Volume 8, Issue 18· December 2, 2013 www.usuhs.edu
Sharon Willis 

Deputy Vice President for External Affairs and Managing Editor

Gwendolyn Smalls 

Chief, Media Affairs 

Tech. Sgt. Oshawn Jefferson 

Deputy Chief, Media Affairs 

Christine Creenan-Jones

Editor and Layout Artist 

MC2 Brittney Cannady

Writer 

The Pulse is printed by USU’s 

Duplicating Center. 

Production

The Pulse is funded by the Department of 

Defense and published by the Uniformed 

Services University. It is authorized for 

members of the U.S. military services, 

USU alumni, faculty and staff. Contents 

of the Pulse are not necessarily the official 

views of, or endorsed by, the DoD or 

USU. Appearance of anything resembling 

advertising in this publication does not 

constitute endorsement by the DoD, USU 

or Pulse staff members. 

The contents of this publication shall be 

made available for use or patronage 

without regard to race, color, religion, 

sex, national origin, age, marital status, 

physical handicap, political affiliation or 

any other non-merit factor of the user or 

patron. 

Editorial content is edited, prepared and 

provided by the USU Office of External 

Affairs. The editor reserves the right to 

edit articles to conform to DoD policy and 

Associated Press style. All photos are 

DoD photos unless otherwise indicated. 

The Pulse will be published bi-weekly on 

Mondays. The deadline for submissions 

is at 4 p.m. Tuesday prior to the 

publication date. Submissions can be 

sent to Christine.creenanjones@usuhs.edu or 301-295-3338. 

CFC in full swing at USU 

By Christine Creenan-Jones, editor 

On the cover 

The National Capital Area Medical Simulation Center was dedicated to Dr. Val G. 

Hemming, dean emeritus of the School of 

Medicine at the Uniformed Services University, Nov. 18. See story, page 3.

2 The Pulse The Pulse · The Official USU Newsletter Photo by Thomas Balfour 

Photo by Thomas Balfour 

 The season for federal giving is 

upon us as this year's Combined 

Federal Campaign is now underway at the Uniformed Services 

University. The CFC – established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 – is the world's largest, most successful workplace 

fundraiser with annual donations 

that reach well into the two hundred millions. 

 Each year, USU personnel contribute to the CFC's enormous 

success by making donations to 

one, or several, CFC-sponsored 

charities. This year’s campaign 

goal for USU is $105,000. 

 “Our people have generously 

supported the CFC for many 

years now. Last year, we even 

beat our campaign goal by more 

than $25,000. We’re hoping for 

a similar outcome this year, because the CFC is counting on 

USU’s support to help thousands 

of charitable organizations in 

need,” said Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Bonnie Sanchez, this season’s CFC campaign manager for 

USU. 

 CFC contributions benefit more 

than 4,400 non-profit groups, 

including charities that specialize 

in education, health, youth development, human services, civil 

rights, science, employment, animal care, the environment and 

many other service categories. 

 “There’s something for everyone, and every dollar counts,” 

said Sanchez. “The CFC makes it 

easy to donate a little or a lot by 

offering several methods for making one-time pledges or multiple 

tax-deductible contributions.” 

 Personnel wishing to participate 

can donate online through the 

Defense Finance and Accounting 

Service’s MyPay and CFC websites, by check or cash, and 

through payroll deduction. Furthermore, each department has a 

designated CFC keyworker who 

can guide pledgers through the 

donation process and answer 

questions about the university’s 

campaign this year, which has 

been themed, “USU makes it possible.” 

 The CFC leadership team at 

USU will also sponsor several 

events throughout the campaign 

season to raise money and promote awareness for the CFC, including a hot chocolate social, 

chili cook-off and bake sale. 

 “We want to make sure everyone at USU knows about the CFC 

and the good work it does with 

our help. Every contribution 

matters, and like our slogan says, 

each one of us can make it possible,” Sanchez said. 

 Visit http://www.opm.gov/

combined-federal-campaign/ 

and http://www.usuhs.edu/cfc/

index.html for more information 

about the CFC.

