Aligning Air Force Ground Surgical Team (GST) Training With the Deployment Experience

Area of Science:

• Military Medicine
• Surgical Training
• Austere Care

Background:

• The Air Force Ground Surgical Team (GST) Phase 1 course provides pre-deployment training for austere surgical care.
• Course improvements have historically relied on anecdotal evidence.
• A survey was conducted to understand clinical and operational activities of GST deployments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To gain a robust understanding of the clinical and operational activities during Ground Surgical Team (GST) deployments.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the GST Phase 1 training based on surgeon experiences.
• To identify areas for improvement in the GST pre-deployment training.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to surgeons who completed the GST Phase 1 course between April 2017 and September 2020.
• 31 surgeons responded to the survey, with 22 having deployed.
• Data collected included deployment location, number of surgeries, patient care scenarios, and logistical challenges.

Main Results:

• Of 22 deployed surgeons, 68% served on standalone GST platforms.
• Median surgeries performed were 2 for standalone GSTs and 7 for larger facilities.
• Challenges included long holding times, simultaneous patient care, and delayed resupply (>30 days for 50%).

Conclusions:

• The GST Phase 1 course is crucial for preparing surgeons for austere military environments.
• Recommendations include broadening content on deployment topics, formalizing documentation and nontechnical skills training.
• Optimizing context-specific behaviors will enhance surgeon preparedness for deployment.