New medical training agreement fosters continued support

  • Published
  • By Katie Dale
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
The 17th Medical Group and Shannon Medical Center have collaborated to initiate a Training Affiliation Agreement beginning July 22.

This TAA is significant to the continual training of 17th MDG providers and technicians, as well as to the benefit of Shannon Medical Center staff, and serves as the 23rd P4 (public-public, public-private) partnership between Goodfellow and the San Angelo community.

"[The agreement] is extremely beneficial to both parties since it provides high quality, no cost training, and fosters a strong community partnership," said Lt. Col. Aimee Morales, 17th MDG commander.

The idea for the TAA came from a mutual aspiration to collaborate between the base medical group and community partners. It is the first project of its kind for Goodfellow and Shannon, but it is not uncommon within the Air Force Medical Service.

Both entities will benefit from the training program as their providers will undertake activities in related clinical facilities, respectively. The 17th MDG personnel will be trained in Shannon Medical Center facilities such as the emergency department or trauma center during varying shifts for up to two weeks every quarter. The length of training will depend on scheduling of staff availability and patient care demand.

"It is also to the benefit of Shannon Medical Center to receive and use the trainee's clinical experience and performance," added Morales. "The 17th Medical Group and the Department of the Air Force will likewise benefit from making clinical facilities available to medical and administrative personnel trainees of Shannon Medical Center."

According to Shannon Medical Center's CEO, Shane Phymell, the benefits of this agreement are beneficial to the San Angelo community as an opportunity to collaborate with Goodfellow AFB.

"We feel like Goodfellow's presence here is a big part of our San Angelo community-economy," said Phymell. "We look for any way we can work together to benefit the staff and people at Goodfellow. So it's just a great fit. We're already doing a lot of training education for nursing, physical therapy, and others. It's easy for us to add other professionals in those classes."

In addition, Shannon Medical Center looks forward to learning from the 17th MDG providers on base.

"What we've noticed is, a lot of the military professionals have seen a lot of things we haven't seen, especially from an emergency preparedness standpoint," said Phymell. "So hearing what some of their past experiences have been ... [can] help us to be prepared for certain things like disasters. They have far more experience in those types of situations than we have."

We look for any service we can work with Goodfellow to help provide services that may be difficult for Goodfellow to do here locally or it's just saving money by collaborating."

The TAA will serve to solidify a continuing mutually supportive community-base relationship and grow the experiences and training of staff at Shannon Medical Center and 17th MDG alike.