Medics train for Paramedic Refresher Course

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Julius Delos Reyes
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The 95th Medical Group hosted a Paramedic Refresher Course in January as part of paramedic licensure recertification requirement. 

Additionally, emergency technicians and other medics received the refresher course. 

"The course is designed to update our students on current and changing trends in emergency medical service," said Ryan Billings, 95th Medical Operations Squadron paramedic. 

The course includes basic laws and regulation for emergency management service, providing care for most critical patients in the field, including cardiac arrest, child birth, pediatrics and burns. The students also learned about basic protocol, extrication and trauma management. 

"I've never seen a course like this during my entire career," said Tech. Sgt. Angela Herron, 95th Medical Group paramedic ambulance section noncommissioned officer in charge. "It's state-of-the-art training. Mr. Billings taught it in a way that students want to be there. It is not just books. There's a lot of interaction." 

Senior Airman Tracy Belcher, 95th Medical Operations Squadron aerospace medical technician, said the training was beneficial because the course provided a hands-on learning experience. Airman Belcher and other students received an opportunity to dissect and study the heart and lungs of a cow as part of their anatomy and physiology course. 

A "Simulation Man" was also brought in for the students to practice providing emergency medical care to a patient. The "Sim-Man" has the limited capability to simulate some symptoms of cardiac and respiratory problems. 

"I learned a lot during the entire course," Airman Belcher said. "Going through all these is going to give me a jump start on learning about medicine. I like the course because it was fun and interesting." 

Mr. Billings said the course is important because it promotes unity and teamwork. 

"The students learned how others work on a scene so everything works efficiently when we are in action," Mr. Billings said. "Paramedics are the intervention between the scene and the hospital. We provide basic life support to adults and pediatrics. This course will really help our students. We use everybody's experience, combine it and put it on the course so we can learn the good and bad experiences."