What is medical triage?

• A. The method of distributing medical supplies evenly.
• B. The process of prioritizing wounded soldiers on the basis of the individual needs for surgical intervention.
• C. The procedure for evacuating medical units.
• D. The process of evaluating training readiness.

Answer: (B)

Triage is the process of sorting wounded soldiers to decide who needs surgical care first and who can wait, focusing on those most in need and most likely to benefit from intervention when medical resources are limited. In combat medicine, the goal is to use limited surgical capacity to save as many lives as possible, so true triage prioritizes individuals based on the urgency of their injuries and the potential benefit from treatment.

That makes the option describing prioritization for surgical intervention the best fit. Distributing medical supplies evenly isn’t about who needs care first, but rather resource allocation. Evacuating medical units deals with moving teams and facilities, not prioritizing patients. Evaluating training readiness is about personnel preparation, not patient care.