What happens when lifesaving care can't arrive in minutes—but is hours or even days away?
Preparing healthcare providers for that potential reality is a driving force behind the University of Minnesota's new Austere Medicine Program, an innovative collaboration addressing critical gaps in modern military and civilian medicine, especially in remote or resource-limited environments.
A partnership between M Simulation, the Translational Center for Resuscitative Trauma Care, the Global Surgical Medical Support Group, and the Minnesota National Guard, the program meets the evolving needs of modern conflict. Together, they developed an academic curriculum to train service members in prolonged casualty care—the specialized skills needed to care for critically injured patients when evacuation and advanced medical resources are not imminently available.
More than teaching clinical techniques, the program prepares future leaders to make difficult medical decisions under extraordinary circumstances.
The initiative was developed in direct response to a request from the Minnesota National Guard, whose leaders identified the need for advanced training.
"Military medicine is fundamentally different from civilian medicine," said E.B. Floersch, assistant director for M Simulation. "In many operational environments, providers must deliver high-level care with limited equipment, unfamiliar medical devices, and little expectation that additional help is arriving soon. Our goal is to prepare them for that reality before they ever deploy."
Expertise brought together in one program
No single organization could deliver this training alone.
The Austere Medicine Program brings together the University of Minnesota's internationally recognized strengths in trauma research through the Translational Center for Resuscitative Trauma, immersive experiential learning through M Simulation, and the operational expertise of the Global Surgical Medical Support Group, whose instructors include former Special Operations medics, nurses, and physicians with extensive real-world experience providing care in austere environments.
This multidisciplinary partnership creates a training environment unlike any other in the region, exposing participants to the latest evidence, technologies, and field-tested practices while strengthening collaboration between military and civilian healthcare experts.
Participants work with the types of medical equipment they may encounter during emergency disaster response or combat deployments—including medical aid bags, field devices, and resource-limited treatment tools—building confidence long before they are asked to use them in high-stakes situations. The curriculum also introduces learners to different levels of medical care across operational environments, preparing them to adapt quickly as conditions change.
A seminar focused on the future of military medicine
The University's commitment to advancing austere medicine was initially showcased during an April seminar, held in honor of (late) Dr. Bjorn and Mrs. Margot Monson, that brought together nationally recognized leaders in military and civilian trauma care.
The event featured presentations from retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Dr. Stacy Shackelford, former trauma medical director for the Defense Health Agency; retired Major General Dr. Dave Hamlar; retired Special Forces medic Phil Gonzalez; and Translational Center for Resuscitative Trauma Director of Education and Training Chris Vanbrenk, who explored how modern conflicts are reshaping medical education and why prolonged casualty care has become an essential component of military readiness.
Preparing leaders for a dynamic future
During the course of training, participants are also exposed to situations in which educated improvisation, active team coordination (including use of non-medical personnel), and problem-solving may need to occur, particularly in settings of reduced or unavailable resources.
Dr. Sara Burdash, the Austere Medicine Program’s medical director and a lieutenant colonel in the Army National Guard expounds on this, “Our duty is not just to teach our learners sound medicine, but to build a framework for thought processing and critical thinking – to transition from someone who is capable of gathering and reporting information, to one who can assess, synthesize, and act wisely on the information available, even in the most difficult of circumstances.”
Through immersive simulation and realistic operational scenarios, learners develop not only advanced clinical skills but also the judgment, adaptability, and leadership needed to make critical decisions under pressure. Whether caring for multiple casualties, managing limited supplies, or determining how to sustain patients until evacuation becomes possible, participants practice the kinds of challenges they may face long before those moments become reality.
Transitioning from combat to community
The program's impact extends well beyond the battlefield. The principles of prolonged casualty care are increasingly relevant to disaster response, humanitarian missions, rural healthcare, and other situations where clinicians must provide lifesaving care with limited resources.
“The program furthers the TCRTC’s mission to develop improved treatments for injured and critically ill patients through research, outreach, and education. Austere medicine prepares our front-line providers to deliver the best possible care with limited resources and for an unknown amount of time,” explains Lisa Rogers, MS, MPH, the executive director for Translational Center for Resuscitative Trauma.
As healthcare continues to evolve, the University of Minnesota is ensuring that tomorrow's military medical leaders are equipped with the knowledge, confidence, and leadership skills needed to provide exceptional care.
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