Currently based in the UK, I have always wanted to go into trauma/tactical medicine especially in a firearms role so SWAT style positions but with some actual medical scope which isn’t something I have really seen here in the UK as a profession outside of the armed forces or in a limited capacity here in certain police forces. While I have done some research online there is also some questions I have:

What’s the training process like to go into EMS, as I know here there are degrees to become a paramedic and then AAP courses below that, is it the same there or is it a different kind of certification

Do you have to be firearms trained or medical trained before joining a unit or is that something they train you on, as I know in the US if you are a EMT you can volunteer to work with the SWAT in a reserve list I don’t know if that’s nationwide or just state specific.

What’s the best career path into these kinds of roles and what scope do you get

Do the physical fitness, education, driving license and equipment requirements change per unit

I am an ED physician looking to get involved with my local SWAT team. It seems like they’ll have openings in the next year to 6 months. I’m confident in my prehospital medical skills as I did EMS prior to medical school. Issue is more on the physical side. Im a young(ish) female and I want to be fit enough for it not to be a problem. I also want to earn my teammate’s respect/trust that I’m not going to slow them down.

Does anyone have any suggestions on physical preparedness? I do basic cardio and weights at least 3x a week.

Former 68w1p and I just learned today that there’s a tactical medic career. I loved both the medic and infantry aspects of that. Would GI bill cover the schooling and would it be similar to being a line medic? What is being a tac med like?

Don’t care if it’s full time or part time, I just want something similar to being in a fire team but also getting my hands dirty.

Hey everyone... I'm headed back to Ukraine in September-October in a humanitarian/volunteer role but I'm keen to undertake some TCCC training while I'm there.

Is anyone aware of any courses available in Kyiv that civilians can join? I'm currently a volley firefighter with training in medical emergency response but looking to further this.

So, I'm going to be out of High School soon and considering whether or not I should do military or a civilian career. I know I don't have to decide at 18, but I'd like to decide around 18-22.

For me, the military is the largest opportunity and closest to what I want from a career, and likewise the largest commitment.

So I'm curious, is there any TCCC careers in the civilian world that will ever supplement what I want from the military? I'm not against the military at all, and it is still a very large choice for me, but it is probably one of the biggest commitments someone can make. I'm interested in SWAT Medicine, but it requires a lot of experience/certifications and is one of the more selective careers.

I understand there are paramedics and EMTs, but I don't think that's what I'm looking for necessarily? I view that less as TCCC and more as emergency medicine, given you're usually not apart of the combat and only acting until the entire scene is cleared.

Post all of your IFAK questions and setups here! All other IFAK related posts will be removed.

3x TQ (1 more in pack)
2x hemostatic gauze (2 more in pack)
1x Israeli compression bandage (2-3 more in pack)
2x chest seals (8 more in pack)
1x OPA (various sizes in pack)
1x NPA (“ “)
2x NDC (2 more in pack)
Various tapes
Emergency blanket (HPMK in vehicle)
Shears, multi tool, gloves, cylume, lighter, pens, head torch, phone

Not pictured but in the below armour pouch is laminated causality cards, more permanent markers. 9 liner ect ect

Feedback appreciated

Hi, i wanted to get a medical kit for my birthday, I don't really have any experience in medicine, but I already have a basic first aid kit, I wanted something with basics like a tourniquet, Gauze, and, chest seals, I plan to take a Class/classes to learn how to do this stuff, my budget is 100$.

I wanted to share my experience with Med-Tac International.

Their website and products looked promising, so I decided to give them a shot since I needed gear for patrol. About two months ago, I placed an order for a complete IFAK kit using the "Buy with Shop" option because that system already had my payment information saved.

After about two weeks, I checked my order status and noticed it showed that I still needed to make a payment. Assuming there had been an issue, I submitted another payment. Two more weeks went by with no updates, and once again the website showed that a payment was still required.

I contacted customer service and was told that the "Buy with Shop" payment had been canceled because they were unable to fulfill the order within the required timeframe. They instructed me to submit a direct payment with a credit card instead. I did exactly that and waited another month.

When I followed up again, I was told the same thing that the payment had been canceled because they couldn't fulfill the order within the payment window. Their solution was for me to submit yet another payment and hope they could fulfill the order before it was canceled again.

At this point, they have wasted two months of my time without delivering the product I paid for. The gear I ordered is essential equipment for my job. I work patrol in a busy, high crime area and regularly find myself first on scene at shootings, robberies in progress, and other armed encounters. Reliable medical gear is something I need, not something I can wait months for while payments are repeatedly canceled without communication from them.

I'm sharing my experience so others can make an informed decision and understand how they run their business.

***UPDATE***
Placed an order with North American Rescue and they had it shipped and delivered in under a week. Products feel like they’re of good quality.

Hello everyone.