Members of the brigade at the Uniformed Services University show their support 

for this year’s Combined Federal Campaign. 
USU Sim Center dedicated to former dean

By Christine Creenan-Jones, editor 

December 2, 2013 3

 The National Capital Area Medical Simulation Center at the Uniformed Services University was 

dedicated to Dr. Val G. Hemming, 

Nov. 18. Hemming, dean emeritus 

of the F. Edward Hébert School of 

Medicine, was the impetus behind 

USU’s Sim Center – one of the 

largest, most advanced simulation 

centers in the world. 

 Hemming’s vision – inspired by 

his efforts to modernize USU’s curriculum through cutting-edge 

training in a risk-free environment 

– was lauded at the naming ceremony by the event’s keynote speakers, including Dr. Charles Rice, 

USU president; Dr. Ronald Blanck, 

chair of USU’s Board of Regents; 

the Honorable Jonathan Woodson, 

assistant secretary of defense for 

Health Affairs; and Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen. 

 “In the military, we have a finite 

amount of time to create the competency for people who are going to 

be engaged in real-world situations 

and global situations – often in 

austere environments in which 

their talents are the difference between someone living and someone 

dying,” said Woodson at the dedication ceremony. 

 Since 1999, the Sim Center has 

been a place to gain these lifesaving medical skills. The 30,000 

square feet facility is divided into 

four divisions – the Clinical Skills 

Laboratory, the Surgical and Medical Skills Laboratory, the Procedural Skills Training Laboratory and 

the Virtual Medical Environment. 

Students use these spaces to practice medical procedures on cuttingedge simulation technologies without any risk to human patients. 

 Over the past three decades, simulation technology has gradually 

become a central part of health science curriculums around the 

world, and USU’s center is a trailblazing facility. It’s the only place 

in the nation that offers every facet 

of health care simulation under one 

roof, and USU medical students 

participate in nearly 40 different 

simulation exercises before they 

graduate. 

 “Every time I talk to a (wounded) 

soldier...I always ask them, ‘how is 

the care that you’re getting over at 

Walter Reed?’ They always give me 

a big thumbs up. The reality is, 

the care is as good as it is because 

of those who thought of establishing USU,” said Van Hollen, who 

spearheaded a nearly $7 million 

Congressional provision to add the 

Wide Area Virtual Environment to 

the Sim Center. 

 The Sim Center has stayed at the 

cutting edge by incorporating advanced simulation technology and 

experiential learning into USU’s 

curriculum, just as Hemming envisioned 14 years ago. Despite his 

important role in establishing the 

center, he was humbled by its dedication at the naming ceremony. 

 “I am absolutely overwhelmed 

and thank you from the bottom of 

my soul,” he said. 

 Visit http://simcen.usuhs.edu/

Pages/default.aspx to learn more 

about the Val G. Hemming Simulation Center. 

Save the Date 

December 13, 2013 at noon in the USU Cafeteria 

The National Capital Area Medical Simulation Center was dedicated to Dr. Val G. 

Hemming, dean emeritus of the Uniformed Services University School of Medicine, 

Nov. 18, during a special naming ceremony that included a ribbon-cutting event. 

Holiday Party 

Photo by Thomas Balfour 
4 The Pulse The Pulse · The Official USU Newsletter 

App for safe supplement use is launched 

By MC2 Brittney Cannady, writer 

 Service members, retirees, dependents, Department 

of Defense clinicians and healthcare providers now 

have a tool that will help them make smart decisions 

when it comes to using dietary supplements. 

 Through a joint military initiative between the Human Performance Resource Center (HPRC) at the 

Uniformed Services University, the Natural Medicines 

Comprehensive Database, and the DoD, a new mobile 

application called Operation Supplement Safety will 

provide users with access to information on dietary 

supplements and possible adverse effects and drug 

interactions. 

 “We made this application because we wanted a mobile app that the warfighter could use and have at 

their fingertips at any time,” said Dr. Patricia Deuster, 

scientific director of CHAMP. 

 Experts at HPRC and the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database collaborated to provide appusers with important information, including safety, 

interaction and effectiveness ratings for dietary supplements. 

