The Official USU Newsletter

Volume 11, Issue 15 ■ Nov. 14, 2016

 www.usuhs.edu

Learning to Care for Those in Harm’s Way

A Day in the Life of USU
2 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016

Sharon Holland

Deputy Vice President for External 

Affairs and Managing Editor

Christopher Austin

Writer and Interim Editor

MC2 Laura Bailey

Writer and Photographer

SSgt. Stephanie Morris, USAF

Writer and Photographer

Sarah Marshall

Contributing Writer and 

Photographer

Tom Balfour

Photographer

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 is published biweekly on 

Mondays. The deadline for submissions is at 4 p.m. Tuesday prior to the 

publication date. Submissions can be 

sent to christopher.austin.ctr@usuhs.

edu or by calling 301-295-3338.

On the cover

Marvin Jones, a Henry M. Jackson 

Foundation contract employee 

in USU's Administrative Support 

Division, provides shuttle service 

to USU employees and students as 

part of his duties as a motor vehicle 

operator for the university. Jones is 

featured as part of the "Day in the 

Life of USU" photo project. See story 

on pg. 6. (Photo by Sharon Holland)

USU team wins DC Public Health 

Case Challenge Practicality Prize

By Sharon Holland

Members of USU's D.C. Public Health 

Case Challenge team took home the 

Practicality Prize at this year's event. 

Pictured (left to right) are: Air Force 

2nd Lt. Evan Gregg, William Valiant, 

and Army 2nd Lts. Alexander Leeds, 

Horace Hayes and Emad Madha. 

(Courtesy photo)

A team of five students from the 

Uniformed Services University of 

the Health Sciences (USU) recently participated in the fourth annual 

D.C. Public Health Case Challenge, 

bringing home the Practicality 

Prize, one of four prizes awarded for 

the event. 

The D.C. Public Health Case 

Challenge is co-sponsored by the 

National Academy of Medicine’s 

Kellogg Health of the Public Fund 

and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s 

Roundtable on Population Health 

Improvement, with support from 

the Global Forum on Innovation in 

Health Professional Education. 

Air Force 2nd Lt. Evan Gregg, 

Army 2nd Lts. Horace Hayes, Alexander Leeds, and Lt. Emad Madha, 

all second-year medical students, 

and William Valiant, a Ph.D. student 

in USU’s Emerging Infectious Diseases graduate program, comprised 

USU’s team, coached by Dr. Diana 

Luan, acting scientific director for 

the Health Service Research Program. Their team was one of seven 

competing in the challenge, which 

promotes interdisciplinary, problem-based learning around a public 

health issue of importance to the local Washington, D.C., community. 

This year’s Case Challenge topic was “The Changing American 

City and Implications for Health 

and Well-being of Vulnerable Populations.” Each team was given two 

weeks to develop a solution to the 

public health problem using a hypothetical $2 million budget. 

USU’s team proposed the Innovative School Program for Resiliency 

and Engagement, or inSPIRE, an 

intervention to address the mental 

health needs of, and develop coping skills in, D.C. elementary school 

children effected by homelessness. 

As Practicality Prize winners, the 

team was also selected to present at 

the Leadership Across Generations 

Luncheon at the National Academy 

of Medicine annual meeting.

“We’re very proud of our team 

and the faculty who helped the team 

move forward, especially Dr. Diana 

Luan,” said Dr. Boris Lushniak, chair 

of USU’s Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics. “The 

team members were especially impressive in their initiative in achieving the mission of this exercise after 

visiting with, and understanding the 

needs of, the community that they 

were serving. Well done students!”
3 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016

Preventive Medicine Residency brings 

focus on women’s health

By Christopher Austin

Air Force Col. (Dr.) Catherine 

Witkop, program director for the 

preventive medicine residency, is 

making strides in improving preventive care for women through 

the education provided to graduate 

students and residents in the USU 

General Preventive Medicine residency program.

Witkop is taking cues from the 

public health approach to preventive medicine and applying this 

model to women’s health, which has 

traditionally been focused more on 

the one-on-one clinical experience 

between a woman and her provider.

The public health approach follows four steps, Witkop said. The 

first is identifying the public health 

issue and gathering data to measure the magnitude of the problem; 

second is identifying risk factors or 

determinants that could impact the 

issue; third is identifying or developing interventions or programs 

that effectively address the problem; 

and fourth is disseminating this information widely.

