Military-Civilian Partnership Model to Sustain Clinical Readiness During Peacetime: Preliminary Findings From Korea.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the viability and impact of South Korea's inaugural Military-Civilian Partnership (MCP) pilot program in overcoming peacetime volume deficits and enhancing military clinical readiness.

METHODS

Over a 1-year period (September 2024-August 2025), an active-duty military surgeon maintained regular duties at a military facility, completing 65 shifts, while performing 41 intermittent 24-hour shifts at a civilian regional trauma center (RTC). The patient demographics, injury severity, and procedural/surgical volumes of the surgeon's cases were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

The surgeon managed 103 and 193 patients at the military facility and civilian RTC, respectively. The civilian RTC presented a significantly higher burden of severe trauma, with more patients presenting with Injury Severity Score (ISS) >9 (49% vs 35%, P = 0.023) and ISS >15 (35% vs 23%, P = 0.035). While the civilian RTC provided a higher volume of invasive procedures (142 vs 23) and complex visceral repairs, the military facility uniquely exposed the surgeon to military-specific mechanisms (gunshots, blasts) and preserved baseline dexterity through unrestricted general surgery access.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that a tailored, intermittent MCP model effectively sustains military clinical readiness by blending high-density civilian trauma exposure with military-specific trauma care.