures.

Tropical Medicine for the Military Clinician

Review most common and most lethal Tropical diseases, epidemiology, presentation, and management.

Objectives:

1. General approach to tropical diseases and the specified pathogens.
2. How to manage diseases in a constrained environment with limited resources.
3. Identify resources available to you for reference and assistance while deployed.

Physician Assistant/Associate Specialty Certification: The Certificate of Added Qualification and How This Can Positively Impact Federal Healthcare

Federal healthcare systems frequently face a shortage in providers to deliver timely care. Physician Assistants/Associates (PAs) have been an essential component for addressing these shortages. PAs have an opportunity to expand their general medical practice and knowledge through specialization utilizing the CAQ program offered through NCCPA. The CAQ specialization requires 2,000 to 4,000 hours of clinical experience, 75 hours of specialty CME, clinical supervisor acknowledgment and a board certification exam to qualify. In addition, maintenance of this specialization includes ongoing CME and board examination every 10 years. This results in PA’s who hold a specialization that is comparable to board certification of other medical professionals. Utilization of these specialty PA’s can have a profound impact on delivery of federal healthcare in a variety of different settings, with the possibility for expanded use in additional specialty areas. Utilization of PA’s in primary care has shown significant healthcare cost savings and ability to expand access to care. By recognizing these specialty certifications and deploying them for use in the federal healthcare system, the same improvements in savings and access can be expected. The purpose of this presentation is to review the CAQ program offered through NCCPA and how this can positively impact federal healthcare delivery to increase access to specialty care and alleviate the burden on primary care. In addition, this poster presentation aims to educate about the rigorous process to obtain a CAQ and the equivalency of this training to other specialty and board certifications. A review has been completed of utilization of PA’s who practice with a CAQ within the federal healthcare system in areas of high patient demand, difficult physician recruitment and specialized practice. Areas of review include positions with Department of Defense, Indian Health Service, Bureau of Prisons and ICE Health Service Corps. The results of this review revealed multiple CAQ specialty areas have value for delivering comprehensive, community standard care to federal patient populations. These include Psychiatry CAQ (increasing number of specialty trained advanced practice providers across multiple agencies, in some cases allows replacement of a psychiatrist position at a significant cost savings), Emergency Medicine CAQ (allows specialized practice in both Indian Health Service and VA facilities, providing higher level care in difficult to hire areas), Nephrology CAQ (serves areas of high patient demand in VA and BOP facilities as these are faced with an increasing aging population with chronic illness such as chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease leading to dialysis).

Objectives:

1. Understand the CAQ specialization and how this compares to other board certifications.
2. Recognize key areas where PA's with CAQs can be utilized to improve healthcare delivery.
3. Develop a plan for recognition and implementation of CAQ status PAs into federal healthcare systems to improve access and quality of care.

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Can't Miss Chest X-ray Pathology + The Clinically Correlate Quiz

This lecture provides a focused review of critical and commonly overlooked findings on chest radiography, with an emphasis on pattern recognition and systematic interpretation. The first half covers high-yield pathology that every clinician should recognize, including subtle pneumothoraces, early interstitial processes, mediastinal abnormalities, and other findings that carry significant consequences when missed. The second half features a fast-paced, Kahoot-style interactive quiz using real cases (of all pathology) to reinforce key teaching points and challenge participants to spot easily overlooked findings under time pressure. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to improve diagnostic accuracy and confidence at the lightbox.

Objectives:

1. Identify high-risk chest radiograph findings that are commonly missed or misinterpreted, including subtle pneumothoraces, vascular abnormalities, and early infectious or interstitial processes.
2. Apply a systematic approach to chest radiograph interpretation that reduces anchoring bias and ensures critical pathology is not overlooked in time-pressured clinical settings.
3. Recognize patterns of easily missed pathology across multiple imaging modalities and anatomic regions, reinforcing cross-disciplinary diagnostic awareness beyond the chest radiograph.

Click here to download speaker Bio

Airway Management Strategies

Review and apply advanced airway management to include -advanced airway management and intubation -capnography and oxygenation monitoring -Rapid Sequence Intubation -airway management complications

Objectives:

1. Review principles of advanced airway management.
2. Discuss indications and techniques of endotracheal intubation.
3. Analyze difficult airway management strategies.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Discuss challenges in assessment, management and treatment of neurological emergencies such as traumatic brain injuries. Discuss relevant and practical treatment strategies that medical personnel can use during a prolonged field care environment.

Objectives:

1. Describe the underlying principles of traumatic brain injury pathophysiology, including primary and secondary injury mechanisms and their effects on intracranial dynamics.
2. Differentiate between mild, moderate, and severe TBI based on clinical presentation, Glasgow Coma Scale, and neuroimaging findings.
3. Identify current evidence-based management strategies for TBI, including initial stabilization, intracranial pressure control, and long-term rehabilitation considerations.

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The Functional Medicine Matrix in Operational Medicine: A Unit-Level Framework for Readiness and Performance

Workshop Summary Operational medicine providers are often asked to improve readiness with limited time, limited resources, and complex patients who do not fit neatly into a single diagnosis. This workshop will introduce the Functional Medicine Matrix as a practical, unit-level framework for identifying the underlying drivers of decreased readiness, including poor sleep, chronic stress, pain, fatigue, metabolic dysfunction, gut issues, inflammation, and mood concerns. Rather than replacing conventional military medicine, this workshop will show PAs how to expand their clinical lens so they can move beyond symptom management and better understand why service members are breaking down. Participants will learn how to use the Matrix to organize clinical thinking, prioritize interventions, and create realistic care plans that support performance, resilience, and long-term force health. The goal is to give operational PAs a clear, usable framework they can immediately apply in unit-level care to help service members stay healthier, recover faster, and remain mission-ready.

Objectives:

1. Explain how the Functional Medicine Matrix can organize complex readiness concerns in operational medicine.
2. Identify common root contributors to decreased performance, including sleep disruption, stress, pain, inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and gut health issues.
3. Apply a unit-level Functional Medicine framework to create practical care plans that improve resilience, recovery, and mission readiness.

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Preparedness versus Readiness-Are Healthcare Facilities Ready for Disasters

Using a healthcare readiness assessment tool that my team and I have created, we have assessed over 40 US healthcare facilities, providing all levels of care. Many of the findings, regardless of care level, are the same; hospitals believe they are prepared but most are not ready, if a disaster were to strike.

