WVU researchers sift through the smoke to see how burn pits make veterans ill

Researchers in the West Virginia University School of Medicine are using a customized stove in the University’s Inhalation Facility to safely examine the harm that burn pit exposure can do. The stove burns pellets the School of Forestry has made to resemble the composition of burn pits at Iraq’s busiest military bases.

Lifesaving Trauma Skills Course Quickly and Significantly Sharpens Rarely Used Military Surgeons’ Skills

Military surgeons must maintain a broad set of surgical skills to care for combat-related injuries, but during times of peace, these skills are rarely put to use. However, according to a new JAMA Surgery study, a two-day trauma skills course can significantly improve their proficiency and ensure they are able to continue providing optimal trauma care in combat. The study, “Surgical Skills Training and Assessment of Competency,” was led by researchers at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and published Sept. 15.