Thank you for your efforts on the PFC website and podcasts – I really enjoy both. While I am not .mil, I am an MD with considerable austere practice experience. I enjoyed this podcast discussing far forward field surgery, but I cannot help but ask the question / make the statement:

It strikes me that the surgical focus here is on taking hospital level care and working out what is the minimum skill and equipment sets required to undertake a far forward procedure to a similar level. In contrast with the approach of starting with nothing and working out what the absolute minimum is needed, which has been the driver in my practice.

I accept that when providing care to a first world citizen, even in a hostile / austere environment the expectations are probably higher but I am constantly surprised with what a small set of equipment and drugs I can get by with. Wouldn’t it at times it be worth while building from the ground up, rather than from the top down? Hope that makes sense.

Cheers
Craig