“In the public health approach to 

women’s health, data are used to define and quantify the problem. For 

example, gaps in clinical preventive 

services for women,” Witkop said. 

“Studying the obstacles and risk 

factors at a population level allows 

implementation of programs that 

increase access to those services that 

have been shown to improve health 

and reduce disease.”

One desired change in women’s 

health is to facilitate and encourage 

women to be more active partners 

in their health care, both at home 

and the deployed setting, Witkop 

continued. Educating women and 

providers in that partnership will 

result in better care for women from 

the preventive and traditional care 

side, alike.

Residents in general preventive 

medicine at USU are looking into 

military women’s issues through 

their individual projects; Navy Lt. 

(Dr.) Amy Rogers and Cmdr. (Dr.) 

Elizabeth Reeves both have based 

their Master of Public Health degree 

projects on how pregnancy may impact women’s military careers and 

what providers can do to improve 

care for women in the military.

Rogers’ project focused on Navy 

women and how pregnancies impact their career paths, particularly 

how Service members can be better 

prepared for their physical readiness 

test once they return to active duty.

“The Navy currently doesn’t have 

a program to help women stay in 

shape while they’re pregnant or 

in the post-partum,” Rogers said. 

“The Army does have a program in 

place, but as a preventive strategy, 

we should help women make sure 

they’re in shape prior to pregnancy. 

Helping them know how to stay in 

shape while pregnant and providing them the tools post-partum to 

maintain that healthy and fit status 

is important.”

There are several conditions that 

women about to be deployed may 

be concerned with that preventive 

medicine can address. In addition to 

traditional screenings, another issue 

is the use of contraceptives, both to 

prevent unintended pregnancy and 

to treat gynecologic conditions. 

Reeves’ research focused on factors associated with pregnancy 

among active duty military women 

between the ages of 17 and 25. The 

data this study provided suggested 

that military women might benefit 

from improved individual counseling in medical exams regarding 

what kind of contraceptive they 

should choose, particularly between 

long-acting reversible contraceptives like intrauterine devices or implants under the skin, or short term 

contraceptives like medications.

“Women in the military are challenged by a few different things that 

civilian women aren’t. They have 

shift work, for instance. If they’re in 

a flying status, hospital employees, 

or working in the field, it might be 

difficult for them to take something 

on a daily basis,” Reeves said. “Frequently, they’re moving or getting 

deployed and they want something 

that’s consistent.”

The main way to ensure women 

are properly assessed before deployment is through pre-deployment 

and periodic health assessments 

that each branch of the military 

conducts for its members.

As of Sept. 8, a DoD instruction 

came into effect that put all the services under a joint Periodic Health 

Assessment Program that regularly 

assesses the medical readiness of 

Service members. This includes a 

web tool that is consistent among all 

Continued on pg. 5
4 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016

Operation Bushmaster challenges students, 

enhances readiness

During Operation Bushmaster, fourth-year medical students from the 

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences were constantly faced 

with unfolding scenarios. While triaging the wounded, they prepared for 

their evacuation and care in flight. The exercise took place Oct. 8-21 at Fort 

Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Sarah Marshall)

By Sarah Marshall

With helicopter evacuations,

mock explosions, reality-based

missions – even canine casualties 

– medical students from the Uniformed Services University of the 

Health Sciences (USU) experienced 

the challenges of caring for patients 

in a simulated combat environment.

The fourth-year medical students participated in a field exercise 

known as Operation Bushmaster, or 

Medical Field Practicum 202, which 

took place Oct. 8-21 at Fort Indiantown Gap, an Army National Guard 

post nestled in the mountains just 

north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 

The exercise aims to teach future 

military medical officers the skills 

they need to perform their duties in 

operational assignments after medical school, while preparing them 

to become leaders in the military 

health care system, explained Army 

Col. Francis O’Connor, professor

and chair of Military and Emergency Medicine (MEM) at USU. 

Bushmaster is the capstone event 

of the students’ military medical 

education, challenging their knowledge of military medical practice, 

tactical combat casualty care, and 

leadership. The exercise involves

nearly 500 personnel and puts into 

play more than 2,000 patient scenarios.

