December 2023 Quarterly Newsletter

We are so pleased to report that in 2023, over 343 people went through the Specialized Medical Standards Austere Emergency Care training and 13,720+ continuing education credits were awarded.  Audiences locally, nationally, and internationally participated in this training. 

Some more of this year’s highlights are:

• Our training partners have held 47 courses total (as of Dec. 2023)
• We’ve trained 11 Instructors
•  We’ve changed our Learning Management System (LMS) platform to Moodle and expanded our catalogue of training materials, and worked with experts to auto-generate certificates for course participants
• Brought the Prolonged Field Care Collective under SMS
• Built a brand new website 
• Brought on 3 additional licensed AEC training partners 

“The AEC course has opened my eyes to a more holistic approach to austere and remote medicine and nursing, as well as honing my skills for everyday use. This course is among the best investments any professional or volunteer can make into their own future in emergency medicine.”

– Participant 

Here’s what we hope to achieve in 2024:

• Create additional course and continuing education online training materials through our Learning Management System, with the help of international experts
• Identify opportunities to establish Austere Emergency Care (AEC) as a standard for services, government and/or educational entities
• Continue to build and foster a network of SMS-trained Instructors and Directors
• Fund critical operational needs for our part-time staff. Currently, over 50% of our staff time is unpaid, in-kind expert, and administrative support
• Finish developing a supplemental handbook used during AEC training and in the field

Support the Cause

Your donations help us to partner with medical experts to write curriculum, design a handbook, and ultimately develop more robust and engaging training materials for participants.

As the year comes to an end, we ask you to seriously consider a donation to further our efforts in 2024. As a non-profit, we rely heavily on grants and your generosity to keep up this important work. Your donations help rural EMS frontline providers receive critical education and life-saving training.

“After AEC I feel more confident with treating critically injured patients. The course has also highlighted some capabilities we in the rural ambulance service lack in our toolkit.”

– Joakim L., Norway ambulance service