Objectives:

1. Explain the difference between preparedness and readiness.
2. Discuss aspects of the readiness assessment and why it is important to understand the importance of readiness.
3. Discuss first steps in improving readiness within your healthcare facilities.

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Preserving The Physician Assistant (Student Track)

We all hear the phrase work life balance. What does this really mean for medical professionals who are on-call, work long hours or are away from their family for extended periods of time.

Objectives:

1. Understand how to define and prioritize life goals.
2. Explore the true meaning of work life balance in healthcare.
3. Examine the five dimensions of human strength and their impact on the provider well-being.

Trauma Informed Healthcare, Sexual Assault patients in a Primary Care setting

We have all seen patients with vague complaints, multiple visits for different complaints and challenges in collecting the history. Before you think the patient is malingering, let's consider other options.

Objectives:

1. What is Trauma Informed Healthcare (Care).
2. What are the signs and symptoms.
3. How to approach and manage trauma patients.

Identifying and Mitigating the Risks of Compassion Fatigue in Clinical Practice

Description: Compassion fatigue is the healthcare provider’s reduced capacity to care or feel compassion for others as a consequence of the negative effects of repeated exposures to the trauma and suffering of patients. It is related to vicarious trauma or secondary traumatic stress; this means the practitioner is exposed to the trauma experienced by the patient and not the trauma itself. Compassion fatigue is distinct from burnout; burnout places emphasis on organizational and environmental stressors and not psychological or emotional processes due to interactions with patients who require chronic use of empathy due to distress. It is important to understand compassion fatigue so that psychiatric providers may periodically participate in self-care modalities that effectively promote and maintain empathy in practice. This lecture will address the importance of recognizing compassion fatigue and provide strategies for maintaining mental health in the practice setting.

Objectives:

1. Identify compassion fatigue and the implications this has for clinicians in practice.
2. Understand the role compassion fatigue plays in impacting clinician mental health.
3. Identify methods to mitigate compassion fatigue in practice.
4. Understand the importance of research findings that implicate compassion fatigue as a system challenge and not a provider flaw.
5. Discuss compassion fatigue related to patient specific populations.

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Evaluation and Management of Foot and Ankle Conditions: Plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, and more

In the foot, more than anywhere else in the body, the posture dictates its functions. In this continuing education seminar, physical therapists will learn how arch height turns the foot from a propulsive lever in supination to loosened, adaptable structure in pronation. Learn how to use postural changes in the foot to reverse twenty-five of the most common orthopedic diagnoses of the lower extremity without surgery. MASS Posture Theory, taught by its inventor, is shifting common biomechanical conceptions about how the foot works with a physics-based approach that makes significant positive changes in the gait cycle to improve efficiency, endurance, strength while reversing deformity and incidence of injury from excessive pronation. The workshop teaches how MASS Posture Theory can be applied to improve patient outcomes and better hold physical therapy treatments and interventions by adjusting the patients’ posture and gait cycle. Form follows function, not only in the direction of disease and deformity, but also in the direction of health and reversal of deformity and pathologies without surgery. In this course, participants will gain hands-on training in casting patients and design for custom foot orthotic intervention for the treatment of common diagnoses, like plantar fasciitis.

Objectives:

1. To understand the normal and abnormal mechanics of the human foot and how poor foot posture affects mechanics leading to many of the most common foot, ankle, knee, hip and back pathologies.
2. How functional foot orthoses can be utilized to correct foot posture to reverse deformities and improve alignment up the kinetic chain.
3. To gain skill and clinical competence in evaluating, measuring, casting, imaging, designing, and dispensing MASS posture custom functional foot orthoses.

Manual Releases of Chronic Pain in the Upper Body, Breaking the positive pain feedback cycle of the back, chest, shoulders, arms and neck

Relax, Release, Relief (RRR) is a series of manual therapies designed to mechanically interrupt the positive feedback loop from mechanoreceptor nerve endings within connective tissues, which accounts for most instances of chronic pain. When performed properly, pain relief lasts typically until the next trauma, trigger points under the skin disappear, and patients experience a restoration of range of motion where anatomically possible (i.e., not in fusions or bony obstruction). The techniques demonstrated and taught in the hands-on workshop are performed with extremely gentle pressure to manually reset patients’ pain threshold, focusing on the upper body. In ongoing clinical trials, application of RRR manual releases has resulted in remission for many patients who suffer from Fibromyalgia and CRPS. The releases work on relieving pain associated with orthotic and prosthetic break-in, old and new fractures (traumatic or surgical), post-implant pain, athletic injuries, pulled muscles, RLS, torn connective tissue, frozen joints and more etiologies. In this course, participants will learn releases that target pain in the upper body to gain clinical competence in breaking the cycle of nerve communication that results in chronic pain in the feet, knees, legs, hips and low back. Peer-reviewed literature regarding mechanoreceptor function and location are discussed.

Objectives:

1. To understand the function of mechanoreceptors in connective tissue, such as ligaments, in the initiation and maintenance of the positive feedback loop that perpetuates pain long after the initial injury is healed.
2. To gain a comprehensive review of the literature behind mechanoreceptors, their function, locations, and techniques for manual manipulation.
3. To gain clinical competence in manual release techniques with a focus on the upper body muscle groups. Participants will workshop and practice releases for the neck, shoulders, arms, chest and back.

Manual Releases of Chronic Pain, Breaking Positive Feedback Loops in the Low Back and Lower Extremity: Feet, legs, knees, hips and low back

Relax, Release, Relief (RRR) is a series of manual therapies designed to mechanically interrupt the positive feedback loop from mechanoreceptor nerve endings within connective tissues, which accounts for most instances of chronic pain. When performed properly, pain relief lasts typically until the next trauma, trigger points under the skin disappear, and patients experience a restoration of range of motion where anatomically possible (i.e., not in fusions or bony obstruction). The techniques demonstrated and taught in the hands-on workshop are performed with extremely gentle pressure to manually reset patients’ pain threshold, focusing on the lower body. In ongoing clinical trials, application of RRR manual releases has resulted in remission for many patients who suffer from Fibromyalgia and CRPS. The releases work on relieving pain associated with orthotic and prosthetic break-in, old and new fractures (traumatic or surgical), post-implant pain, athletic injuries, pulled muscles, RLS, torn connective tissue, frozen joints and more etiologies. In this course, participants will learn releases that target pain in the lower extremity and low back to gain clinical competence in breaking the cycle of nerve communication that results in chronic pain in the feet, knees, legs, hips and low back. Peer-reviewed literature regarding mechanoreceptor function and location are discussed.