Before heading up to Bushmaster, 

the students went through a twoweek intensive military contingency medicine course. During which 

they were presented with operational problems and were given pre-deployment training, just as they

would have prior to a real deployment, O’Connor said. This classroom phase included lectures, small 

group sessions, tactical combat casualty care training, and practical 

exercises focusing on needed skillsets and team building. As they became a cohesive unit, they prepared 

to deploy to the fictional country of 

Pandakar, where they would face 

challenges from rebel forces, he said.

The students were then sent sequentially, in two groups, to spend 

five days on the Army post. Once 

there, they were assigned to one 

of four platoons – each undergoing the same scenarios, planning 

and executing missions while simultaneously caring for casualties. 

The students were constantly faced 

with unfolding conditions roundthe-clock, with scenarios involving 

improvised explosive devices, widespread disease outbreaks, simulated 

injured working dogs, and triaging the wounded while arranging 

for their evacuation and caring for 

them in flight.

“While patient care is a large 

part of their training, communication skills and logistics are just as 

important – it’s essential to obtain 

the necessary supplies and manage 

logistics,” O’Connor said. However, 

according to O’Connor, the exercise 

is first and foremost a test of leadership.

Throughout the exercise, the students were assigned various roles, 

such as triage officer, medical logistics, litter bearers transporting 

patients, or patient administrators. 

They frequently rotated positions, 

Continued on pg. 5
5 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016

Operation Bushmaster, continued from pg. 4.

Medical students are prepared to face 

any scenario, including the emergency 

care of a military working dog. This 

year, for the first time, they practiced 

their skills using a K9 simulator. 

(Photo by Sharon Holland)

allowing each student to practice 

different roles. A Pandakar “day” 

was four hours in duration real-time; with each day change came 

a new job and responsibility.

Meanwhile, the students were 

observed by faculty and graded on 

how well they performed in key positions, such as platoon leader, ambulance team leader, combat stress 

control officer, preventive medicine 

officer, or ambulance team leader. 

Grades were based on a number of 

factors including communication 

and leadership skills.

On the final day, the platoons – 

with about 25 students each – responded to a mock mass casualty 

with more than 30 wounded. Simulated gunfire and explosions resonated through the air and smoke 

billowed through the woods as casualties rapidly came from left and 

right.

“They might have thought they 

knew what they were going to walk 

into, but when they see the sheer 

magnitude and the sights – it’s a 

shock to the senses,” O’Connor said. 

“They have to take a step back, reach 

back to lessons learned over the prior four days, and within the chaos 

of the environment, come up with 

a plan and attempt to create order 

and balance, and most importantly, 

move the casualties. It’s very difficult 

and very realistic.”

Overall though, the students’ experience was both challenging and 

rewarding, he said. As they were 

constantly being thrown problems, 

they had to adapt in that environment and work as a team. Everyone 

looked out for one another, making 

sure they all stayed hydrated, had 

adequate rest, and did not overexert 

themselves – an important aspect of 

combat stress.

“It’s an extremely important exercise, and it definitely tests the students in ways that cannot be accomplished in a classroom,” he said. 

O’Connor credits the leadership of Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Kevin 

Semelrath, the exercise director, 

and his non-commissioned officer-in-charge, Army Sgt. 1st Class 

Alex Menchaca, as well as all supporting members in MEM, for 

Bushmaster’s success.

A number of volunteer faculty 

members supported the exercise 

alongside colleagues within the Military Health System, including Walter Reed National Military Medical 

Center, Fort Belvoir Community 

Hospital and the Walter Reed Army 

Institute of Research. Active duty 

and reserve units throughout the 

mid-Atlantic also assisted, including 

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.

Women’s health, continued from pg. 3

DoD components and which will allow health care providers to review 

Service members’ self-evaluations 

and take action as necessary. 

Witkop started her career as an 

Obstetrics and Gynecology physician (OBGYN). She is still active 

and sees outpatients. 

“As an OBGYN, I was often discouraged by the number of conditions I saw that could have been prevented,” Witkop said. “I saw in the 

military an opportunity to address 

these concerns because the military 

has a long history providing preventive care to reach optimal performance and health for all military 

members and beneficiaries.”

