Trauma Capstone prepares Tripler’s medical residents for deployed environments

Tripler Army Medical Center – As military medical residents at Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) near graduation from their Graduate Medical Education (GME) program and prepare for their next assignments, they face one final challenge: the GME Trauma Capstone.

Thirty-eight graduating resident physicians participated in this year’s Trauma Capstone, held at the Medical Simulation Training Center, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

This five-day exercise, designed specifically for military medical residents, aims to prepare them for the unique demands of military medicine. The event focuses on combat care and trauma management, providing valuable hands-on experience to ensure physicians are ready to perform medical missions in deployed environments.

“The GME Trauma Capstone event assists us in preparing for potential large-scale combat operations; it is essential that our residents are ready to meet those challenges,” said U.S. Army Maj. Zachary McRae, Family Medicine Physician. “While most residents have been concentrating on their individual specialty tasks, we want to ensure they are also proficient in trauma and combat casualty care principles.”

The capstone event is designed to bridge the gap between medical training and real-world combat scenarios by offering a comprehensive, immersive experience. Its purpose is to prepare military medical personnel to manage complex trauma cases and save lives in combat situations.

“The primary goal of the GME Capstone is familiarization, and I can’t emphasize that enough,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Sierra Forehan, non-commissioned officer in charge of the Graduate Education Program. “It’s all about ensuring our newly graduated physicians become acquainted with every aspect of trauma care, from the point of injury through the entire evacuation process.”

U.S. Army Capt. Erin O’Laughlin, a pharmacist resident, emphasized the importance of training, stating, “While we gain significant clinical knowledge during residency, this training is crucial for applying tactical combat casualty care skills in a deployed environment.”

“As medical professionals in the U.S. Army, it is essential that we are prepared to deploy and deliver the highest level of casualty care to all the Soldiers we support and serve alongside,” said O’Laughlin.

According to Col. William F. Bimson, TAMC director, TAMC plays a vital role in preparing residents as a medical readiness platform. “The GME Trauma Capstone is a critical component—it’s our last opportunity to provide them with additional hands-on experience before they join their first unit.” said Bimson. “There’s no better way to achieve this than in the field, and the use of paintball guns adds an extra layer of realism. I’m very impressed with what I’ve seen; it closely resembles Expert Field Medical Badge (EFMB) training. This experience is invaluable for residents, especially as they prepare to lead a platoon of medics as battalion surgeons.”

Tripler supports 264,000 active duty and retired military personnel, their families, and veteran beneficiaries. In addition, the referral population includes 171,000 military – personnel, family members, veteran beneficiaries, residents of nine U.S. affiliated jurisdictions and forward-deployed forces in more than 40 countries throughout the Pacific.