Occupational Medicine Awarded the William Gorgas Preventive Medicine Award

Occupational Medicine Awarded the William Gorgas Preventive Medicine Award

Rose McCarthy

Public Affairs

U.S. Army Medical Command

Army Col. (Dr.) Paul M. Faestel, Director, Public Health/General Preventive Medicine Residency at Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, was recently selected to receive the 2021-2022 AMSUS William Gorgas Preventive Medicine Award.

The AMSUS virtual annual meeting will be hosted Feb. 22-25. This year’s theme is “Healthcare Transformation Starts with Medical Education and Training.”

Faestel has served in the U.S. Army for 22 years and has been assigned to the Uniformed Services University (USUHS) for the last 5 years where he serves as the Director, Public Health/General Preventive Medicine Residency, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA.

AMSUS honors the contributions of outstanding federal healthcare professionals annually through its distinguished awards program. AMSUS is recognized as the only conference where federal health leadership and professionals unite in sharing news of innovative medical advances, superior practices in patient care, and results of collaborative efforts.

Faestel and his team established Madigan’s initial response to COVID-19. This included the development of testing protocols as well as direct coordination with providers assigned to I Corps on JBLM. Each positive test creates the need for contact tracing and he created a small army of volunteers along with his preventive medicine residents to trace each case in order to limit the spread of the virus. This teamwork enabled all of the clinics and ancillary services of Madigan to safely care for over 125,000 beneficiaries while protecting its staff.

Resident education is an essential aspect to the future of Army Medicine and Faestel was very fortunate to work with a team of young professionals who were deeply committed to continual process improvement. Our ability to respond to whatever obstacles that lie ahead of us will be dependent upon how well prepared our new graduates are for these challenges. Faestel and his team ensured that every aspect of Madigan’s COVID-19 response enhanced graduate medical education.

“I am honored to receive this award,” said Faestel, expressing gratitude for the support he receives from his colleagues and partners and also the residents who motivate him to keep going.

“It takes a team to accomplish what we are doing, I know we are ready for any challenge that may come next,” Faestel said. “It is truly incredible to come to work every day with such a talented staff.”

Military preventive medicine programs have inspired and educated those in the civilian sector, said Faestel. “In the military, we’ve always understood the value of prevention. We know that the health of the force is directly related to the readiness of our force. In turn, prevention is more cost effective than treatment.

“He ensured the residency program exceeded all requirements of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), said Col Douglas Maurer, Director of Medical Education/Designated Institutional Official. His leadership led to a 100% board pass rate among his residency graduates. COL Faestel's contributions throughout the pandemic have been flawless. He remains the calm, reassuring, and knowledgeable face of Madigan and JBLM working tirelessly with the WA State Department of Health, and the Governor's Office. He has been the right leader at the right time and we are lucky to have him.”

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Army Col. (Dr.) Paul M. Faestel, Director, JBLM Department of Public at Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, was recently selected to receive the 2021-2022 William Gorgas Preventive Medicine Award. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Medical Command)