The Military Unique Curriculum at the Uniformed Services University consists of three high-fidelity simulations to prepare students for future conflicts in austere operational environments. One of these simulations, Operation Bushmaster is a five-day high-fidelity military medical field practicum (MFP) held for fourth-year military medical students and nursing students. During this simulation, students deploy to Fort Indiantown Gap, PA, where they enter the notional country of “Torbia.” Assembled in platoons, the students care for simulated critical condition patients (portrayed by first year medical students) within a stressful combat environment. In addition, while participating in Operation Bushmaster, students fill various roles relevant to their future deployments, including surgeon, platoon leader, assistant platoon leader, preventative medicine technician, ambulance team leader, and behavioral health technician while caring for simulated disease and non-battle injury patients, combat stress casualties, and combat trauma casualties in a variety of scenarios. The simulation concludes with a mass casualty event where students care for over thirty patients during a one-hour time frame. This presentation will explore the educational impact of Operation Bushmaster on student learning and readiness to deploy by describing several educational research studies conducted at Operation Bushmaster. Best practices for developing training simulations like Operation Bushmaster will be described and discussed.

Participants will identify the critical elements of high-fidelity simulations at the Uniformed Services University.

Participants will describe the impact of Operation Bushmaster on military medical trainee learning.

Participants will discuss the value of using high-fidel\ity simulation for disaster training and readiness.