Volume 5, Issue 10 n August 9, 2010

www.usuhs.mil

The Official USU Newsletter
2 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

On the cover

A USU student descends a ladder 

as part of Diving and Cold Water 

Immersion laboratory. The laboratory 

is part of Military Applied Physiology— 

one of four courses within the Military 

Studies 1 curriculum.

Photo by Ken Frager

Sharon Willis

Acting Vice President for External 

Affairs and Managing Editor

Ken Frager

Public Affairs Specialist

Staff Sgt. Matthew Rosine

Production Editor

MC1 Chad Hallford

Writer

Christine Creenan-Jones

Contributing Writer

Lori Fields

Layout and Design

Production

Editorial content is edited, prepared 

and provided by the USU Office of 

External Affairs unless otherwise 

indicated. The Pulse staff may 

include or exclude articles based 

upon news value, impact on the 

university and space availability.

Submissions

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 

usunewsletter@usuhs.mil or by 

calling 301-295-0895.

Correction:

In the June 28 issue of the Pulse, Dr. 

C. Everett Koop was listed as a retired 

Navy admiral. Dr. Koop is in fact a 

retired U.S. Public Health Service 

admiral. The Pulse staff regrets 

the error and as always strives for 

complete accuracy in its reporting.

USU associate professor earns 

double honors at AsMA

by Staff Sgt Matthew Rosine

A USU assistant professor with the 

Department of Preventive Medicine 

and Biometrics recently earned dual 

honors during the annual meeting of 

the Aerospace Medical Association, 

or AsMA.

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Artino, Jr., 

Ph.D., received the Ellingson Award 

from the Associate Fellows Group of 

AsMA for the best manuscript published 

in Aviation, Space, and Environmental 

Medicine by an Associate Fellow.

The award is given to first authors 

and was awarded to Artino for a 2009 

paper he co-authored with Lt. Cmdr. 

Rich Folga and retired Capt. Chuck 

Vacchiano entitled, “Normobaric 

hypoxia training: The effects of breathing-gas flow rate on symptoms.”

Two days after earning the Ellingson Award, Artino received his second 

honor during the AsMA event when he 

was inducted as an AsMA Fellow.

“Although winning the Ellingson 

Award was nice, being inducted as 

a Fellow was truly amazing for me,” 

Artino said. “It was a great way to cap 

off about 15 years of contributions to 

aerospace medicine and AsMA.”

Artino is a well-known figure in 

aerospace medicine and recently earned 

the 2009 Paul Bert Award for outstanding research contributions in the field of 

aerospace physiology.

Newly elected Fellows present at Honors night in alphabetic order: Ahmet Akin; Anthony Artino 

(front row, first seat on the far left); Richard Beane; Michelle Bryce; James W. Butler; Clayton Cowl; 

Iaonnis Diamontopoulos; Bryan Funke; Karen Heupel; Kenneth Knight; James Laub; Margaret 

“Peggy” Matarese; Jerry Owen; Eduard Ricaurte; and, Paul Young.

Courtesy Photo
June 28, 2010 3

Sharing the USU News

by Ken Frager

If you have ever visited the USU 

home page, you probably looked right 

past one of the best tools for getting 

information about the University, 

the Department of Defense, and any 

number of other government organizations and resources.

It’s there on the right side of the 

page, just below the main image 

graphic under the headline, News and 

Current Events.

Enter your e-mail address and 

Govdelivery.com will keep you up 

to date on the latest updates to the 

USU Web site, from news stories and 

newsletters, to faculty announcements and job postings. And if you 

are adventurous and want even more 

information delivered to your e-mail 

box, you can sign up to receive 

updates from many other government organizations.

Department of Homeland Security medical experts visit AFRRI 

Photo by Kenneth Frager

Alexander Garza, M.D., the Department of Homeland 

Security (DHS) assistant secretary for health affairs 

and chief medical officer, is shown (center) touring 

the research reactor facility of the Armed Forces 

Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI) on June 

4. With Garza are (left to right) Stephen I. Miller, 

head of the AFRRI Radiation Sciences Department; 

Robert Davis, director of DHS External Affairs; 

Kathryn Brinsfield, M.D., director of the DHS Division 

of Operational Medicine and Workforce Health 

Protection and deputy chief medical officer (acting); 

and AFRRI Director Col. Mark A. Melanson, MSC, USA. 

