Austere Medicine Program

The Austere Medicine Program was created to be an adaptive program to meet the dynamic needs of our military, governmental, civilian medical system, and communities. To meet these needs, the program engages in various education and training initiatives, research efforts, and strategic partnerships.

Our mission is to advance medical readiness and operational capability in austere and resource-constrained environments through evidence-based and operationally-focused education, training, and research that improve survivability and operational efficiency, and strengthen functional medical elements to further both national security and civilian resilience.

Foundations of Prolonged Casualty Care

This course provides a comprehensive, systems-based introduction to Prolonged Casualty Care (PCC) for healthcare professionals and prehospital providers operating in austere, remote, contested, or resource-limited environments where evacuation is delayed, disrupted, or denied. PCC addresses the critical gap between initial life-saving interventions and definitive care, focusing on the management of critically ill or injured patients over extended timeframes when traditional medical infrastructure is unavailable.

Building upon the principles of Joint Trauma System Clinical Practice Guidelines and Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care standards, this course expands beyond initial Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) interventions to develop the clinical judgment, operational planning, and leadership competencies required for sustained casualty management. 

Instructional methods include didactic instruction, case based learning, guided discussion, hands-on skills laboratories, and high fidelity simulation exercises. In person sessions emphasize psychomotor skill development, team leadership, and clinical decision making under stress. Learners will also participate in experiential clinical rotations in key clinical areas. 

The future PCC pipeline will also include an Advanced Provider PCC branch in 2027, culminating in a joint field exercise bringing the various members together to practice these skills in an immersive training event.  

Chris vanBrenk, Program Director

Chris vanBrenk is the current Director of Education and Training at the Translational Center for Resuscitative Trauma Care. Chris is a Critical Care Flight Paramedic and former Army Special Forces. His additional areas of expertise include Emergency Management and Austere Medicine with nearly 15 years of overseas experience in austere regions around the globe.

Sara Burdash, Medical Director

Dr. Sara Burdash, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician, and is the current National Guard Emergency Medicine Consultant to The Surgeon General (Army). She has more than 20 years of service in the military and is currently a lieutenant colonel in the MN Army National Guard. Dr. Burdash was previously the system medical director for emergency management and security for a large healthcare system. She holds director-level certification in emergency management through MN Homeland Security and Emergency Management and is involved with national committees and interest groups for disaster medicine. She has academic interests and experience in disaster medicine and preparedness, resiliency, as well as austere, event, and tactical medicine.

Linda Wick, DNP, APRN

Linda is the lead for the Austere Medicine Program’s accreditation and clinical experience coordination. She is a past healthcare executive serving as Associate Chief Nurse Executive and Senior VP for Ambulatory Specialty Clinics and Patient Placement for a large health system. She has also served on national boards for heart failure and is a practicing heart failure clinician. 

George Veletsianos, PhD, Curriculum Development Specialist

Dr. George Veletsianos is Professor of Learning Technologies and Bonnie Westby Huebner Chair in Education and Technology at the University of Minnesota. His research investigates the messy realities of digital technology use in education, and focuses on the design of online learning environments, the investigation of education futures, and the use of emerging technology in teaching and learning. His career spans two decades, six books, 100+ peer‑reviewed publications, 100+ keynotes internationally, and over $5 million in funding from agencies such as the National Science Foundation and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Formerly a Canada Research Chair, Commonwealth of Learning Chair, and Fulbright scholar, he has collaborated with various organizations in advancing their online and blended learning programs.