 The app, which took nearly a year to complete, is 

also supported by an “Ask the Expert” guide found on 

HPRC’s website. This feature allows users to submit 

their questions online about dietary supplement products. Experts at HPRC will provide feedback about 

products, including warnings to stay away from harmful products, such as OxyElite Pro, a diet pill that was 

linked to 29 cases of liver failure and one death before 

it was pulled from store shelves. 

 “The amount of participation over the past few 

months has been amazing. We’ve gotten about 75 

questions a month about supplements. If the product 

isn’t in the database, we can go to NMCD and they 

add it right away,” said Deuster. 

 Currently, app users can find information on more 

than 50,000 different dietary supplements within the 

database. Although the app has broad appeal, it was 

created with a specific demographic in mind. 

 “The app is particularly marketed to young people 

who use what we would consider high-risk supplements for things such as weight loss, fat burners and 

testosterone boosters, but I think it’s a good tool for 

all ages,” Deuster added. 

 Personnel can sign up for free access to the app by 

creating an online account at http://hprc-online.org/

blog/dietary-supplements/ and clicking the 

“Warfighter Version” icon. A complete version of the 

app can also be downloaded for free in the iTunes or 

Google stores by searching for “Operation Supplement Safety.” 

The Human Performance Resource Center at the Uniformed Services University launched a new mobile application called Operation Supplement Safety, which gives users access to important 

safety information about dietary supplements. 

Courtesy graphic 

Attention all USU faculty

 Take advantage of the opportunity to become involved with a dynamic group of faculty at the Uniformed 

Services University and represent your school, network with other faculty and staff by providing an important service to USU through leadership positions in the Faculty Senate. 

 The Faculty Senate is currently seeking nominations for 2014 Faculty Senate President-Elect (School of 

Medicine basic science faculty member), secretary/treasurer, and senators (four SOM basic sciences faculty 

members, one GSN faculty member, two PDC faculty members, and one non-billeted SOM faculty member). 

 Interested faculty are encouraged to contact Dr. Susanne Gibbons, chair of the Faculty Senate’s Nominations and Elections Committee, via e-mail at susanne.gibbons@usuhs.edu for a candidate form. 
November 18, 2013 5

Elective course promotes resilience through listening 

by Christine Creenan-Jones, editor 

 Burnout happens in every profession, but it’s especially common in the medical community. In fact, 

some reports estimate that up to 75 percent of fullytrained physicians experience feelings of emotional, 

physical and mental exhaustion at some point in their 

medical careers. 

 Unfortunately, the problem – often called the hidden crisis in medicine – appears to have deep roots. 

Large numbers of medical students and physicians-intraining also experience classic symptoms of burnout, 

which can lead to feelings of apathy, failure and cynicism. 

 These numbers – while striking – are hardly surprising. Between the long hours, often heavy workload 

and repeated exposures to traumatic illness – burnout 

is inevitable. 

 Or is it? 

 Uniformed Services University alumnae, Air Force 

Col. (Dr.) Arnyce Pock and Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) 

Alyssa McManamon, co-direct a course called The 

Healer’s Art at USU, which combats physicianburnout through expressive, patient-focused techniques. 

 “The Healer’s Art promotes resilience by teaching 

students and faculty ways to connect with patients and 

other providers in meaningful ways through a seemingly simple, but powerful technique called generous 

listening,” Pock said. “Generous listening involves the 

ability to really listen and hear what another person is 

telling you – without judgment, bias, or interjection – 

to gain a better understanding of what they – not science – hold to be true about their condition at any given time.” 

 While the brunt of most health science curricula focus on either diagnosing or curing illness, techniques 

like generous listening are gaining international favor 

as a useful method for helping patients. 

 The Healer’s Art is currently being taught at more 

than 70 medical schools worldwide, and has been offered at USU since 2012 after Pock and McManamon 

attended a workshop hosted by Dr. Rachel Remen, 

who founded The Healer’s Art curriculum and serves 

as the director of the Institute for the Study of Health 

and Illness at Commonweal in California. 

 Remen created the course to explore the humanism 

in medicine through discussions about deeply personal topics, from honoring loss and sharing grief to recognizing and accepting the mystery and awe in medicine. At USU, it also created unique bonding experiences for faculty and students alike. 