The DHS officials were briefed on AFRRI operational 

responsibilities, including the Medical Radiobiology 

Advisory Team, and on research involving radiation 

countermeasures and biological dosimetry. Other 

topics included the AFRRI Medical Effects of Ionizing 

Radiation Course and the Uniformed Services 

University (USU) Department of Radiation Biology 

educational opportunities. Garza joined DHS in 

August 2009 after 13 years as a practicing physician 

and medical educator. At DHS he manages medical 

and health security matters and oversees the health 

aspects of contingency planning for chemical, 

biological, radiological and nuclear hazards. 

“Our role as communicators is to 

make sure that anyone who wants to 

learn about the University and what we 

are doing is able to easily get this information,” said Sharon Willis, acting vice 

president for External Affairs and executive director of the USU Alumni Affairs 

office. “We are trying to use whatever new 

technology we can to get information out 

quickly and effectively.”
4 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

USU presents 2nd annual Innovation in Teaching awards

By MC1 Chad Hallford

Two of USU’s faculty were named 

as the 2010 “Innovation in Teaching” 

award-winners at the Education Day 

luncheon, June 25.

 Army Col. (Dr.) Richard M. 

Conran was the selection for the ‘Basic 

sciences’ and Public Health Service Lt. 

(Dr.) Jeffrey Goodie was the ‘Clinical 

sciences’ recipient. 

The University Faculty Senate 

Education Committee presented 

the award.

Colonel Conran, who has an M.D., 

Ph.D., and a J.D., was presented the 

Basic Science award for his continuous 

record of accomplishment and innovation spanning more than 10 years within 

the Department of Pathology as the 

Pathology MS-II course director.

“He has worked to transition the 

course from a lecture-laboratory base 

with limited small group opportunities 

to a more clinically oriented approach 

with multiple types of individual 

and small group problem-solving 

exercises,” said USU Department of 

Pathology Professor and Chair, Dr. 

Robert M. Friedman.

“It validates the efforts the faculty 

have already made to begin integrating the basic and clinical sciences,” 

said Dr. Conran.

Lieutenant Goodie, a clinical 

psychologist at the University Counseling Center and an assistant professor with the Department of Family 

Medicine, was presented the Clinical 

Science award, also based on his efforts 

within his department.

“We’ve been working to teach 

the medical students how to use 

evidence-based ways to make 

diagnoses and decisions, which isn’t 

innovative by itself,” said Goodie. 

“But, using all the various technology methods—from using outside 

researchers via distributed learning 

and blackboard, to putting learning materials online and posting 

discussion boards—in order to reach 

students in many ways to help them 

grasp this difficult material.”

Criteria specifies that the nominees 

must be billeted at USU.

 The awards, given by the Faculty 

Senate, consist of a $2,500 check to be 

used for future educational innovation 

and a certificate at the annual Education Day luncheon.

Photo by MC1 Michael Oliver

School of Medicine Navy Company Commander, Cmdr. René Hernández, Ph.D., presents 

Chief Hospital Corpsman Rodrigo Foronda with the Defense Meritorious Service Medal as 

he completes his final tour of duty at USU. Chief Foronda retired after nearly 23 years of 

dedicated service to the Navy. His legacy at USU will be one of mentoring and developing 

leaders from within the medical school across the branches.

“We were able to change what we 

were doing in the classroom; we shifted 

from a more didactic instruction period 

to a question and answer or discussion based lecture, because all of these 

innovations made the material available 

to students in many ways,” said Goodie.

