The three-day Radiation Emergency Medicine course, presented by REAC/TS as part of the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, emphasizes the practical aspects of initial management of irradiated and/or contaminated patients through lectures and hands-on, practical exercises.
The course focuses on the fundamentals of radiobiology, along with the medical care and management of patients involved with radiological and/or nuclear incidents. Topics include radiation physics; radiation detection/measurement/identification; early evaluation and treatment of acute radiation syndrome (ARS), acute cutaneous injuries, and internal contamination; contamination control; and mitigating risks to patients, providers, and facilities.
All of these principles are incorporated in a culminating, hands-on exercise using live patients with mock injuries and transferable radioactive contamination.