WBAMC Fort Bliss, TX  –   On May 24, anesthesiologists at William Beaumont Army Medical Center participated in high-intensity training at the hospital’s simulation lab to fulfill Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology (MOCA) requirements and sharpen their skills for military medical readiness.

The MOCA program, required by the American Board of Anesthesiology, ensures that board-certified anesthesiologists regularly engage in rigorous, hands-on training to stay prepared for rare but life-threatening situations. For military providers, this training goes beyond certification — it's about readiness for austere and unpredictable environments.

“Our goal is to train anesthesiologists so they’re comfortable working through these emergencies, especially in combat or low-resource situations,” said Maj. (Dr.) Daniel Comerci, WBAMC’s simulation medical director. “This training helps ensure we’re prepared to care for active-duty service members and beneficiaries both at home and in theater.”

Scenarios included a hypotensive patient coding in a remote ambulatory surgery center, a bilateral pneumothorax in post-op recovery, and a complex mass casualty incident involving trauma and obstetric care. Each exercise tested the clinicians’ diagnostic accuracy, crisis management, and teamwork under pressure.

“This was pretty high fidelity,” said Capt. (Dr.) Adley Carlson, an anesthesiologist and interventional pain physician. “There’s always a little stress — and that’s the point. These events are rare, but in deployment scenarios, trauma and unpredictability are the norm. This training helps us stay sharp.”

WBAMC is a certified MOCA simulation center and offers the course to military and civilian anesthesiologists locally and nationally. The program is a non-profit cost, significantly less than commercial options, with participants paying a fee directly to the Society of Anesthesiologists, making it a cost-effective, high-value training opportunity.

“We’re here to build a culture of readiness,” said Comerci. “The more we do these simulations, the better prepared our providers — and our military healthcare system — become.”

Photo: Amabilia Payen
Caption: Capt. (Dr.) Adley Carlson, an anesthesiologist and interventional pain physician (left), Lt. Col. (Dr.) Todd M. Anton (middle), and Dr. Mitchell Puschett (right), communicate with each other about what to do next to assist the simulated patient’s coded vitals during a high-intensity training scenario in the simulation operation room at William Beaumont Army Medical Center. The training was aimed at fulfilling Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology (MOCA) requirements.