The letters stating that only trained people should suture wounds are absolutely correct, you must be trained and it definitely falls into the category of a “skilled intervention.”
Clearly, I did not stress this enough.
A good way to get an basic level (non-skilled) orientation to using medical skills is ride along with fire and EMS, Hospitals may allow observers in the ER and other wards if you can find a good reason. A good way to form a relationship with health care providers in this situation is to do research for writing a book. After the releases are signed you will (with due respect for privacy) possibly even be allowed to photograph stages of treatment along with taking notes for yourself. Hospitals have a secondary purpose it is continual training of the doctors, nurses, techs, and staff so expect a many good teachers. Many fields of work from engineering to forestry are happy to allow on site interviews and research if you know how to ask and approach in a professional manner. These interview notes sessions must be taken for what they really are skin deep looks at these vital highly skilled interventions and hopefully a motivation to put in the effort to obtain proper certification verifying to the world (and yourself) that you are qualified in the skills you claim to posses as well as protection under many state good Samaritan acts.
JWR Adds: I concur that SurvivalBlog readers should get as much medical training as possible. The time may come when you folks reading this have a major trauma patient laying before you (for example a gun shot wound, knife wound, or a farm tractor accident) and no doctor available to help you for hours or days. Two of the most crucial skills are learning how to stop bleeding and how to treat for shock. OBTW, I highly recommend a new product designed to stop bleeding called Traumadex. It comes with an instructional DVD that is amazing. (The DVD shows Traumadex being applied to induced wounds on pigs–even stopping bleeding from a femoral artery!) Traumadex is now available from Ready Made Resources and just a few other vendors.