This led Witkop to pursue preventive medicine as a second career. 

She hopes to use her skills in these 

two fields to help improve preventive care for women. 

“I care deeply about ensuring the 

health of our women and families 

because it helps all of the military in 

the long run,” Witkop said. “Women 

are serving in increasing numbers 

and in expanded roles, therefore 

attention to their health needs is 

critical. Furthermore, if spouses or 

daughters are not receiving the best 

care and aren’t healthy, it impacts 

men in the military as well. We already provide high-quality women’s 

health care in the military but continuing to improve that over time is 

what I really care about.”
6 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016 7 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016

A Day in the Life at USU

USU photographers fanned out across the university on Oct. 4 to capture life on the campus as part of the annual "Day in the Life of USU" photo project.

Obet Salvador mans the grill at the 

USU cafeteria, keeping students, faculty and staff fed. (Photo by Sarah 

Marshall)

Faculty observe students interact 

with simulated patients in the Val G. 

Hemming Simulation Center. (Photo 

by Tom Balfour)

Navy Capt. (Dr.) Dale Szpisjak, chairman of the Anesthesia department, 

preps a patient simulator for tracheal intubation practice. (Photo by Staff Sgt. 

Stephanie Morris, U.S. Air Force)

Students take advantage of the study 

area in the USU Learning Resource 

Center. (Photo by Christopher Austin)

Dr. Dennis McDaniel uses an electron microscope in the Biomedical 

Instrumentation Center. (Photo by 

Sarah Marshall)

Nathan Lott, a research associate 

at The American Genome Center, 

closely monitors a genetic sequencer. 

(Photo by Sarah Marshall) Medical Assistant Jinkle Mody gives a vaccination to Air Force 2nd Lt. Bryan 

Stevens at the USU Family Health Center. (Photo by Tom Balfour)

Jose Romero, one of USU’s contract 

janitorial staff members, helps keep 

the University clean. (Photo by Staff 

Sgt. Jeffrey Dillon, U.S. Army)

Uma Subramanian, a research assistant at AFRRI, goes over samples. 

(Photo by Christopher Austin)

Air Force Col. (Dr.) Jessica Servey 

does a well-baby check-up in the 

USU Family Health Center. (Photo 

by Tom Balfour)

Xiaoxia Li, a research associate, and 

Dr. Lei Zhang, from USU’s Department of Psychiatry, review samples 

for their PTSD biomarker research.

(Photo by Sharon Holland)

Kevin Oakley, a microbiology lab 

technician in the Department of Pediatrics, removes samples from liquid 

nitrogen. (Photo by Kyle Skerbe)
8 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016 9 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016

A Day in the Life, continued

Asasmoah Bosomtwi, a contract senior research associate in USU’s Department of Radiology, sets up an MRI machine. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Dillon, U.S. Army)

Shailini Jaiswal, Translational Research Core manager, and Catherine Meyer, research assistant, in USU’s Department of Radiology, working on an MRI machine. (Photo by Staff 

Sgt. Jeffrey Dillon, U.S. Army)

Louis Campbell, in USU’s Logistics 

Division, demonstrates his expertise 

as a medical equipment repair technician. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Jeffrey 

Dillon, U.S. Army) 

Air Force Maj. (Dr.) John Lichtenberger, USU Department of Radiology, demonstrates the incredible 

capabilities of the department’s 3-D 

printer. (Photo by Sharon Holland)

Dr. Kristbjorn Gudmundsson, a scientist in USU's Department of Pediatrics, sets up a laminar flow head. 

(Photo by Kyle Skerbe)

Navy Capt. (Dr.) Timothy Burgess, 

director of USU’s Infectious Diseases 

Clinical Research Program holds a 

meeting with IDCRP staff. (Photo by 

Cathy Hemelt)

Army Col. (Dr.) Anne Warwick 

serves as the program director for 

USU’s Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellowship program. (Photo by 

Sharon Holland)

F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine students hold an impromptu small 

group discussion in the USU courtyard. (Photo by Sarah Marshall)

Sarah Bagamboula, cashier in the 

USU cafeteria, greets a customer with 

a smile. (Photo by Sarah Marshall)

Dr. Juliann Kiang, a research biologist, examines a batch of bone marrow-derived stem cells at the Armed 

