US physicians complete medical training in Israel

More than a dozen doctors from across the United States arrived in Israel this week for a five-day Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Course led by the American Physicians Fellowship (APF) in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the Medical Corps of the Israeli Defense Forces.

“The Course has two important goals in mind,” said APF President Norton J. Greenberger, leader of the mission. “We hope to continue to foster the sharing of life-saving emergency medical techniques between Israeli physicians and their American counterparts.

"Additionally, we want our members to have the best possible training so that, if needed, they stand ready to take the place of Israeli colleagues in civilian hospitals, thus freeing those physicians to report for duty on the front lines in any military conflict.”

One of the many highlights of the program was the group’s participation in a mass toxicological event drill at the Belinson Medical Center in Petah Tikva.

Live-action simulation (Photo: Sasson Tiram)

Beginning with a briefing by hospital personnel on their deployment and contingency plans for emergencies, the group gained intimate knowledge of the Israeli medical system. Then the dedicated doctors got to take part in the drill itself.

Shrieking bells announced an emergency while the doctors dressed in specialized suits in only a matter of minutes. Dummies were unloaded from several ambulances while teams of specially trained medics disinfect the scores of contaminated patients in a sectioned off area of the loading station. The swift action of the skilled practitioners is a valuable lesson for any doctor.

“The level of organization on this course is remarkable,” stated Geoffrey Greene, an Allergist from Columbia, Maryland. “A toxic event in a serious problem and things are getting more and more dangerous, the fact that we’re doing this is fantastic.

"Learning first hand what they’re doing here will assist us and our colleagues back in the states. Our Israeli counterparts are very experienced in this area; seeing how well they do their jobs is a true inspiration to us.”

Later in the day, the doctors headed over to the IDF Medical Corps training base at Tzrifin, where they took part in a live-action simulation that included soldiers playing the roles of wounded patients.

The APF course concluded on Thursday, with a graduation ceremony at Latrun, but only after the doctors completed their week-long coursed which included visits to hospitals in the Galilee and a briefing at the Sderot Magen David Adom Station on the situation in the western Negev.