Joint service training for medical readiness

Medical Readiness Training is of major importance in preparing to meet the challenge of medical care during wartime and national emergencies or disasters. As an alternative to simulated casualty training, the U.S. Public Health Service and the U.S. Army joined forces to provide "real world" medical care for troops during training. Although simulated training provides insight into casualty and trauma medicine, it is felt that many aspects of real medical care are often ignored or taken for granted. Providing medical care under austere field conditions provides a realistic environment and presents situations that can not be evaluated by simulated training.