Forces Radiobiology Research Institute. (Photo by Christopher Austin)
10 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016

USU Genome Center to make a difference in 

health care

Heng-Cheng Hu, and Dagmar Bacikova, researchers at the Uniformed Services University 

of the Health Sciences (USU) monitor data on 

a next-generation sequencer in The American 

Genome Center (TAGC). (Photo by Sarah Marshall)

By Sarah Marshall

Researchers from the Uniformed 

Services University of the Health 

Sciences (USU) are on target to provide scalable molecular knowledge 

to researchers and physicians, both 

military and civilian, across the 

country that will help them treat the 

1.6 million patients diagnosed with 

cancer each year, thanks to the university’s new genome center.

Equipped with state-of-the-art 

robotics and innovative technology, The American Genome Center 

(TAGC) at USU aims to study large 

military populations by quickly sequencing thousands of genomes. 

This research, looking at patients’ 

genes, will help providers rapidly 

identify unique targets and pathways of cancer and military-relevant 

diseases, for better detection and intervention.

The center is a precision medicine 

facility that performs whole genome 

sequencing and advanced data 

analytics to support research on 

health problems of importance to 

the DoD, the National Institutes of 

Health, and other federal partners. 

It was born out of the Collaborative 

Health Initiative Research Program 

(CHIRP), a recently-formed partnership with the National Heart, 

Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), 

directed by Harvey B. Pollard, M.D., 

Ph.D., chair of USU’s Department of 

Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics 

and David Scott, Ph.D., vice chair 

for Research in USU’s Department 

of Medicine, who serves as deputy director. CHIRP is dedicated to 

research on the causes, prevention, 

mitigation, and treatment of diseases and disorders of the 

heart, lungs, blood and 

sleep that affect the readiness of the uniformed 

services, the health of military family members, and 

retirees. USU established 

TAGC to advance the work 

of CHIRP and the Murtha 

Cancer Center, and is now 

the only genome center 

in the federal system. It’s 

also one of about two dozen such sites in the world 

and one of four academic 

genome centers in the U.S. 

The center began operating in March, and 

its first study involved sequencing 

the genomes from a set of Vietnam War Veteran twins, who developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cardiovascular 

disease. The researchers found that 

some of the same genes responsible 

for PTSD, might also be associated 

with a risk for cardiovascular disease. Researchers in TAGC hope to 

continue making such discoveries, 

now that they have the capability to 

sequence tens of thousands of genomes per year, explained Clifton 

Dalgard, Ph.D., associate professor 

of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics and the TAGC Laboratory Core 

director. The center is currently sequencing about 50 genomes per day, 

or around 1,000 per month, Dalgard 

said, and in its full capacity can sequence 18,000 per year. 

“We’re in an era of precision medicine, and genome sequencing is a 

significant component of precise 

medicine,” Dalgard said. 

“Every disease and health condition has a unique molecular basis, 

and impacts each person differently, 

so it’s important to analyze genomes 

in high volumes – this increases 

the odds of identifying recurrent 

genetic mutations common in the 

disease,” explained Matthew Wilkerson, Ph.D., TAGC Bioinformatics 

Core director. “This helps pinpoint 

genetic mutations that could serve 

as biomarkers, which can better 

predict disease risks and outcomes. 

Also, knowing which genetic variants associate with treatment response can then lead to more precise, customized treatment plans, 

Wilkerson said.

The process of genome sequencing is complex, involving high 

throughput robotics and high-performance computers, Dalgard said. 

The center has four labs, working in 

sequence with one another, processing and preparing blood and tissue 

Continued on pg. 12
11 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016

GSN students attend Unique Austere 

Environment Readiness Training

Army Lt. Col. Brad Franklin, a faculty 

member in USU’s Family Nurse Practitioner 

program, and Navy Lt. Robert Girolamo, a 

student in USU’s Nurse Anesthesia program, 

learn rope work from Mountain Warfare 

cadre. (Courtesy Photo) Navy Lt. Sharrod Green, a student 

in USU’s Nurse Anesthesia program, 

descends with a “victim” during

patient movement training. (Courtesy 

Photo)

By Cmdr. Justice Parrott, U.S. Navy

Students and faculty from the 

Uniformed Services University of 

the Health Sciences’ Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing 

(GNS) had a unique opportunity for 

readiness training this past summer. 