Meritorious Service

Army Col. (Dr.) Richard M. Conran Public Health Service Lt. (Dr.) Jeffrey Goodie

Photo by Thomas Balfour Photo by Thomas Balfour
Counseling Center offers USU peace of mind

By MC1 Chad Hallford

Behind the glass door of the University Family Health Center (UFHC) is 

a separate, smaller clinic that quietly 

offers assistance to those who enter.

The three behavioral health professionals who make up the University 

Counseling Center provide a complex 

array of assessment and treatment 

options for their primary customers, 

the active duty students at USU.

Providers in the clinic include retired 

Army Col. Charles Privitera, MD, a 

psychiatrist, who serves as the director 

of the University Counseling Center 

and U.S. Public Health Service Lt. 

Jeffrey Goodie, Ph.D., a clinical health 

psychologist. The newest addition to 

the clinic is Army Maj. David Cabrera, 

Ph.D., a clinical social worker.

“Dr. Cabrera has joined us and is 

a welcome addition to replace outgoing Lt. Col. Jeffrey Yarvis, who has 

been placed as service chief for the 

integrated Walter Reed National 

Military Medical Center Adult Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic,” said 

Dr. Privitera. “We are looking forward 

to Dr. Cabrera complementing the 

work we do here in the clinic.”

The clinic uses individual and 

couple counseling to address a wide 

range of behavioral health concerns, 

including anxiety, depression and 

relationship problems. 

“With our tremendously diverse 

population of medical, nursing and 

graduate students; military faculty 

and staff; and their families, we are 

constantly re-evaluating the services 

this clinic must provide,” said Privitera.

These three have expanded 

their services with the needs of the 

University.

“We’ve worked to improve our 

integration with the providers in the 

UFHC. The more you integrate behavioral health into primary care, the 

more likely a service member is going 

to be willing to seek help,” said Goodie.

Lieutenant Goodie alludes to just 

one way clinic staff work to reduce 

the stigma associated with seeking 

behavioral health care. Despite efforts 

to reduce and eliminate the negative 

impressions associated with this help, 

the stigmas still exists throughout the 

Armed Forces, said Goodie.

“The more we can normalize behavioral health care, the more willing people 

are going to be to come in for care,” said 

Cabrera. “Most people will come in and 

seek help for body aches and pains very 

quickly,” but when someone has behavioral health concerns, many individuals 

will still hold back getting such help.

“We are doing everything in our 

power to minimize this (stigma), and 

help students realize that everyone 

needs a helping hand at some point or 

another,” said Cabrera.

These providers are also actively 

involved in teaching and research at 

USU and throughout the National 

Capital Region. They train students, 

residents and other providers 

evidence-based methods for targeting behavioral health problems. Their 

research is expanding knowledge about 

the impact of deployment and ways to 

integrate behavioral health interventions into primary care settings.

The diverse skills of the University Counseling Center’s behavioral 

health experts have contributed to 

USU medical students rating their 

satisfaction with the mental health 

services among the highest in the 

Nation when compared to ratings 

of mental health services at other 

medical schools.

“We see ourselves as resources, for 

those to use to get the help they need,” 

said Privitera, “and be on their way 

again — without fearing repercussions.”

June 28, 2010 5

Photo by MC1 Michael Oliver

Hospital Corpsmen invited the University to share in the 112th Hospital Corps Birthday, 

June 17, at which Force Master Chief for the Navy Reserves (FORCM) Ronney Wright was 

the invited guest speaker. The youngest and oldest Corpsman present, Hospitalman 

Apprentice Matthew Saunders (pictured right) and (Hospital Corpsman) Command Master 

Chief Clinton Garrett, cut the cake in ceremonial honors. The Hospital Corps has compiled 

an honorable legacy of valor and sacrifice. Throughout history, they have responded to 

natural disasters, military accidents and other peacetime emergencies. Moreover, they 

have maintained the regular health of their Sailors and Marines under their watch.

Navy Hospital Corpsmen celebrate 112
6 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

U.S. Public Health Service Lt. (Dr.) Jeffrey Goodie received the USU’s Innovation in Teaching 

Award for Clinical Teaching during the Annual Education Day activities.