Objectives:

1. To understand the function of mechanoreceptors in connective tissue and ligament in the lower extremity, in the initiation and maintenance of the positive feedback loop that perpetuates pain long after the initial injury is healed.
2. To gain a comprehensive review of the literature behind mechanoreceptors, their function, locations, and techniques for manual manipulation. 3.To gain clinical competence in manual release techniques with a focus on the lower extremity and low back muscle groups.
3. Participants will workshop and practice releases for the feet, legs, knees, hips and low back.

Learning Gentle-Touch Manual Release Therapies: Breaking Feedback Loops of Chronic Pain in the Low Back and Lower Extremity –– Feet, legs, knees, hips, and low back (4 hours.)

Relax, Release, Relief (RRR) is a series of manual therapies designed to mechanically interrupt the positive feedback loop from mechanoreceptor nerve endings within connective tissues, which accounts for most instances of chronic pain. In this four-hour workshop, participants will learn releases that target pain in the lower extremity and low back to gain clinical competence in breaking the cycle of nerve communication that results in chronic pain in the feet, knees, legs, hips and low back. With hands-on learning and experience led by Dr. Glaser, participants will practice releases that treat common, but often intractable pain, like those who suffer from plantar-fasciitis, low back nerve compression, Fibromyalgia, CRPS and prolonged pain from post-operative and post-implant traumatic pain. When performed properly, pain relief lasts typically until the next trauma, trigger points under the skin disappear, and patients experience a restoration of range of motion where anatomically possible (i.e., not in fusions or bony obstruction). The techniques demonstrated and taught in the hands-on workshop are performed with extremely gentle pressure to manually reset the patient’s pain threshold, focusing on the lower body. In ongoing clinical trials, application of RRR manual releases has resulted in remission for many patients who suffer from chronic pain. Peer-reviewed literature regarding mechanoreceptor function and location are presented.

Objectives:
1.To understand the function of mechanoreceptors in connective tissue and ligament in the lower extremity, in the initiation and maintenance of the positive feedback loop that perpetuates pain long after the initial injury is healed. 2.To gain a comprehensive review of the literature behind mechanoreceptors, their function, locations, and techniques for manual manipulation. 3.To gain clinical competence in manual release techniques with a focus on the lower extremity and low back muscle groups. Participants will workshop and practice releases for the feet, legs, knees, hips and low back.

Learning Gentle-Touch Manual Release Therapies: Breaking Feedback Loops of Chronic Pain in the Upper Extremity –– Back, chest, shoulders, arms and neck (4 hours.)

Relax, Release, Relief (RRR) is a series of manual therapies designed to mechanically interrupt the positive feedback loop from mechanoreceptor nerve endings within connective tissues, which accounts for most instances of chronic pain. In this four-hour workshop, participants will learn releases that target pain in the upper extremity to gain clinical competence in breaking the cycle of nerve communication that results in chronic pain in the back, chest, shoulders, arms and neck. With hands-on learning and experience led by Dr. Glaser, participants will practice releases that treat common, but often intractable pain, like those who suffer from frozen neck and shoulder, xFibromyalgia, CRPS and prolonged pain from post-operative and post-implant traumatic pain. When performed properly, pain relief lasts typically until the next trauma, trigger points under the skin disappear, and patients experience a restoration of range of motion where anatomically possible (i.e., not in fusions or bony obstruction). The techniques demonstrated and taught in the hands-on workshop are performed with extremely gentle pressure to manually reset the patient’s pain threshold, focusing on the upper body. In ongoing clinical trials, application of RRR manual releases has resulted in remission for many patients who suffer from chronic pain. Peer-reviewed literature regarding mechanoreceptor function and location are presented.

Objectives:
1.To understand the function of mechanoreceptors in connective tissue and ligament in the upper extremity, in the initiation and maintenance of the positive feedback loop that perpetuates pain long after the initial injury is healed. 2.To gain a comprehensive review of the literature behind mechanoreceptors, their function, locations, and techniques for manual manipulation. 3.To gain clinical competence in manual release techniques with a focus on the uppwe extremity and low back muscle groups. Participants will workshop and practice releases for the back, chest, shoulders, arms and neck.

Learning Gentle-Touch Manual Release Therapies: Breaking Feedback Loops of Chronic Pain in the Upper Extremity –– Back, chest, shoulders, arms and neck (4 hours.)

Relax, Release, Relief (RRR) is a series of manual therapies designed to mechanically interrupt the positive feedback loop from mechanoreceptor nerve endings within connective tissues, which accounts for most instances of chronic pain. In this four-hour workshop, participants will learn releases that target pain in the upper extremity to gain clinical competence in breaking the cycle of nerve communication that results in chronic pain in the back, chest, shoulders, arms and neck. With hands-on learning and experience led by Dr. Glaser, participants will practice releases that treat common, but often intractable pain, like those who suffer from frozen neck and shoulder, xFibromyalgia, CRPS and prolonged pain from post-operative and post-implant traumatic pain. When performed properly, pain relief lasts typically until the next trauma, trigger points under the skin disappear, and patients experience a restoration of range of motion where anatomically possible (i.e., not in fusions or bony obstruction). The techniques demonstrated and taught in the hands-on workshop are performed with extremely gentle pressure to manually reset the patient’s pain threshold, focusing on the upper body. In ongoing clinical trials, application of RRR manual releases has resulted in remission for many patients who suffer from chronic pain. Peer-reviewed literature regarding mechanoreceptor function and location are presented.

Objectives:
1.To understand the function of mechanoreceptors in connective tissue and ligament in the upper extremity, in the initiation and maintenance of the positive feedback loop that perpetuates pain long after the initial injury is healed. 2.To gain a comprehensive review of the literature behind mechanoreceptors, their function, locations, and techniques for manual manipulation. 3.To gain clinical competence in manual release techniques with a focus on the uppwe extremity and low back muscle groups. Participants will workshop and practice releases for the back, chest, shoulders, arms and neck.

Click here to download speaker Bio

Importance of mass-casualty education for all Physician Associates

It is expected over the next five years (2026-2031), mass casualty education for physician associates will focus on shifting from traditional theoretical knowledge to practical, high-pressure competencies which has be driven by increased disaster frequency.

