San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium held its annual awards ceremony June 4 at Brooke Army Medical Center.
SAUSHEC is one of two major Department of Defense multi-service graduate health education platforms; the other is National Capital Consortium at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. It hosts 37 General Medical Education specialty programs with 638 Army, Air Force and Navy interns, residents and fellows.
Additionally, SAUSHEC is the largest DoD graduate-level allied health education platform, sponsoring 22 programs with 77 trainees. SAUSHEC’s training programs are primarily located at BAMC and the 59th Medical Wing’s Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center.
“Today, we are here to celebrate the privilege of serving in the educational mission, which perpetuates our professions, enabling the care of our patients not only today, but tomorrow,” said Dr. Mark True, SAUSHEC dean. “We get to enjoy the opportunity to develop skills and instill values in the next generation of professionals that follow us.”
True emphasized the importance of the faculty’s mission to mold and train “specialists that are incredibly competent professionals.”
“Those of you who are trainees enjoy the opportunity to become experts in your field while serving your country, knowing that you are learning from those who genuinely care about your success,” he said. “It is a sacred trust given to us by our nation, both to continually learn as best as we can to apply the knowledge and skills to our patients, and subsequently to teach and inspire those that follow us.”
BAMC Commander Army Col. Michael Wirt and 59th Medical Wing Vice Commander Air Force Col. Kristen Beals were on hand to present the awards to the winners. Dr. Michael Morris, assistant dean for research and professor of medicine; Army Col. (Dr.) Thornton Mu, SAUSHEC associate dean for Graduate Medical Education; Dr. Timothy Bonjour, associate dean for Graduate Allied Health Education; and Air Force Col. Brian Faux, SAUSHEC associate dean also participated in the ceremony.
Following tradition, last year’s recipient of the Gold Headed Cane Award, Air Force Col. Jason Okulicz, announced the winner of this year’s Gold Headed Cane Award, Army Col. Matthew Brogman, chief of Inpatient Pediatrics, and advisor to the Pediatric Trauma Society Research Committee and DoD Joint Trauma System on pediatric critical care issues.
The Gold Headed Cane symbolizes the best academic medicine has to offer in the three arenas that are its focus: patient care, teaching and clinical research. The original cane was carried from 1689 until l825 by six distinguished British physicians who cared for royalty. Gold Headed Canes have since been given at many medical schools to singularly outstanding students.
It was with this in mind that former Director of Professional Services, Dr. John Sharp, instituted the tradition at Wilford Hall in 1992, adapting it to annually honor a faculty member to represent all-around excellence, including consideration for contributions in military operational medicine. In 2009, the award expanded to include all active duty SAUSHEC faculty.
True congratulated all the nominees and the winners, and thanked faculty members for their continued support.
“Take pride in what you have accomplished, and but also take pride in knowing that you inspire the rest of us to serve at a higher level,” he said. “You are a credit to our organization and we hope you understand how highly you are valued.”
SAUSHEC 2021 Annual Award Winners
HOUSE STAFF HALL OF FAME
Resident: Air Force Capt. Rachel E. Bridwell, Emergency Medicine
Fellow: Air Force Capt. Joseph E. Marcus, Infectious Disease
COMMANDERS’ AWARDS FOR ORIGINAL MEDICAL RESEARCH AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Graduate Allied Health Education: Army Capt. Jacob A. Kersey, Emergency Medicine PA
QIPS: Air Force Capt. Lauren A. Sattler, Internal Medicine
Resident Primary Care:
First Place: Air Force Capt. Howard E. Gill IV, Radiology
Second Place: Air Force Capt. Michael J. Yoo, Emergency Medicine
Third Place: Air Force Capt. Jared M. Katchen, Radiology
Resident Surgical:
First Place: Air Force Capt. Samuel D. Hobbs, Ophthalmology
Second Place: Air Force Capt. Jameaka L. Hamilton, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Third Place: Army Capt. Darshan S. Shah, Orthopaedic Surgery
Third Place: Army Capt. Nicole M. Sgromolo, Orthopaedic Surgery
Animal/Basic Science:
Air Force Lt. Col. Erik S. DeSoucy, Surgical Critical Care
Fellow Clinical:
First Place: Air Force Capt. Joseph E. Marcus, Infectious Disease
Second Place: Air Force Capt. Subodh K. Arora, Sleep Medicine
Third Place: Navy Lt. Cmdr. Melissa R. Garcia, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
PROFESSIONALISM AWARD
Army Lt. Col. Robert J. Cybulski, Jr., Pathology
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT/PATIENT SAFETY AWARD
LTC Robert W. Krell, General Surgery
LIEUTENANT GENERAL PAUL K. CARLTON, Jr. AWARD
Graduate Medical Education Faculty Award
Army Lt. Col. Robert J. Walter, Pulmonary Critical Care
COLONEL GERALD WAYNE TALCOTT AWARD
Graduate Allied Health Education Faculty Award
Air Force Maj. Callie J. Cooper, Clinical Psychology Internship
COLONEL WOODSON SCOTT JONES AWARD
Graduate Allied Health Education Trainee Award
Air Force Maj. Marc A. Patience, Clinical Health Psychology Fellowship
COLONEL GAIL D. DEYLE AWARD
Graduate Allied Health Education Program Director Award
Army Maj. Christopher S. Alferez, Optometry
MAJOR JOHN H. GILLESPIE AWARD
Graduate Medical Education Intern Award
Air Force Capt. Mary Beth Gadarowski, Internal Medicine
MAJOR DAVID S. BERRY AWARD
Graduate Medical Education Resident Award
Army Capt. Matthew D. Smith, Anesthesiology
COLONEL DONALD M. NULL AWARD
Graduate Medical Education Fellow Award
Army Maj. Zachary J. Weber, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
MS. YLDA A. BENAVIDES AWARD
SAUSHEC Program Coordinator Award
Ms. Concepción M. Cooper, Emergency Medicine
COLONEL JOHN D. ROSCELLI AWARD
Graduate Medical Education Program Director Award
Air Force Lt. Col. Alice E. Barsoumian, Infectious Disease
GOLD HEADED CANE Award
Army Col. Matthew A. Borgman, Pediatric Critical Care
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