When Abraham Flexner issued 

his acclaimed Carnegie Foundation 

Bulletin Number Four in 1910 at the 

request of the American Medical 

Association, he probably didn’t 

envision his plan being instrumental 

in shaping the way medical education would be carried out for nearly 

a century. Many of the aspects of 

the original Flexner Report closely 

align with current day teaching. That 

original report called on American 

medical schools “to enact higher 

admission and graduation standards, 

and to adhere strictly to the protocols 

of mainstream science in their teaching and research.”

Medical schools, including USU, 

have fine tuned their curriculum 

over the years. But 100 years after 

Flexner, many medical schools, USU 

among them, are taking steps to 

update and redesign their curricuUSU faculty looking and moving forward

by Ken Frager

lum, taking into account society’s 

changing needs and opportunities. 

Molly Cooke, M.D., William G. 

Irwin Endowed Chair and director, Haile T. Debas Academy of 

Medical Educators, and co-author 

of what is considered to be “Flexner 

2010,” Educating Physicians, A Call 

for Reform of Medical School and 

Residency, was a keynote speaker for 

the Uniformed Services University 

of the Health Sciences’ Education 

Day program, June 25. Dr. Cooke’s 

talk, “Individualization, Integration, 

Innovation and Improvement and 

Identity: Medical Education for a New 

Era,” offered concrete examples of 

how to move forward with education 

redesign, meeting the challenges of 

the changing health care system and 

the needs of the doctors and patients 

for tomorrow. Other keynote speakers included U.S. Army Maj. Gen. 

(retired) George Weightman, M.D., 

and U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. (retired) 

James G. Roudebush, M.D., M.P.H., 

who offered their varying perspectives of USU specific medical education and the broader needs of the 

Military Health System.

“We are delighted to have had 

exceptional, nationally recognized 

experts take part in shaping our 

discussions,” said Professor of Family 

Medicine and USU’s Faculty Development Director Cindy Wilson, Ph.D., 

C.H.E.S. “Their expertise and understanding of the issues, from a local and 

big picture perspective, will be helpful 

during this critical time in our history 

as we seek to improve and to update 

our medical school curriculum.”

USU also presented annual Innovation in Teaching Awards in two areas, 

Basic Science and Clinical Teaching. The 2010 honorees were Army 

Col. (Dr.) Richard M. Conran in the 

Basic Sciences, and U.S. Public Health 

Service Lt. (Dr.) Jeffrey Goodie in 

Clinical Teaching. (See story page 4.)

Education Day activities also 

included panel discussions, demonstrations and poster presentations 

highlighting continuing education of 

USU faculty USU’s affiliated teaching institutions. “This is an annual 

opportunity for all faculty to actually 

meet, listen to discussion and address 

questions related to curriculum and 

in particular this year, curriculum 

redesign,” said Dr. Wilson. “We, and 

they, can learn and share ideas with 

colleagues about what issues we might 

be facing in the future, what we will 

be teaching and how to strengthen 

our small group and team-based 

teaching methods.”

The event is sponsored by the 

University Faculty Senate and made 

possible by funding from the Henry M. 

Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine.

Photo by MC1 Michael Oliver
June 28, 2010 7

Briefs

Brats and Burritos

The Enlisted Social Committee (ESC) 

will host a Brats sale, Aug. 13, between 

buildings A and C. Hotdogs, chips and 

drinks will also be available. The sale 

begins at 11 a.m. and will end at 2 p.m. 

or when all items have been sold. 

Breakfast Burrito sales will be held 

Sept. 2, 9 and 16 in the atrium by 

Sanford auditorium, from 6 a.m. to 9:30 

a.m. or when all items have been sold. 

Professional activities

The Department of Defense and USU 

policy requires that all employees, both 

military and civilian, receive approval 

for engaging in any activity outside their 

work environment, which involves their 

professional expertise or government 

occupation (whether or not compensated), as well as any activity that involves 

compensation. This includes serving on 

the Board of a Non-Federal Organization.

