COL (Ret.) Russ Kotwal, MD, MPH – Ranger Battalion and Regimental Medical Care in Two Combat Jumps and 12 Operational Deployments (Part 1 of 2)

Dr. Russ Kotwal spent nearly 30 years in the military and more than 15 years in operational assignments with the 25thInfantry Division, 75th Ranger Regiment, and U.S. Army Special Operations Command.  He conducted hundreds of ground combat and air missions as the senior medical provider.    Dr. Kotwal describes his journey to military medicine through the Uniformed Services University and then to Family Medicine training at Martin Army Hospital in Ft. Benning, Georgia.  It was his experience treating the soldiers and families of the Ranger community that led him to also obtain further medical training in Aerospace Medicine and a Master of Public Health and his application of these degrees and knowledge to benefit the Ranger community.   As a Ranger medical physician and battalion and regimental surgeon, he describes his experiences with two combat jumps as a Ranger and extraordinary medical care provided on the Haditha Dam in Iraq.  He further describes his initial data collection to help the Ranger community to provide better battlefield care and the transition for intravenous morphine to oral fentanyl to provide superior pain control at initial combat point of injury.   This is part 1 of a 2-part series where Dr. Kotwal gives an inside look into the medical care of the most elite infantry unit in the world.  This is a must listen episode.     Find out more about Dr. Kotwal at wardocspodcast.com/guest-bios and visit our webpage and become part of Team WarDocs at wardocspodcast.com.       Please take a moment to follow/subscribe, rate and review WarDocs on your preferred Podcast venue.   Follow Us on Social Media Twitter: @wardocspodcast Facebook: WarDocs Podcast Instagram: @wardocspodcast