Objectives:

1. Shift from "Most Care" to "Most Good".
2. Need to develop specialized knowledge and skills appropriate for mass casualty care.
3. Need to develop interprofessional teamwork skills along with operational awareness.

Click here to download speaker Bio

Can't Miss Chest X-ray Pathology + The Clinically Correlate Quiz

This lecture provides a focused review of critical and commonly overlooked findings on chest radiography, with an emphasis on pattern recognition and systematic interpretation. The first half covers high-yield pathology that every clinician should recognize, including subtle pneumothoraces, early interstitial processes, mediastinal abnormalities, and other findings that carry significant consequences when missed. The second half features a fast-paced, Kahoot-style interactive quiz using real cases (of all pathology) to reinforce key teaching points and challenge participants to spot easily overlooked findings under time pressure. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to improve diagnostic accuracy and confidence at the lightbox.

Objectives:

1. Identify high-risk chest radiograph findings that are commonly missed or misinterpreted, including subtle pneumothoraces, vascular abnormalities, and early infectious or interstitial processes.
2. Apply a systematic approach to chest radiograph interpretation that reduces anchoring bias and ensures critical pathology is not overlooked in time-pressured clinical settings.
3. Recognize patterns of easily missed pathology across multiple imaging modalities and anatomic regions, reinforcing cross-disciplinary diagnostic awareness beyond the chest radiograph.

Urgent Care - a helpful introduction

An introduction and in-depth discussion about life in Urgent Care. Everything from work environment, pay, patients, diagnosis', pros and cons. 50 minutes packed with a discussion of common diagnosis and expected care plans. Some discussion of challenges and pitfalls to be alert for as you/we/all enter this area of specialty care.

Objectives:

1. Describe and introduce the work expectations, pay, and environment in a typical urgent care.
2. Introduce and identify the most common patients that a PA or HCP will typically see in an urgent care clinic and provide typical care plans for these patients.
3. Summarize and describe the challenges and pitfalls involved with seeing patients in the urgent care environment.

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The Psychiatric Perspective on Large Scale Combat Operations

Large-scale combat operations (LSCO) are extensive joint endeavors characterized by high operational tempo, significant resource consumption, and high casualty rates. By nature, war is a clash between opposing human wills where the military achieves its objectives through the employment of lethal force. While the physical costs of these factors have been extensively researched, the associated mental toll has not been addressed with the depth it warrants. Historically, the average soldier can endure 60–90 days of combat before becoming a psychiatric casualty. Furthermore, while the military has significantly improved the conditioning of recruits to employ lethal force, it has lagged in addressing the psychological repercussions of this training upon reintegration into civilian life. Ultimately, we must prepare new recruits to reconstitute units depleted by LSCO, while simultaneously preparing the civilian population to sustain the national will necessary to support such operations.

Objectives:

1. How to prepare civilians to become service members.
2. Psychiatric casualties in LSCO.
3. Mental exhaustion at the culmination point.
4. Transitioning service members back to civilians.

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Steroid Use for Acute Respiratory Infections

The use of steroids for the treatment of URIs has grown in the last few years. This takes an in-depth look at the uses and side effects of the use of steroids and how the

Objectives:

1. Provide clinicians with the potential consequences of using steroids for Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI).
2. Highlight the importance of why we should refrain from steroid use in ARI.
3. Discuss the pathophysiology of the body in relation to steroid use.
4. Inform providers on regional prevalence.
5. Help providers make evidence-based medical decisions.

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Ebola, COVID-19, and Beyond: Operational Lessons from High-Consequence Infectious Disease Response

High-consequence infectious diseases pose unique challenges to healthcare systems, responders, and public health agencies. Drawing on experiences from Ebola response operations, COVID-19 deployments, and public health emergency preparedness initiatives, this presentation explores key lessons in responder safety, infection prevention and control, crisis leadership, risk communication, and operational readiness. Participants will gain practical strategies to strengthen preparedness for future biologic threats and emerging infectious disease outbreaks while protecting both patients and healthcare personnel.

Objectives:

1. Describe key operational principles used during high-consequence infectious disease responses.
2. Identify strategies to protect healthcare personnel during biologic events.
3. Apply lessons from Ebola and COVID-19 to improve readiness for future pandemics and biological threats.
4. Discuss leadership and communication practices that support responder resilience during prolonged public health emergencies.

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Evolution of Post Professional Doctoral Education for PAs

The Physician Associate (PA) profession is currently navigating a significant educational evolution, characterized by the proliferation of PA-specific post-professional doctoral degree (PPDD) programs. This transformative period has ignited a critical dialogue regarding the future of PA education, including a growing interest in the potential transition to an entry-level doctoral degree (ELDD) as the standard for entry into the profession. This presentation aims to provide a comprehensive and scholarly overview of this dynamic landscape. We will conduct a thorough review of current PPDD curricula, presenting a thematic analysis of trends across various programs. This analysis will illuminate the core competencies being cultivated at the doctoral level, offering valuable insights for both new and seasoned PA educators who are seeking advanced training and professional development. The session is specifically designed to equip educators with enhanced skills and strategic knowledge in key areas integral to the advancement of the profession, including healthcare administration, organizational leadership, advanced clinical practice, and research and scholarship. A central objective of this presentation is to move beyond mere description and foster an evidence-informed dialogue concerning the feasibility and implications of an ELDD. We will critically examine the arguments for and against this transition, considering its potential impact on curriculum design, accreditation standards, student outcomes, and the profession's standing within the broader healthcare community.

Objectives:

1. Analyze the core curricular components and thematic competency trends currently emphasized across various Physician Associate post-professional doctoral degree (PPDD) programs.
2. Apply advanced strategic knowledge in organizational leadership and healthcare administration to identify and propose specific initiatives for programmatic development or professional role expansion within their institutions.
3. Critically evaluate the educational, political, and accreditation implications of a potential transition to an entry-level doctoral degree (ELDD) for the Physician Associate profession, synthesizing arguments for and against the change.

PA Entrepreneurship

30 minutes run down on PA entrepreneurship between owning a business and marketing yourself as a business

Objectives:

1. Owning.
2. Practice PLLC contractor.
3. Benefits of owning business.

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From Today’s Fight to Tomorrow’s War: Preparing Army PAs for LSCO

The panel will explore the current state of military medicine and the PAs current role to the future of military medicine and the key part the PA adds to its success.

