By Hospital Corpsman First Class Jermia Douglas, Surface Warfare Medical Institute public affairs
SAN DIEGO ( July 14, 2017) -- Surface Warfare Medical Institute (SWMI) recently hosted the Medical and Nursing Cadets of the Secretaria de Marina (SEMAR) from the Mexican Navy as part of a familiarization process with U.S. Navy Medicine July 11.
The cadets are in their fifth year of Medical or Nursing School, and this has become a part of their graduation process. The visit provides the cadets with the opportunity to acquaint themselves with their respective U.S. counterparts.
This was SWMI’s second year presenting for SEMAR, where cadets are given briefs on fleet training and the Independent Duty Corpsman (IDC) program. The former brief provides an overview of all the courses that are offered at SWMI, giving SEMAR members a snapshot of what each course entails. The IDC Program brief provides them with in-depth information about what the program has to offer. One hurdle the briefs aim to alleviate is explaining how enlisted personnel (IDCs) are authorized to provide certain medical care on isolated platforms. SWMI explains that through the IDC Program, students learn and practice using the knowledge of what their responsibilities will be upon graduation.
Upon the completion of the briefs, SEMAR cadets were given a tour of SWMI, which included demonstrations in the simulation laboratory, virtual reality rooms and walkthrough of the patient diagnosis facility.
"Here at SWMI, we utilize leading edge technology and rely on the vast experience of dedicated instructors to prepare our IDCs to become the future of Navy Medicine,” said Lt. James Jones, IDC Department Head at SWMI. “It is an honor and great privilege to have the opportunity to showcase the program and develop long lasting relationships with our counterparts in the Mexican Navy. It was extremely motivating to experience the genuine interest the SEMAR Cadets had in what we teach here at IDC School. We look forward to their visit again next year."
The tour’s attempt to unveil the comprehensive and arduous responsibilities of an IDC went well as it aimed to emphasize efforts to strengthen the partnership between SEMAR and the U.S. Navy.
SWMI, a detachment of Navy Medicine Operational Training Center (NMOTC), is part of the Navy Medicine team, a global health care network of Navy medical professionals around the world who provide high-quality health care to more than one million eligible beneficiaries. Navy Medicine personnel deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, providing critical mission support aboard ships, in the air, under the sea, and on the battlefield.