Medical Effects of Ionizing Radiation (MEIR) Course

USUHS - Uniformed Services University of the Health

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• Learning:
  Course
• Location:
  maryland
• Price:
  By request

Presentation

The Medical Effects of Ionizing Radiation (MEIR) Course improves the operational capabilities of the military services by providing medical and operational personnel with up-to-date information concerning the biomedical consequences of radiation exposure, how the effects can be reduced, and how to medically manage casualties. The training, formerly known as the Medical Effects of Nuclear Weapons Course, was expanded to include nuclear incidents that can occur on or off the battlefield and that go beyond nuclear weapons events.

The postgraduate-level course addresses the following topics: fundamentals of ionizing radiation, ionizing radiation interactions with cells and organs, diagnosis and treatment of acute radiation syndromes and combined injuries, psychological effects of radiation exposure, internal radiation contamination, radiological defense, and radioprotection.

Students are acquainted with the hazards of ionizing radiation, radiation pathology, human exposure resulting from radiation accidents, consequences of nuclear weapons detonation, and nuclear accident response by government organizations.

Course length and location
The MEIR Course is always tailored to the needs of the specific audience, as detailed by the local sponsors (hosts). There are four variations of the MEIR Course. All share a common core, but differ in length. The variations are as follows:

Mini-MEIR: This 1-day course focuses primarily on the medical/health and psychological effects of radiation. Click to view a sample agenda.

MEIR (Standard): This 2.5-day course is taught regularly in the Washington, DC, area and at other locations by request. Ninety percent of our customers request this course. It covers thoroughly all four of the key subjects: health physics, biological effects of radiation, medical/health effects, and psychological effects. At the discretion of the host, this course may be taught in 2 days—not by sacrificing any content, but by having two longer class days. Click to view a sample agenda.

MEIR Scientific Update: This 4-day course is taught once a year at AFRRI. It incorporates everything from the standard MEIR and in addition provides talks by leading radiobiological scientists on the latest laboratory findings. It is more academic than any other version of the course and includes a tour of AFRRI. Click to view a sample agenda.

MEIR Field Course: This 1-week course is the longest version of the MEIR Course and is taught once or twice a year only at Kirtland AFB, which has the unique facilities needed. The course includes everything from the standard MEIR and also spends about half the time in preparation for and conduct of actual field exercises. The culmination of the course is a day in the field with students, dressed in full protective gear, who rescue role-playing victims at a real aircrash site on the base in an area of actual low-level radiological contamination. This is the least academic and the most applied, hands-on version of the course. Click to view a sample agenda.

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