Objectives:

1. Describe how Large-Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) fundamentally change the medical operational environment, including prolonged casualty care, contested evacuation, degraded communications, and increased casualty volumes—and why these realities demand a shift in how Army PAs train, equip, and operate.
2. Identify critical capability gaps between current Army PA preparation and the requirements of future warfare, to include clinical readiness, operational medicine skills, leadership at echelon, and integration within multidomain operations.
3. Discuss actionable pathways to better prepare Army PAs for the next fight, including changes in training models, sustainment of combat medical skills, force design, and professional development to ensure relevance and effectiveness in LSCO.

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We're Not Ready and We Have No Plan

Review medical proficiency regarding operational medicine using 4ID as a case study. Provide options for way forward to improve. "We're not ready and we have no plan" is the elevator pitch I use to highlight shortfalls in readiness and the challenges with improving medical training.

Objectives:

1. Discuss Proficiency Gaps.
2. Highlight Role of the PA as the primary trainer and operational medicine expert in the Division.
3. Present Options for Improving Medical Proficiency.

What You Do Doesn't Matter: A Candid Discussion of OERs and the Board Process

Discuss the board process in detail to include My Board File application, board members and guidance given to the board, scoring system, and discuss the difference between OERs that will get you promoted and those that will not. Will use some survey data from 4ID. Ideal as an Army breakout session.

Objectives:

1. Provide understanding of the board process.
2. Explain the difference between OERs that get you promoted and those that do not (and why).
3. Provide practical advice on how to get "good" OERs.

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Shocking Updates: What’s New in Resuscitation 2026

Providing updates regarding changes in guidelines for BLS & ALS as well as discussion on resuscitation science and cutting edge treatments.

Objectives:

1. Describe the key evidence-based revisions introduced in the latest resuscitation guidelines, including updates to basic and advanced life support protocols.
2. Evaluate the clinical implications of emerging technologies, pharmacologic agents, and monitoring tools in improving outcomes following cardiac arrest.
3. Integrate the latest guideline updates into clinical practice to enhance the quality of resuscitative care and optimize patient survival and neurological recovery.

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Beyond the Clinic: A Civil Support Team PA on the Frontlines of Homeland Defense

This briefing outlines the critical role of a CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) Responder Physician Assistant in homeland security and crisis management. It covers their unique responsibilities within civil support teams, focusing on emergency medical management and occupational health. The presentation includes case studies of real incidents, highlights collaboration with agencies like the police and FBI, and shares best practices and lessons learned. The session concludes with a recap of the PA's significant contributions to safety and security, encouraging application of these capabilities in other operations.

Objectives:

1. Civil Support Team mission focus and highlight of DSCA and Homeland Defense.
2. Present 4-5 case studies on CST responses to demonstrate the breadth of all hazards missions and responses.
3. Ensure comprehension of CST PA contribution and role in success of each of these missions.

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Bridging Education Gaps in Critical Care

About one year ago, a speaker stood on this stage and argued that there were significant gaps in PA training in Critical Care. At the end of that discussion, this speaker brought no solutions to the table and left more questions than answers. This year, this presentation attempts to demonstrate some bridges for PAs in their critical care education. From books, to podcasts, educational opportunities, and practical experience, this presentation will attempt to provide some solutions to the Critical Care education gap for early career PAs

Objectives:

1. The participant will be able to identify several print resources for critical care education.
2. The participant will be able to identify short in-person/virtual courses that provide instruction in critical care.
3. The participant will be able to recognize different long term education opportunities in critical care for PAs.

Mechanical Ventilation Basics for Role 1 Providers

Initiating, maintaining, and terminating mechanical ventilation is a daunting task for any medical provider who doesn't do it on a regular basis. Given the number of indications, warnings, alarms, and pitfalls, it's no wonder that there is a dedicated role in most ICUs for the ventilator. This presentation will attempt to demystify the basics of ventilator management, review the relevant literature and CPGs, and provide a way of managing mechanical ventilation in a Role 1 setting.

Objectives:

1. Participant will be able to identify appropriate mechanical ventilator settings for the acutely injured/ill patient.
2. Participant will be able to describe the DOPE mnemonic and how it relates to troubleshooting ventilator alarms.
3. Participant will be able to adjust ventilator settings based on arterial blood gas lab values.

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Introduction to the International Specialized Training Center (ISTC) Medical Branch

This lecture provides an overview of the International Specialized Training Center (ISTC) Medical Branch, beginning with a brief history of its development and mission. It will outline the multinational collaboration that defines ISTC, highlighting the partner nations and instructors who contribute to its unique training environment. The session will introduce the curriculum of the NATO Special Operations Combat Medic (NSOCM) course, along with a focused look at the ISTC Medical Symposium, which fosters discussion and advancement of care for NSOCMs. Additionally, it will highlight the Advanced Medical Skills Course the unique leadership roles and challenges with a Physician Associate and responsibilities in preparing special operations medics to operate effectively in complex and austere environments.

Objectives:

1. Describe the history, mission, and multinational structure of the International Specialized Training Center (ISTC) Medical Branch, including the roles of partner nations and instructors in shaping special operations medical training.
2. Summarize the core components of the NATO Special Operations Combat Medic (NSOCM) curriculum and the Advanced Medical Skills Course, with emphasis on how these programs prepare medics to deliver care in complex, resource-limited, and austere environments.
3. Analyze the leadership roles and clinical responsibilities of Physician Assistants within the ISTC Medical Branch, including their contributions to training, mentorship, and the advancement of prolonged field care and special operations medicine.

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Anatomy of a Medical Opinion: Where Medicine Meets Military Service

This presentation by Leah Bucholz, PA-C, covers the intersection of military medicine and VA disability law, focusing on how Independent Medical Opinions (IMOs) are constructed and used in veterans' disability claims. It walks through barriers to military healthcare, service connection requirements, and how medical evidence supports or challenges VA compensation decisions.

Objectives:

1. Identify the key requirements for establishing service connection in a VA disability claim, including direct, secondary, and presumptive pathways.
2. Describe the essential components of a high-quality Independent Medical Opinion (IMO), including proper use of the "at least as likely as not" nexus standard and supporting medical literature.
3. Distinguish between VA Compensation & Pension (C&P) examinations and private IMOs, including the limitations of each and when an IMO may be necessary to strengthen a veteran's claim.

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Aust-EAR Problems

Give an over-view of hearing injuries, ear trauma management (including nerve blocks), and provide a review of common medical complaints. Provide considerations for medical decision making in a resource-constrained environment.

