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AAF medical personnel graduate ECG course

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Justin Weaver
  • 438th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
KABUL, Afghanistan --  Six Afghan Air Force medical personnel graduated from the Introductory Electrocardiography Course May 5 at Shindand Air Base Clinic.

Electrocardiography is part of the periodical physical examination required for flying personnel and was offered to the AAF personnel to improve their knowledge and professional skills. The course covered practical and theoretical issues in electrocardiography and also cardiac clinical cases were presented and discussed within the class.

"This was a rare opportunity for them to get this course on site and they were so enthusiastic to learn something more about their daily medical duty," said Italian Air Force Lt. Col. Pierandrea Trivelloni, Medical Corps, senior flight surgeon and 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group medical advisor. "Shindand medical personnel are very smart and kind. They appreciate our job and they thanked us for spending our time in teaching them new skills."

Afghan Air Force flight Surgeons and Flight Medics are in charge of medical treatments, periodical examinations to flight personnel and military personnel and they run the crash and emergency response on Shindand.

"For these reasons they must have the skills to perform and interpret the ECG," said Colonel Trivelloni, who is on his fifth deployment and most challenging in his professional career. "Our main issue is the language barrier. We have been working with an interpreter who has done an outstanding job because the medical language is very sharp and specific."

During the graduation ceremony, AAF representatives expressed great appreciation for the opportunity "to increase their professional capabilities on the road to get complete autonomy in the daily medical duty to the flight personnel."

"AAF is rebuilding its professional capabilities and it is an honor to be part of such a huge international effort on the road to allow Afghan Air Force and Afghan people to achieve professional autonomy and to improve life conditions," said Colonel Trivelloni.