Several times a year the APF provides the opportunity for American physicians to participate in a Disaster and Emergency Preparedness Course which takes place in Israel, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the Medical Corps of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Within this framework a delegation of 31 doctors from leading medical facilities throughout the USA visited Rabin Medical Center's Beilinson Hospital where they were hosted by Dr. Boaz Tadmor, Beilinson's Director who has been involved with the APF for many years, specifically in their program which provides fellowships for Israeli physicians abroad.

Presentations were made by the hospitals leading Emergency and Trauma professionals including Dr. Efrat Harlev, Deputy Director and Head of Emergency Services, on mass causality deployment in a Level 1 hospital and the need to be ready for all emergencies ; Dr. Michael Stein, Director of the Trauma Unit on management of mass causality incidents in the Emergency Department; Dina Albouar, Trauma Coordinator, spoke about the challenges of her profession and the need to help the family as well as the patient, and Prof. Pierre Singer, Director of the General Intensive Care Department talked about intensive care management following a mass causality/emergency event and the importance of providing the most advanced optimal medical care in order to save these patients, who often suffer from complicated injuries and diseases.

Yet the pinnacle event was when Dr. Steven Jackson, senior RMC neurosurgeon, told the unbelievable life saving story of 22 year old paratrooper Aaron Karov, married only a few days before the Gaza War ''Operation Cast Lead'' in January 2009 and probably the most critically injured IDF soldier in this war. The delegation saw vivid pictures of Aaron when he was first brought to the hospital and Dr. Jackson an observant Jew, said he felt that God was truly with him during Aaron's brain surgery and that he considers Aaron to be a true hero of our nation. But no picture was necessary, when at end of the presentation Aaron Karov walked into the room. Everyone one stood up and began to clap in what was an unbelievably emotionally moment and there were few dry eyes in the room. Dr, Eyran Halpern CEO of Rabin Medical Center was also present for this very special occasion.

Perhaps Aaron Karov symbolizes the importance of the work of our entire medical team in time's of emergency and trauma as well as in everyday life, where they constantly save lives and face new medical challenges.