Objectives:

1. Review hearing loss and the initial evaluation and discuss management.
2. Review ear traumas (from a high level and in a general sense) and ways to manage.
3. Review common medical complaints with ears in a resource constrained environment.

When to go looking for head and neck masses.

This lecture is NOT geared toward the austere/deployed environment. Working in Head and Neck Surgery I see a lot of neglected tumors, but I also see a fair share of missed tumors where if they would have been identified earlier the patient would have a better prognosis. I would like to give a lecture that is geared toward everyday patient care in Family Medicine / ER/ Urgent Care that helps clinicians in those specialties know when it's more than a sinus infection, or more than laryngitis. When should they pull the trigger on a workup. The lecture would include review of common benign lesions and head and neck masses. If there is time review thyroid nodules as well.

Objectives:

1. Review presentations of cancerous tumors that can be misdiagnosed as other things (sinus infections, laryngitis, etc.).
2. Review benign tumors of the head and neck that may be confused for malignancy.
3. Review the workup for the above. If there is time I would like to quickly review thyroid nodules as well.

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Fueling the Casualty: Early Nutrition Interventions in Prolonged Care Environments

In Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO), delayed medical evacuation will require Role 1 and Role 2 medical teams to hold patients well beyond the "golden hour." While initial medical priorities focus on life-saving interventions and stabilization, a prolonged care environment requires providers to consider a casualty’s metabolic and nutritional needs. This presentation provides practical strategies for initiating early nutritional interventions in austere settings. We will explore leveraging available rations to meet therapeutic diet requirements, provide recommendations for the early initiation of enteral nutrition, and discuss the challenges and gaps in supporting casualty nutrition in prolonged care environments.

Objectives:

1. Implement Therapeutic Diets in Austere Settings: Formulate strategies to meet therapeutic nutrition needs by maximizing available operational rations and supplements to mitigate catabolic breakdown, support the immune response, and promote tissue healing.
2. Early Initiation of Enteral Nutrition: Review the clinical rationale for early enteral nutrition to mitigate trauma-induced catabolism and discuss actionable recommendations tailored for the resource-constrained, prolonged casualty care environment.
3. Identify Operational and Logistical Gaps: Analyze current capability, material, and knowledge gaps in operational nutritional support and discuss potential solutions to improve casualty outcomes in future contested environments.

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Mates, Stewards, Medics - The Procession to Physician Assistant

Historical review of the roles providing care on the battlefield from 1775 to the present.

Objectives:

1. Provide background on the roles on Surgeon's Mate, Hospital, Steward, and Medic.
2. Review, compare, and contrast the operational performance of these roles.
3. Examine how the progression of these roles led to the Physician Assistant.

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AHS Support to LSCO

Provide attendees with an overview of FM 3-0, Operations, current large-scale combat operations, and how the Army Health System supports LSCO.

Objectives:

1. Identify the key components of FM 3-0 and how the AHS supports operations.
2. Know where AHS operational medicine formations are arrayed on the battlefield.
3. Identify the differences between overseas contingency operations and large-scale combat operations and the projected number of casualties.

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Pediatric Mortality in Deployed United States Military Treatment Facilities: 2001–2022

The research analyzes pediatric trauma care at deployed U.S. military facilities from 2001 to 2022. It highlights a critical disparity: while adult mortality in combat zones improved significantly due to medical innovation, pediatric mortality remained disproportionately high (9.4% vs. <2% for adults). The 20-year data underscores an urgent need for pediatric-specific training and equipment in austere settings. Improving outcomes requires a shift from extrapolating adult protocols to using validated, age-specific pediatric trauma guidelines.

Objectives:

1. Identify key differences in pediatric anatomy and physiology and their impact on trauma outcomes.
2. Implement cognitive offloading strategies to mitigate medical errors in high-stress environments.
3. Apply pediatric-specific resuscitation and hemorrhage control protocols.

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Commercial Full-Body MRI - What to know and how to counsel your soldiers

Commercial Full-body MRIs without an indication are becoming extremely popular. I will discuss risks and benefits of undergoing non-contrast full body MRI and how to counsel your soldiers who have had the scan performed or wish to have the scan performed.

Objectives:

1. Understand MR scans, advantages and limitations.
2. Understand how full body scans are performed and interpreted.
3. Be able to discuss risks with your soldiers.

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War on Empathy

War on Empathy examines empathy not as a moral virtue or interpersonal skill, but as critical public health and societal infrastructure essential for collective survival. Drawing from trauma neuroscience, disaster medicine, public health, and coercive control research, the course explores how empathy is systematically suppressed through engineered chaos, chronic stress, social fragmentation, and power-based manipulation across homes, institutions, media systems, and geopolitical conflict. Participants will analyze how dysregulated nervous systems increase susceptibility to division, authoritarian drift, and dehumanization, and why empathy erosion functions as a force multiplier for violence, inequity, and structural harm. The course introduces a trauma-informed framework for recognizing when crisis responses, policies, or leadership strategies shift from protective to ethically coercive, and why failure to preserve empathy undermines resilience, governance, and coordinated response to global threats. Ultimately, War on Empathy reframes empathy as a strategic intervention—a measurable, protectable resource that must be deliberately preserved to prevent societal collapse, stabilize populations under threat, and maintain the conditions necessary for ethical leadership, effective disaster response, and long-term human coexistence.

Objectives:

1. Explain empathy as a form of critical infrastructure in public health and disaster response by describing how empathy influences social stability, collective action, clinical outcomes, and population-level harm prevention.
2. Identify and analyze engineered empathy-suppression mechanisms (e.g., coercive control, manufactured chaos, narrative manipulation, scarcity/urgency leverage, polarization and emotional contagion) across interpersonal, institutional, and geopolitical contexts.
3. Apply a trauma-informed, neurobiologically grounded framework to design or evaluate crisis policies and response actions—distinguishing protective authority from ethically coercive practice—and proposing at least one concrete intervention that preserves regulation, perceived control, and relational trust during high-threat events.

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Redefining Patient Centered Care - A Novel Approach to Healthcare Delivery in the DoW

A patient care delivery model that improves patient and provider satisfaction, and improves access to care, while reducing healthcare worker burnout . Simultaneously, this model maximizes healthcare personnel scope of practice, reduces administrative burdens and improves overall organization efficiency and performance. Current data (6 months completed, 12 months pending) demonstrates 250% RVU improvement, encounter capture increase of 150% and fiscal earning increase of 176% in just 6 mo.

