Tactical medicine--competency-based guidelines.
BACKGROUND
Tactical emergency medical support (TEMS) is a rapidly growing area within the field of prehospital medicine. As TEMS has grown, multiple training programs have emerged. A review of the existing programs demonstrated a lack of competency-based education.


OBJECTIVE
To develop educational competencies for TEMS as a first step toward enhancing accountability.


METHODS
As an initial attempt to establish accepted outcome-based competencies, the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) convened a working group of subject matter experts.


RESULTS
This working group drafted a competency-based educational matrix consisting of 18 educational domains. Each domain included competencies for four educational target audiences (operator, medic, team commander, and medical director). The matrix was presented to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Tactical Emergency Medicine Section members. A modified Delphi technique was utilized for the NTOA and ACEP groups, which allowed for additional expert input and consensus development.


CONCLUSIONS
The resultant matrix can serve as the basic educational standard around which TEMS training organizations can design programs of study for the four target audiences.
Schwartz
Richard Bruce
RB
Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA. rschwartz@mcg.edu
McManus
John G
JG
Croushorn
John
J
Piazza
Gina
G
Coule
Phillip L
PL
Gibbons
Mark
M
Bollard
Glenn
G
Ledrick
David
D
Vecchio
Paul
P
Lerner
E Brooke
EB
D022561:Advanced Cardiac Life Support; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003162:Competency-Based Education; D032921:Consensus; D003697:Delphi Technique; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008887:Military Medicine; D017145:Models, Educational; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014481:United States