Special Operations Advanced Care Practitioner (SO-ACP)

VSC's premier level training course spans seven intense training days focused on advanced principles within special operations medicine. Drawing from case studies, hands on skills stations, and dynamic classroom instruction the VSC cadre will build upon existing skills to deepen capabilities within the special operations medical community. Using a scientific journal based approach, we break down the science to understand the reasons for treatment, the mechanisms of action, and the expected outcomes of interventions. VSC believes that when we empower trainees with a deep knowledge of why things occur based upon science, the available practice options increase significantly, and thus so does the likelihood of better patient outcomes in complex management situations. The course goes beyond the medicine to build a solid foundational understanding of how "medical" contributes to SOF mission success, how integrating medical planning in SOF should take a holistic approach in the mission planning process, and how operational medicine providers need to take realistic inventory of capabilities when faced with operational constraints. The trainees will undergo numerous medical mission planning scenarios in break out sessions, and will critique fellow trainees in white board debriefs of mission plans. Finally, the course will culminate in a two day continuous evolution with our Human Analog Simulation Model (HASM) which will encompass point of injury care, casualty evacuation, and prolonged care scenarios. Trainees will come away with a foundational knowledge of special operations medicine that will enhance team capabilities in real world scenarios, and will compliment SOF capabilities across the spectrum of operations. We recommend completing this training course prior to attending VSC's unconventional warfare medicine training program.