 “It's a joy to connect with those around us, to understand how we have all grown through our experiences. There's a level of trust and closeness in both the 

large and small groups that helps us realize we are 

never alone,” said Dr. Paul Hemmer, who is a vice 

chair for Education in USU’s Department of Medicine 

and has served as a faculty facilitator for the university’s The Healer’s Art course. 

 Creating a community of inquiry – one of the goals 

of The Healer’s Art curriculum – helps prevent physician burnout, because it gives providers an outlet for 

discussing the highs and lows of being a physician 

among peers who understand their plight. It also 

teaches skills – like generous listening – that help 

make them better doctors. 

 The next iteration of The Healer’s Art will begin next 

spring. The elective course is open to all first-year students and School of Medicine faculty.

 Air Force Col. Kevin Glasz, the brigade commander at the Uniformed Services University, gets his blood pressure taken before donating blood at the 

3rd Annual USU Blood Donor Challenge, Nov. 22. The USU drive was 

held in support of the Armed Services 

Blood Program, which oversees 81 

blood banks and donor centers worldwide. 

USU sponsors blood drive 

Photo by MC2 Brittney Cannady 
6 The Pulse The Pulse · The Official USU Newsletter 

USU faculty member named “Outstanding American by Choice” 

By Sharon Willis, managing editor and deputy vice president for External Affairs 

 The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, presented its annual 

“Outstanding American by Choice” awards on Nov. 13, 

and a faculty member at the Uniformed Services University was among the recipients. 

 Dr. Rahul Jindal, a professor in USU’s Norman M. 

Rich Department of Surgery and a transplant surgeon 

at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 

received the award in a ceremony at the Women in 

Military Service Memorial Auditorium at Arlington 

National Cemetery. 

 According to the Department of Homeland Security’s website, the Outstanding American by Choice initiative “recognizes the outstanding achievements of 

naturalized U.S. citizens. Through civic participation, 

professional achievement, and responsible citizenship, recipients of this honor have demonstrated their 

commitment to this country and to the common civic 

values that unite us as Americans.” 

 Jindal was honored for his 

pioneering work in developing 

countries. Among his many 

credits, Jindal set up the first 

comprehensive kidney dialysis 

and kidney transplant program 

in Guyana and successfully performed the country’s first living 

kidney transplant. He also performed the first ever pancreas 

islet cell transplant for trauma, 

wrote more than 150 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals, and co-authored a book 

that is being used as a standard textbook in health 

care programs around the world to raise awareness 

about the psychological issues patients with kidney 

diseases face throughout diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

 Faculty members at the Uniformed Services University have 

unique expertise across broad scientific disciplines, and their 

knowledge is sought by many international organizations, including 

the Council of Canadian Academies. 

 The CCA recently invited Dr. Jennifer Roberts, an assistant professor of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences at USU, to 

serve on an expert panel on wind 

turbines and human health. The 

panel will present evidence to relate 

wind turbine noise and adverse 

health effects in humans, identify 

knowledge gaps in scientific and 

technological areas, and examine 

the new engineering technologies 

and best practices currently employed in other countries. 

 Roberts was selected for this prestigious appointment based on her 

work in public health, environmental epidemiology and human health 

risk assessment as well as her extensive research portfolio. 

 “As a post-doctoral fellow at The 

National Academies here in the 

United States, I contributed ‘behind 

the scenes’ and assisted with the 

tasks for various expert panels related to environmental health projects and studies. Although I really 

did enjoy my work at The National 

Academies, I always thought that I 

would love to be able to actually 

serve on an expert panel and provide direct input when possible 

based on my research, experience 

and training. So here I am years 

later, presented with this opportunity to serve on a CCA panel that 

deals with such a significant issue 

and I am just thrilled, honored and 

excited,” said Roberts. 

University expertise sought by international audiences 

By Christine Creenan-Jones, editor 

Dr. Rahul Jindal 

Courtesy photo 

Dr. Jennifer Roberts 

Courtesy photo 

Do you have a story for the Pulse? 