This approval is required prior to 

engaging in the activity. In order to get 

approval, any employee can complete a 

USU Form 1004. This completed form 

must be approved and signed by each 

department chair or activity head.

These forms are available in the 

General Counsel’s office or online at 

the USU OGC Web site. Completed 

forms must be turned in to the General 

Counsel’s office. The form will be 

routed to the appropriate dean, brigade 

commander or USU president.

Once processing is completed, a copy 

of the approved form will be returned to 

the employee for the employee’s records.

RCR Education Conference

Registration is now open for the Sept. 

28th Responsible Conduct of Research 

Educational Conference being held at 

the USU’s Sanford Auditorium.

The conference is being sponsored 

by the USU Office of the President 

and the Graduate School of Nursing 

in partnership with the new Navy 

Medicine Institute for the Medical 

Humanities and Research Leadership and the Smithsonian Institution’s 

Office of Sponsored Projects.

The free conference, entitled 

“Promoting the Global Good: The 

Social Responsibility of Scientists and 

Researchers,” will address an emergent 

subject in RCR Education—the social 

responsibility of scientists.

This was recently included in new NIH 

RCR education requirements. The conference may be able to assist individuals with 

completing RCR education requirements.

Full registration information, 

including directions, are available for 

download at: http://www.thechiefinformationgroup.com/conference/

usuhs/index.php?c_id=15

Using Computer Resources 

Security incidents continue to be 

a drain to limited USU Information 

Assurance manpower. The following 

highlight current DoD policy and 

best practices:

Personnel must not install selfcoded or non-licensed software on 

network resources; add, remove, 

configure, or attempt to modify 

USU computer operating systems 

or programs; move audio/visual or 

network cables, computers or attempt 

to connect personal computers to the 

network including MDL and lecture 

hall spaces; connect personal devices 

except for those previously authorized 

by NOC; download pornographic 

material and store or display offensive 

material, such as racist literature, sexually harassing or obscene language or 

material or store or process classified 

information on any USU system. 

Personnel must not permit unauthorized individuals access to a governmentowned or governmentoperated system 

or program; or access online gambling, 

games and social engineering sites.

Helpdesk Closure

The NOC helpdesk is closed for training on Thursdays from 10 to 11 a.m. 

During this time, you can leave a 

voicemail message at 295-9800, utilize 

the HEAT Self Service (http://www. 

usuhs.mil/uis/forms/trouble.html), or 

email help@usuhs.mil.

If an emergency should arise, please 

call 295-9870.

Exercise/Fitness Areas

Physical fitness training should be 

conducted in designated areas. 

The only authorized space for PT 

within the university is room G060. 

The campus’ Student Community 

Lounge area is also authorized, but 

only during specified PFT testing 

dates or times.

Recent Reenlistments

Recently several Soldiers at USU 

made the choice to continue serving 

their country. 

The following personnel have 

recently reenlisted in the U.S. Army: 

Spc. Sara Brown reenlisted in April 

for a three year term. 

Sgt. Alfred Zamora reenlisted in 

April for a three year term. 

Spc. Ashley Ferguson reenlisted in 

January for a four year term. 

For more information about 

reenlisting, please contact a Reenlistment Non-Commissioned Officer. 

Enlisted Holiday parties

The ESC will be holding its Thanksgiving event Nov. 19 at the base 

bowling alley. Food representatives for 

each service are available to coordinate 

the meal. Event begins at 11 a.m. and 

will end at 2 p.m. Clean-up will begin 

immediately following the event. 

The ESC will hold its Christmas 

event Dec. 17. at the fire rescue station 

in Bethesda. Representatives for each 

service are available to coordinate the 

food, music, decorations and other 

activities. Clean-up will begin immediately following the event. 

Volunteers to help staff and support 

both of these events are still needed.

For more information about 

supporting these events ask an ESC 

member or contact the ESC by e-mail 

at dl-usuhs-enlisted@usuhs.mil. The 

ESC meets the first Tuesday of every 

month at 9:30 a.m. in the small dining 

room unless otherwise rescheduled.