Tactical Medicine Course in Switzerland: Open Training for Civilians

Tactical medicine is the first care of severe injuries at the point of injury, under difficult conditions and before the ambulance service arrives. In Switzerland, many such programmes are open only to government agencies and the army. DTD Systems runs open courses for private individuals in Villmergen AG, with no prior knowledge required.

What tactical medicine is, and how it differs from classic first aid

Tactical medicine is the first care of severe injuries at the point of injury: life-threatening bleeding, airway, chest trauma, shock and hypothermia, under difficult conditions and often far from fast help. It concentrates on the minutes before the ambulance service arrives, and on the few measures that can make the difference in that time.

A classic first aid course covers a broad range of everyday emergencies. Tactical point-of-injury care narrows the focus: severe injuries, trained under realistic conditions until the skills hold. It complements existing first aid structures; it does not replace them.

For clarity: the DTD courses teach the medical content of point-of-injury care. Training takes place without weapons and without threat scenarios.

The Swiss course landscape: many programmes are open only to authorities and the army

A private individual looking for tactical medicine training in Switzerland quickly runs into closed doors: a large share of the programmes address police, army and emergency organisations and require a service function. Open courses without entry requirements are the exception.

The DTD courses take the opposite approach. They are open to private individuals, require no professional function, and no prior knowledge is required.

The open courses at DTD Systems

Hemorrhage Control, 4h. The entry point: in four hours you train to stop a severe bleed in the minutes before the ambulance service arrives. Keeping equipment ready so it works, assessing a scene, finding hidden bleeding, applying a tourniquet and packing a wound. Built for absolute beginners with no first aid experience at all, and bookable now; the course language is English.

Severe Trauma Care, 16h. The complete course over two days: caring for a seriously injured person from the first minute to handover, taught to S-MARCH-E, a civilian adaptation of the MARCH sequence. Day one training and skills, day two scenarios. Course language German and English; the four-hour course is not a prerequisite. Dates are published on the course pages.

Both formats run in small groups, with role players and realistic simulation material, and both belong to the DTD Trauma Essentials course family.

The foundation: the MARCH sequence and the TCCC and TECC guidelines

Participants train a rapid trauma assessment along a simplified MARCH sequence: recognising and stopping life-threatening bleeding, basic measures for the airway and chest trauma, recognising shock and deterioration, preventing hypothermia, and initiating handover to further care.

The curriculum is informed by the publicly available TCCC and TECC guidelines and adapted by DTD Systems for the training objectives of the courses. TCCC describes casualty care in a military context; TECC is the civilian adaptation of those guidelines. The courses are deliberately limited to the essentials: what is trained is what actually changes the outcome.

The training venue: Villmergen AG

The open four-hour course takes place at the DTD HQ in Villmergen (AG), the registered office of DTD Systems GmbH at Schulhausstrasse 2, 5612 Villmergen (CHE-445.864.884). For further open courses, the venue is announced with the course listing.

On request we come to you: for companies and organisations, the course is aligned to your procedures and your equipment.

What these courses are not: not a recognised first aid course, not a government programme

This training can complement a company first aid concept. It is not a first aid course recognised by the Swiss Federal Roads Office (ASTRA), it does not replace the first aid course required to obtain a Swiss driving licence, and it is not an IVR First Aid level.

We are not accredited by any body. After full attendance you receive a certificate of completion issued by DTD Systems GmbH stating the course, the date, the course hours and the content covered; it is our own certificate, not an accreditation by another body.

The open courses are civilian training and not part of any official government or military curriculum. These courses are educational, practice-oriented training: DTD Systems GmbH does not provide emergency medical services, patient care or ambulance services.

FAQ

What is tactical medicine?

The first care of severe injuries at the point of injury, under difficult conditions and before the ambulance service arrives. The focus is on life-threatening bleeding, airway, chest trauma, shock and hypothermia.

Can I learn tactical medicine in Switzerland as a private individual?

Yes. The open courses at DTD Systems in Villmergen AG require no professional function and no prior knowledge. Many other Swiss programmes, by contrast, address authorities and the army.

What does the MARCH sequence mean?

MARCH is a fixed order for assessing and treating a seriously injured person: life-threatening bleeding first, then airway, chest trauma, shock and hypothermia. The two-day course is taught to S-MARCH-E, a civilian adaptation of the MARCH sequence.

What is the difference between TCCC and TECC?

TCCC describes casualty care in a military context; TECC is the civilian adaptation of those guidelines. The curriculum is informed by the publicly available TCCC and TECC guidelines and adapted by DTD Systems for the training objectives of the courses.

Do I need prior knowledge?

No. The four-hour course is built for absolute beginners with no first aid experience at all, and the two-day course does not require it as a prerequisite.

Where do the courses take place?

The open four-hour course runs at the DTD HQ in Villmergen (AG). For further open courses the venue is announced with the listing; on request we train on site at companies and organisations.

Do I receive a recognised certificate?

We are not accredited by any body. After full attendance you receive a certificate of completion issued by DTD Systems GmbH stating the course, the date, the course hours and the content covered; it is our own certificate, not an accreditation.

What does a course cost?

Current prices are shown directly with each course on the booking page. Training for groups, companies and organisations is quoted individually, based on scope, location and number of participants.

The most direct way in is the bookable course DTD Trauma Essentials: Hemorrhage Control. For both courses, their content and the current dates, see the DTD Trauma Essentials course overview. Details on the entry course itself are on the hemorrhage control course page.