Submit your ideas to christine.creenan-jones@usuhs.edu. Pulse staff 

members are always looking for new leads about the people, programs, 

research and scholarship at the Uniformed Services University. 
December 2, 2013 7

By Yolanda Arrington, writer at Health.mil 

Four-legged friends help heal invisible wounds

 Anyone who has ever welcomed a pet into their 

home and heart can attest to the bonds this friendship 

can create. Research has long shown that companion 

animals – specifically dogs – help reduce blood pressure and ease stress. Military researchers aim to uncover the scientific reasons for human-to-dog connections, particularly as they apply to wounded warriors. 

 Dr. Patricia Deuster, scientific director of the Consortium for Health and Military Performance at the 

Uniformed Services University, said some sort of biological marker is released upon contact with a dog 

that helps soothe or relieve the mind. “We all have a 

sense that it really works, but to bring something into 

mainstream practice, you have to have a scientific 

base. We’re trying to establish that base.” 

 The university received funding from the Department of Defense to look at the mechanisms by which 

pets help relieve the symptoms of post-traumatic 

stress disorder and other invisible wounds. 

 The university is partnering with a nonprofit organization called the Warrior Canine Connection to research the effects of having a wounded warrior train a 

dog to become a service animal for another veteran. 

This practice dates back to 2008 but only now does 

DOD plan to closely study it. Deuster said it is a form 

of therapy for the servicemembers. “If a wounded servicemember learns to train a dog, it gives them purpose in life because they are training the dog to help 

their buddy. They get unconditional love from the 

dog. They also have to go out and socialize the dog. 

They learn to be more optimistic, nurturing and how 

to control their anger.” 

 Warrior Canine Connection executive director Rick 

Yount said that service members with PTSD or mild 

traumatic brain injuries benefit greatly from working 

with service dogs. It can take two years and as many 

as 50 service members to train one dog. During that 

process, the veterans learn to become more patient, 

handle stressful situations better, interact with the 

public and shower praise upon the dog. Some even 

take the dogs home and, as a result, their sleeping 

patterns improve. One Marine credits the dog training 

methods with saving his marriage because it taught 

him to be a more patient parent and connect with his 

family, Yount said. “We are using the dog to teach [the 

veteran] that the world is a safe place.” 

 Deuster said the results of this study could greatly 

impact the way military doctors treat invisible 

wounds. “If we find out that people with PTSD can get 

better by training with service dogs, we’ll likely have 

more long-term programs instead of drug prescriptions.” That research should begin in 2014 and will 

take three years. 

 While USU researchers are taking a closer look at 

service animals, one nonprofit is working to match 

pets with service members simply for companionship. 

The Long Beach, N.Y.-based Pets for Patriots has a 

partnership with the Defense Centers of Excellence 

for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury’s 

Real Warriors campaign. Pets for Patriots is able to 

place dogs that would otherwise not be adopted such 

as older dogs or dogs with special needs. Beth Zimmerman, executive director and founder of Pets for 

Patriots, said her organization finds that “service 

members feel a strong bond with these animals who 

are also somewhat left behind or outside the norm.” 

 In addition to working with service members who 

have physical wounds, Pets for Patriots has provided 

companion animals for veterans with PTSD and those 

who have experienced sexual trauma. Zimmerman 

said the pets do more for wounded warriors than provide kinship. “Some [of the veterans] are off all medications as a result of adopting a pet who also had 

wounds.” 

 Yount said it’s “easy to dismiss this as a warm, fuzzy, 

‘pet the puppy’ kind of a thing,” but that it’s “foolish to 

overlook [the benefits of a dog,] no matter how simple 

it looks.” Through this new research, he hopes the 

hard science will reaffirm what he’s known all along, 

that the mental health benefits of having a dog are 

“very significant.” 

Researchers at the Uniformed Services University aim to uncover the scientific basis for the healing effect that dogs have on 

those with post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain 

injury. 

Courtesy photo 
Final Frame 

Jatinder Singh, a postdoctoral fellow at the Uniformed Services University, is swabbing the 

inside of his cheek, so the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Program and the National Marrow Donor Program can type and test his DNA to see if it is a 

match for somebody waiting for a bone marrow transplant. The Asian-Pacific American 

Medical Student Association at USU brought the life-saving program to campus. Nov. 20. 

It drew more than 120 potential donors. 

Photo by Christine Creenan-Jones