MDA israel

A ceremony marking the affiliation agreement between MDA and BGU was held yesterday. The academic affiliation, similar to agreements between universities and hospitals allows for improved cooperation in research and training for both bodies. The agreement includes coordinated activities between the Emergency Medicine degree at the University's Medical Sciences Faculty, and MDA's Paramedic Training Center in Ramat Gan. The affiliation will also improve the MDA's research abilities, further exposing the organization to a wider global audience by the presentation of academic research papers. 

MDA has experience in many fields that could be of benefit to other EMS organizations, such as the mass vaccination program, mass casualty incidents, as well as activation of Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICUs). The affiliation with BGU will provide an improved mechanism for sharing MDA's knowledge and abilities. 

"The ability to combine between BGU's knowledge and abilities, and MDA, will certainly lead to developments in the field of the pre-hospital emergency medical treatments, as well as more lives being saved," said Prof. Daniel Haimovich, President of BGU. "Through this academic affiliation we will play a central role in improving paramedic training who will use our simulation center, and we expect to prepare joint research."

Prof. Angel Porgador, dean of the Health Sciences Faculty at BGU added: "This affiliation has been spoken about for many years, and the good discussions we have had over the past year have finally brought about signing this academic affiliation."

MDA Director General, Eli Bin: "Magen David Adom is very proud to join BGU in the fields of academia, research and combined study in this special collaboration. The unique cooperation between Israel's National Rescue Organization the university that is leading the medical field will further strengthen the professional knowledge and clinical tools that are provided to our paramedics and EMTs on the front line. I have no doubt that this joint venture will advance the research in such a way that more lives will be saved in Israel and across the world. I thank the heads of BGU for their cooperation." 

Dr. Oren Wacht, Head of the Emergency Medicine Department at BGU and MDA Paramedic summarized the event. "By studying and researching the provision of emergency medicine, we have the opportunity to develop advanced abilities for many patients. Our students and MDA have been training together for more than 25 years, and this natural connection gives us the ability to use different synergies between the two organizations. The main aim of the affiliation is to provide faster, more effective treatment, to challenge accepted protocols and develop newer approaches that will improve outcomes for our patients."