A civilian training laboratory specialising in ‘battlefield medicine’ has been set up at Wrocław Medical University’s Department of Forensic Medicine.
The first of its kind in Poland, the lab is intended to provide medics with specialist training in dealing with disasters such as war or terrorism.
'The new laboratory combines our previous experiences in the fields of forensic ballistics and battlefield medicine. The development of these directions is an obvious necessity for us, which has a new meaning in the face of the war beyond our border. We want to prepare medical staff as best as possible for extreme events, including disasters, terrorist attacks and war. We consider this to be the duty of the medical university, especially considering the current situation in Ukraine', says the head of the unit, Dr. Tomasz Jurek.
He adds that his laboratory cooperates with the Forensic Laboratory - Weapons and Ballistics Research Laboratory of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Wrocław, the Tadeusz Kościuszko Land Forces Military Academy in Wrocław and the Military Institute of Engineering Technology in Wrocław.
'Based on the new laboratory, we intend to expand our activities to include evidentiary analyses of firearms, the assessment of effectiveness of ballistic protection of soldiers against the effects of explosions and gunshots, as well as new solutions in this area', says Jurek.
The second area of operation of the new unit is battlefield medicine which will focus on specialist training for medical staff (doctors, paramedics, nurses), rescue services and soldiers.
A university press release said the courses will be based on Dr. Jurek’s ‘many years of experience in the field of battlefield medicine for soldiers of special forces units and rescue services, cooperating with the Military Units of Special Forces - NIL and Agat - and the non-governmental organization +In the meantime+ - a group of Polish battlefield medics who have been saving the lives of the wounded in Ukraine since 2014’.
The tasks of the Battlefield Medicine and Forensic Ballistics Laboratory are also related to teaching. 'Discussions are currently underway to introduce elements of battlefield medicine into the education standards for doctors and rescuers. It seems a matter of time before these changes come into force, and we want to be ready for them. In today's turbulent times, we need to equip our students with these types of skills. And we are already doing it', says Dr. Jurek.
He adds that an example is the highly rated, practical elective for students of the Faculty of Medicine 'Injuries caused by firearms. TCCC Basics'. Dr. Paweł Gawłowski from the Medical Simulation Centre teaches a similar course in the emergency services studies.
Another one is planned: 'Procedures in cases of injuries in pre-hospital emergency care - elements of the PHTLS (Prehospital Trauma Life Support) and TCCC (Tactical Combat Casualty Care) programs', and the course 'Procedures in medical rescue activities in pre-hospital conditions (PHTLS, TCCC) - topographic anatomy and procedure technique'.
'We are planning new forms of training using the potential of the Medical Simulation Centre and its employees - extremely experienced not only in modern teaching methods, but also in the field of tactical rescue', says Dr. Jurek. (PAP)
Roman Skiba
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