FORT HOOD, Texas –Applause echoed through the auditorium of the Lone Star Convention Center at Fort Hood on June 20 as proud families, mentors, and military leaders gathered to celebrate the 2025 graduating class of the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center’s Graduate Medical Education programs.
This year’s ceremony honored the accomplishments of medical professionals completing rigorous training in five specialized programs: Emergency Medicine Residency, Family Medicine Residency, Nurse Anesthesia, Family Medicine Obstetrics Fellowship, and Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Fellowship.
Colonel Drew Baird, director of CRDAMC’s medical education, welcomed the host of the event, Brig. Gen. Clinton K. Murray, commander of the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence and chief of the U.S. Army Medical Corps. Baird recognized the dedication and resilience of the graduates, many of whom balanced clinical responsibilities, military duties, and personal sacrifice to achieve this significant milestone.
Murray began by reflecting on his own journey—once sitting where the graduates now sat—as he described the evolution of his medical career moving “from a job to a career, and, if you're lucky enough, to a calling.”
“For me, it transitioned from a job to a career around the second or third year of residency,” said Murray. “That’s when I realized I truly loved my colleagues. I enjoyed being around that group of people at all hours of the day and night. I also appreciated our patients, the ones who raised their right hand and took an oath to serve something bigger than themselves. Their sacrifice, all over the world, is truly special. But what was most amazing was how that transition—job to career to calling—changed my life.”
Murray encouraged the graduates to pursue the same kind of transformation in their careers and highlighted four key areas of focus: make it about the people, stay relevant, be responsive, and maintain grit and resiliency. To help sustain grit and resiliency, he also offered three practical suggestions: continue seeing patients to maintain clinical expertise, don’t lose sight of who you are, and keep your life in harmony.
“I don’t like the word ‘balance,’ because it implies 50/50,” Murray explained. “I prefer the idea of integration or harmony—maintaining both your personal and professional life in sync.”
For many, the ceremony marked not just the completion of a program, but the beginning of a new chapter. Some graduates will soon deploy; others will take on teaching roles. All will step into the next tier of military medical leadership.
Baird reflected on the growth he had witnessed in the graduates.
“It’s wonderful to see how far they’ve come over the past three or four years,” he said. “I met all of them when they first arrived—three years ago for family and emergency medicine, and four years ago for psychiatry. They began as brand-new physicians, often timid and uncertain about managing patients. Now, I would trust any one of them to care for me or my family. It’s truly humbling, and I’m excited for them as they move on to their next duty assignments.”
Capt. Maya Alexandri, an emergency medicine physician, graduated from the one-year Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Fellowship program. She will now serve with the 541st Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment at Fort Bragg, with a day-to-day assignment at the unit’s partner facility, Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.
“I feel like I’m ready to provide the best care possible to our troops and really take care to the next level in terms of what I can do with an ultrasound in the field,” Alexandri said. “That’s super exciting to me. I just want to express my incredible gratitude to everyone here. I’ve had an amazing experience and tremendous opportunities, all because of the support I received. I’m incredibly grateful to be in a place where I could maximize my potential.”
Capt. Amelia Airheart, also an emergency medicine physician, will be heading to the 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. She described her training as intense but rewarding.
“It’s like drinking from a firehose—endless knowledge, with great education from strong leaders who really care about us,” she said. “It’s been a tough three years, but in an incredibly supportive place.”
The celebration concluded with the Army Song and a standing ovation, honoring the graduates who now stand ready to care for the nation’s most valuable asset—its people.
-30-
Social Sharing