Objectives:

1. Identify options for organization optimization. An approach to healthcare delivery that puts patients first without compromising staff satisfaction or patient safety.
2. Identify methods to increase capacity without overburdening workforce.
3. Identify methods to leverage whole-of-workforce scope of practice, technology and asynchronous/synchronous communications options to deliver care to the patient in a way that meets the patients needs.

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Recognition, Diagnosis and Management of Common Cardiac Emergencies

A brief discussion of Cardiac Arrhythmias to include recognition, diagnosis and management.

Objectives:

1. Recognize common cardiac arrhythmias.
2. Diagnose common cardiac arrhythmias.
3. Manage common cardiac arrhythmias

Common Complications and Emergencies in Type II Diabetes

Review or diagnosis and management of common diabetic emergencies.

Objectives:

1. Identify common diabetic emergency.
2. Understand the pathophysiology of the emergency.
3. Be able to manage the diabetic emergency.

Retired PAs as C&P Examiners

An introduction to the job of a C&P examiner for the VA, and why a retired military PA makes a good C&P examiner. A discussion of the duties of a C&P examiner, and how you can use your military experience and medical knowledge to help veterans.

Objectives:

1. Understand why a retired military PA makes a good C&P examiner.
2. Understand the duties of a C&P examiner.
3. Understand the way you can use your military experience and medical knowledge to help veterans.

Understanding Type II Insulin Requiring Diabetes: Causes, Management, and Impact

Rereview of several common complications of Type II diabetes, their recognition, and management.

Objectives:

1. Understand the pathophysiology and progression of Type II Diabetes.
2. Recognize, diagnose and manage common complications for insulin-requiring diabetics.
3. Recognize the impact on quality of life issues for individuals with insulin-requiring diabetes.

VA Disability Compensation - A Guide for Veterans

A talk on the VA disability compensation system. How to take advantage of earned benefits.

Objectives:

1. Understand the VA benefits compensation system.
2. Understand the requirements for VA disability compensation.
3. Understand the way to obtain VA disability compensation.

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Back to the Future: The Importance of the PA Legacy

The presentation traces the history of the Physician Assistant/Associate profession from its military origins (the first PA students were former military corpsmen) through its growth to over 201,000 certified PAs today, using a social innovation framework. It concludes with a forward-looking discussion on AI in healthcare, the PA Licensure Compact, and practice modernization.

Objectives:

1. Trace the Military Roots of the PA Profession — Explain how former military corpsmen and medics served as the founding workforce of the PA profession, from Charles Hudson's 1961 JAMA proposal through the first Duke University PA class of 1967.
2. Apply the Social Innovation Framework — Use the six-stage social innovation model (prompts, proposals, prototypes, sustaining, scaling, and systemic change) to analyze how the PA profession evolved from approximately 150 practitioners in 1969 to over 201,000 certified PAs today.
3. Connect Historical Legacy to Contemporary Practice — Articulate how current developments — including the PA Licensure Compact, expanding practice autonomy, and AI integration in healthcare — represent the profession's next chapter and how today's PAs are active contributors to that ongoing history.

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Packing Your Fears: Preparing for Global Health Missions

A common problem in the outdoor world is "packing your fears," making your pack too heavy to carry. While caring for patients in remote environments is rewarding, preparing for the voyage can be stressful. Uncertainty and anxiety can lead to over-packing and under-preparing for the journey, which can create even more stress! Experienced global health PAs will share tips and tricks from global health missions to help travelers prepare more confidently to provide patient care around the world. From the earliest trip planning (visas and immunizations) to developing a packing list that best serves the traveling PA, the medical team, and their patients, we will cover the do's and don'ts of international medi cal travel. We will teach you how to research your destinations to prevent embarrassing customs drama. This session will unpack a mindset that can be used for travel to climates around the world, and will share real-life examples of ways to efficiently prepare for the unknown without burdening the traveler with unnecessary (and heavy) extras. You will learn to pack your necessities, plan for some souvenirs to take home, and leave your fears behind!

Objectives:

1. Develop plans for global health logistics including patient care, personal needs, and space/weight limitations.
2. Research destinations for global health trips, focusing on local regulations, immunizations, and safety concerns.
3. Develop resources for the basic needs of individual travelers/teams, including water purification and recommended medications.

Toxin workshop

Level one toxin

Objectives:

1. Basic injection techniques.
2. How to honestly evaluate a patient.
3. What to do in an emergency.

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Emotional Intelligence: Enhancing Patient Care and Professional Resilience in Healthcare

This presentation provides a practical, evidence-based introduction to Emotional Intelligence (EI) tailored for healthcare professionals and administrators. The content explores EI’s vital role in reducing burnout, enhancing resilience, improving patient satisfaction and outcomes, fostering teamwork and collaboration, and building trust and rapport in multidisciplinary healthcare settings. It covers the five core components of EI (self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills), and includes interactive activities explaining the neuroscientific basis for threats to dignity, shame, and humiliation.

Objectives:

1. Define emotional intelligence and explain its five key components (self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills) as applied to healthcare professionals.
2. Recognize the benefits of high emotional intelligence in healthcare, including reduced burnout, improved patient care outcomes, better teamwork, communication, resilience, and leadership effectiveness, supported by neuroscientific insights on emotional processing.
3. Apply practical strategies and activities to build and enhance personal and professional emotional intelligence for daily use in clinical and administrative settings.

PTSD presentation. Added new info on use of psychedelics and devices

PTSD presentation. Added new info on use of psychedelics and devices... Cheers, Tom Other lectures are "Taking Care of the Hateful Patient", "Differentiation Between Four Common Dementias", and "Hippocratic Oath: Its Relevancy Today" and "Hoarding Disorder: Diagnosis and Treatment"

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Adult ADHD in Military and Veteran Populations: Recognition, Bias, and Evidence-Based Care

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults remains underrecognized, particularly within military and veteran populations where high performance, structured environments, and cultural stigma often blur the clinical picture. While ADHD affects approximately 4–5% of the general adult population, prevalence rates are notably higher among service members (7–9%) and post-9/11 veterans (~12.7%), with significant overlap with PTSD and other psychiatric conditions. This presentation explores the unique challenges of identifying and managing ADHD in high-functioning military personnel and veterans. It will highlight how traditional diagnostic frameworks—often based on childhood presentations—fail to capture adult symptom patterns, leading to frequent misdiagnosis as anxiety, depression, burnout, or trauma-related disorders. Through a combination of clinical evidence, case-based discussion, and personal narrative, attendees will gain practical strategies for distinguishing ADHD from common comorbid conditions such as PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder. The session will also address clinician bias, systemic barriers within military systems, and patient-level resistance to diagnosis and treatment. Participants will be equipped with evidence-based diagnostic tools, including validated screening instruments and structured clinical approaches, as well as pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment strategies tailored to this population. To bridge clinical care with operational readiness, the session will conclude with a focused update from Megan Horsey, active duty Brigade Physician Associate, who will provide practical insight into current medical waiver considerations for ADHD treatment in active duty Army personnel, particularly within pre-deployment environments. Ultimately, this session emphasizes that ADHD is both prevalent and highly treatable—and that accurate recognition can significantly improve functioning, readiness, and long-term outcomes for military and veteran patients.

