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When the American Red Cross Advanced Life Support course was released to the Military Health System on March 1, a few key leaders had already completed the requirement, including two Defense Health Agency leaders responsible for the program’s success. The Deputy Assistant Director for Education and Training, Air Force Brig. Gen. Sharon Bannister, and the Deputy Assistant Director for Medical Affairs, Dr. Paul Cordts, were invited by the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences dean of the School of Medicine, Dr. Arthur Kellerman, to join the first group of students to receive the new training. On February 22, all three took their places beside third year USU medical students as they practiced necessary lifesaving treatment skills at the school’s Val G. Hemming Simulation Center in Silver Spring, Md.
“It was important to me to have firsthand knowledge of the ARC curriculum we’ll be rolling out to the rest of the MHS,” said Bannister. “From my personal experience, I believe the providers, medics and corpsmen will find there is a strong team approach focus in the ARC training platform. The blended learning really gives an opportunity to focus on the individual factors you need in advance of entering the classroom, to include completion of the written examination. This allows for a hands on training opportunity fully focused on performing skills in a team setting to put the didactics to practice. ”
The transition to the American Red Cross Resuscitation Suite officially began October 1, 2018, at the direction of DHA Director Vice Adm. Raquel C. Bono. Nearly 17,000 MHS members have received the new Basic Life Support training since November 1 when it was launched. Both new versions of the Advanced Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support certifications will be available online on March 1.