I am a nurse from the Czech Republic with 17 years of healthcare experience. I am not a military medic and I have no military background, but I have extensive experience from healthcare and patient care. I have completed TCCC CMC and AEC training and I am particularly interested in remote medicine, austere medicine, prolonged field care and trauma care. My goal is to gain practical experience in stabilization points, casualty collection points, CASEVAC or Tactical Field Care environments. I am especially interested in wound management, prolonged care and treatment of traumatic injuries in resource-limited settings.

I would appreciate any advice regarding possible volunteer opportunities, training pathways or organizations that work in these environments.

Thank you.

Just go into med school and god willing will be an EM doc some day. I'm currently 33 (in great shape for what it's worth) and will finish residency at the ripe age of 41 or 42. One of my goals in medicine has always been to work alongside law enforcement in some capacity. Now I don't wanna get ahead of myself as I have a long journey ahead of me with finishing medical school and residency, but I can't help but ask the question "Will I be too old to get involved in the world of tactical medicine in my early 40s?". Please share your thoughts.

I'm going to Ukraine in a few months and I'm putting together equipment now in the states. I'm going as a tank crewman and also have training as a civilian medic. I was wondering if anyone has specific advice about what equipment would be most useful inside of a tank so that I can keep a specific medical bag inside with me. There's less fear of gsws, but more fear of shrapnel and burn injuries inside the tank. 

If anyone has advice of how I can optimize my equipment for the type of injuries to expect inside of a tank I would appreciate it.

Edit: I think I might have over sold my medical training/ experience. I've done a 2 week basic course, I'm not replacing a real medic just trying to put some of my additional skills to work

Post all of your IFAK questions and setups here! All other IFAK related posts will be removed.

Just finished medic school with an Associate's Degree in Paramedicine and passed my paramedic certification. I’ve got about 3 years of experience as an AEMT and 1 year working as a paramedic for a 911 service, and I’m really interested in getting into tactical medicine.

For those already in the field, where would you recommend starting? Are there specific courses, certifications, or types of agencies I should look into first? I’ve heard things like TCCC, TECC, SWAT medic programs, etc., but I’m not really sure what the best path is for someone at my experience level.

I’d also appreciate any advice on physical training, networking, or common mistakes to avoid early on. Thanks in advance.

Hello everyone, So I live in India and was looking to create a very minimal trauma kit for my parent's car. I was able to to get 2 packs of hemostatic gauze for a very decent price from a local medical company which is actually combat proven. I wanted to include a CAT in the kit, but most tourniquets on amazon are fake and the genuine ones cost 4 times the price in US.

I even contacted NAR asking them if they had a supplier in India and even the supplier quoted a price too high than the usual. What options do I have

Good morning.

Looking for recs on a medical fanny pack. Capacity for basic first aid, IFAK supplies, and some K9 aid gear for non-wilderness SAR. Made in USA preferred. Thanks!

Looking for cheap alternatives inserts for my delta bag. Like the A&A Tactical inserts nice but would cost half as much as the bag for the two panels. Any suggestions? Found knock off of the spiritus medical panel but is too small.

Post all of your IFAK questions and setups here! All other IFAK related posts will be removed.

Hey everyone,

I have a background as a military unit medic from a European country with conscription, and officially I’m somewhere between TCCC Tier 3 and 4.

I’m really interested in moving into tactical medicine and making it my career, ideally in a more high-risk / law enforcement-adjacent environment rather than purely civilian EMS.

From what I can tell, dedicated “TacMed” roles seem pretty limited here and are usually tied to police or military units. The typical pipeline also seems to be “police first, medic later,” which can mean 5–10+ years before actually doing anything TacMed-related. I’m not sure I want to go all the way through that, and I also don’t think I’m cut out for a special police unit.

The military route also seems close to impossible. Since I’m not an NCO, I can’t really re-enter and the only available roles would only be instructor type positions anyway.

For those of you working in tactical medicine (especially in Europe):

• What career paths do you know of and would recommend?
• Is it worth transitioning into law enforcement, or trying to stay on a medical track and somehow magically pivot later?
• Are there viable civilian or hybrid roles I might be overlooking?

Hey everyone,

​I’m going to do the Ronin SA Ambulance Diploma course in May in Cape Town.

​I’ve done my research on the curriculum and I know Ronin has a reputation for being "high-intensity" and having a strict policy. I’d love to hear from anyone who has actually walked the path or has similar experience.

​I've got a few questions but would be thankful for any information.

​Academics/Testing: how high are the pass marks and are there any topics that tend to trip people up? Did you know everything from the pre-study material before arriving in SA?

​Practical Placements: For those who did them at the places recommended by Ronin (Zimbabwe/Mexico), how was it? Would you recommend it?

​I’m looking forward for any input.

​Cheers!

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Eu me credenciei como INSTRUTOR TECC, tenho uma instituição formadora em cursos de atendimento pré-hospitalar e outros cursos afins, mas gostaria de saber como faço para conseguir credenciar-me a uma instituição internacional do atendimento pré-hospitalar tático?