Objectives:

1. Recognize the clinical presentation of ADHD in adults, including how symptoms may manifest in high-functioning military personnel and veterans.
2. Differentiate ADHD from commonly comorbid conditions—particularly PTSD, depression, and anxiety—using a structured, evidence-based diagnostic approach.
3. Apply evidence-based diagnostic and treatment strategies for adult ADHD, while incorporating military-specific considerations such as operational readiness and medical waiver processes.

After the Uniform: A Practical Introduction to PA Practice Ownership

Physician Associates play a critical role in addressing the growing healthcare workforce shortage in the United States. Recent regulatory changes—including modernization of PA practice laws and CMS policies allowing PAs to own practices—have expanded opportunities for practice ownership. However, many clinicians remain unaware that PA practice ownership is possible and feasible. This presentation provides a practical and engaging introduction to PA practice ownership specifically tailored to military clinicians. Drawing from personal experience transitioning from active duty Army PA to founder of a multi-state private psychiatry practice, attendees will receive an introduction to the legal, operational, and financial foundations required to launch a PA-owned medical practice. Topics will include key areas such as practice modernization, credentialing processes, legal structuring, compliance considerations, marketing strategies, considerations for physician collaboration, and practical insights gained during the initial startup phase. The session is designed to be both educational and inspiring, highlighting how military PAs already possess many of the leadership and operational skills required to successfully build and lead healthcare organizations.

Objectives:
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to: 1. Describe recent policy and regulatory changes that allow Physician Associates to own and operate medical practices. 2. Identify the key legal, operational, and financial steps required to launch a PA-owned medical practice. 3. Apply leadership and operational skills developed during military service to the development and management of a private medical practice.

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Transformational Leadership

Discussion of the impact of PAs on healthcare and leadership through the lens of leadership styles.

Objectives:

1. Describe the styles of leadership.
2. Review the impact of PAs.
3. Discuss examples of PA innovation.

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Austere and Wilderness Medicine Workshop: Trauma Care in Austere Environments

Overview: This interactive, hands-on workshop reinforces trauma management using the MARCH algorithm (Massive Hemorrhage, Airway, Respiration, Circulation, Hypothermia/Head Injury) framed through both wilderness and tactical medicine perspectives. Participants will rotate through skill stations focused on field triage, airway adjuncts, hemorrhage control, circulation, and hypothermia prevention, all while adapting to environmental stressors. The session contrasts well-resourced EMS operations with austere and prolonged-care realities, where evacuation may be delayed for hours or days, resources are scarce, and adaptability defines success.

Key Topics:

• Hemorrhage Control: Identification and management of life-threatening bleeding in the chest, abdomen, retroperitoneum, and extremities using tourniquets, pressure dressings, and field improvisation.
• Airway and Respiratory Management: Establishing and maintaining airway patency with minimal equipment; decision-making for advanced interventions in resource-limited environments.
• Circulation and Perfusion: Assessing perfusion, maintaining MAP, and addressing shock with limited fluids or monitoring capability.
• Thermoregulation and Exposure: Preventing and managing hypothermia in trauma patients under adverse environmental conditions.
• Field Triage and Team Coordination: Integrating MARCH priorities within multi-casualty and remote rescue scenarios.
• Improvised Techniques: Adapting common materials and environmental resources to meet trauma care needs when standard equipment is unavailable.
• Scenario-Based Learning: Simulated austere trauma scenarios designed to reinforce hands-on decision-making and field leadership under pressure.

Key Takeaways:

• Master the fundamentals: The MARCH algorithm remains the backbone of trauma care — even when the resources disappear.
• Train how you fight: Practicing under realistic environmental stressors builds competence and calm under chaos.
• Adapt, improvise, overcome: Resourcefulness and leadership matter more than tools — this workshop ensures both.

Objectives:

1. Demonstrate the MARCH algorithm in austere, prehospital, and wilderness environments.
2. Compare tactical, wilderness, and EMS trauma frameworks for different operational contexts.
3. Build confidence in resourceful trauma care, leadership, and prolonged field stabilization.

Lessons from Ukraine: Drone Injuries in Modern Conflict and Prolonged Casualty Care

This educational session examines the evolving impact of drone warfare and large-scale combat operations on trauma patterns, evacuation timelines, and medical decision-making. Using real-world operational experience from Ukraine, the presentation highlights the increasing need for Prolonged Casualty Care (PCC) in environments where evacuation is delayed and resources are limited. Participants will review mechanisms of injury associated with drone attacks, challenges in providing care under persistent threat, and practical strategies to optimize outcomes in austere and resource-constrained settings. Emphasis is placed on translating battlefield lessons to civilian disaster response, emergency medicine, and global health operations.

Objectives:

1. Identify mechanisms of injury and operational threats associated with drone warfare and modern conflict environments.
2. Implement principles of Prolonged Casualty Care (PCC) to manage trauma patients in settings with delayed evacuation and limited resources.
3. Integrate tactical and clinical adaptations to improve patient outcomes in austere, high-risk environments.

The integration of Rotary Wing MEDEVAC into an Installation's Health Service Support Plan.

A lecture on how 82nd MEDEVAC went from 5 calls a year to over 70 by fully integrating themselves into the installation health support plan, and became the first stateside MEDEVAC system to use whole blood. This will include lessons learned along the way and how to replicate/integrate into other installations.

Objectives:

1. Understanding medevac's role in Fort Bragg's IHSP.
2. Major players involved in an effective blood program.
3. Capabilities provided by medevac to an instillation.