Ten Afghan students graduated from a first responder medical course held in Jan Qadam village school, Parwan province, Bagram District, Oct. 31.
The course, facilitated by medical personnel of Special Operations Task Force-East, is designed to give Afghan students the necessary tools and knowledge to properly respond to medical emergencies in their village.
The first responder course is the first to be taught at the school and covers eight days of academics and scenario-based exercises that were spread out over the past month.
The course officially ended after all students successfully completed a randomly assigned medical scenario by a SOTF-E instructor and that was demonstrated to an audience consisting of women, elders, men and children of the village.
The graduation ceremony commenced after all students completed their respective scenario and where all 10 students received their graduation certificate.
After seeing the level of skill demonstrated, and the level of medical knowledge retained, by the students, Lt. Col. Dan Godbee, SOTF-E surgeon said, “'I cannot give these students a higher endorsement than to say I would allow any of them to care for me if I were injured.” Dr. Godbee also commented that “even minor interventions in the early minutes after trauma can have major impacts on outcomes - up to saving lives."