Seafarers on board vessels as well as offshore personnel on rigs are defined by their isolation. This means that in case of an illness or injury they have to cope themselves. Therefore, this is only natural that Medical Courses are an integral part of any maritime training. STCW regulates these courses for the shipping industry.

The Elementary First Aid course is included into the Basic Safety Training and gives initial instruction regarding medical emergencies at sea. Students practice cardiopulmonary resuscitation, recovery position; are inducted about fractures, spinal traumas, heart attracts, etc.

More advanced level of medical training - Medical First Aid course is designed for personnel designated to provide first aid on board. During the training students polish their knowledge of previous course and are taught to examine casualty, understand pharmacology, treat aftermaths of temperature extremes and transport the injured.

The last course in STCW series is Medical Care on Board.  It is obligatory for personnel with designated medical care duties and provides techniques of treatment of sick and injured while they remain on board ship. The course program also describes medical equipment and resources which will be available aboard, inducts into the reference system including Ship Captain’s Medical Guide and gives some more practical information which shall be useful while handling ill person on board.

All three courses have refresher counterparts. Meanwhile, list of medical courses is far wider. There is a range of offshore specific medical trainings, for instance Offshore Medical First Aid or an Offshore Advanced Techniques Drug Test (10 Part). In the merchant fleet industry, one may find a lot of opportunities for professional development as well.  Fatigue and Stress at Sea, Defibrillator Handling, Electronic Vision Screening Assessment, maritime training centers partner with prominent medical clinics to provide students with high-quality training product.