In August, four graduate nursing 

students from GSN’s Nurse Anesthesia, Family Nurse Practitioner, 

and Psychiatric Mental Health 

Nurse Practitioner programs and 

two GSN faculty members attended the Military Mountain Medicine 

Course (M3C) at the Army Mountain Warfare School in Jericho, Vermont. 

The two-week program, conducted by the Army Austere and Wilderness Medicine Fellowship Program, 

provided training aimed at healthcare delivery in austere environments to include various 

deployment platforms and 

battlefield care. The curriculum encompassed advanced 

skills and knowledge on topics pertinent to operational readiness, including the 

scientific underpinnings for 

practice, organizational and 

systems leadership, clinical 

scholarship and analytical 

methods, policy for advocacy 

in healthcare, and intra-professional collaboration. The 

students participated in classroom sessions that included 

physiology, pathophysiology, 

diagnosis and treatment of conditions commonly seen in austere environments, and were followed by 

simulation events based on current 

evidence. 

Coordination of appropriate care 

for medical evacuation was presented and discussed, while search and 

rescue operations for various austere environment situations helped 

students gain understanding of the 

interconnected systems that permit 

successful victim treatment and recovery. Tactical Combat Casualty 

Care methods were reinforced and 

attendees were introduced to professional Wilderness Medicine Society guidelines for the roles and responsibilities of certified wilderness 

medical aid for austere and high altitude activities.

Perhaps the most important component of the course, according 

to attendees, was daily inter-professional collaboration. The class 

was composed of international and 

tri-service active duty and reserve 

component military medical personnel including nurses, physicians, 

physician assistants, special operations medics and corpsmen. This 

professional diversity provided a 

backdrop that broadened discussions and training evolutions while 

encouraging an environment that 

supported strong working relationships and small-team cohesiveness. 

This milieu not only offered useful 

information that prepares the advance practice nurse to function in 

the operational setting, but also a 

deeper understanding of the abilities and functions within other 

Armed Services medical communities. This type of collaboration is the 

cornerstone for future deployment 

success when varying teams come 

together for one common mission.
12 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016

Genome Center, continued from pg. 10

samples before they make their way 

through next-generation sequencers. Several specialized computers 

output data from the billions of base 

pairs, which is then analyzed by the 

team of scientists.

Dalgard explained that having 

our own genome center is not only 

cost-efficient, but also allows for patient privacy by keeping data within 

the military health system, rather 

than sending it to an external source 

for analysis. It also adds to the university’s prestige, he said.

“We aim to be the DoD’s flagship 

center, capable of supporting all 

DoD programs and military treatment centers,” Dalgard added.

One such DoD program is the 

Study to Assess Risk and Resilience 

in Service members – Longitudinal 

Study (STARRS-LS). This five-year 

study is investigating risk factors 

and protective factors for suicide, 

suicide-related behavior, and other 

mental/behavioral health issues in 

Army Soldiers. The program will be 

collaborating with TAGC on whole 

genome sequencing and other tests 

to identify biomarkers on suicide, 

mental health, and other health disorders. The program will provide 

DNA samples to TAGC – samples 

which are a subset of the more than 

100,000 Soldiers who participated 

in the Army cohort. The data generated will be used to create a database, which TAGC and STARRSLS will use to help understand the 

health and resilience in Soldiers and 

other Service members.

TAGC will also be supporting 

the Applied Proteogenomics Organizational Learning and Outcomes 

(APOLLO) consortium, a collaboration that’s part of White House 

Cancer Moonshot initiative to accelerate cancer research. The initiative, which is being led by Vice 

President Joe Biden, is intended to 

make more therapies available to an 

increased number of patients, while 

also improving the ability to prevent cancer and detect it at an early 

stage. In particular, TAGC scientists 

will be looking at the expression of 

genes in a cohort of 8,000 patients 

with lung cancer. 

Navy Lt. Christina Lilli (left), Air Force Maj. Paul Smith (center), and Air Force Capt. Anthony Carbonella (right), all 

Master of Science in Oral Biology degree students in USU's Postgraduate Dental College, work with patients' braces 

Oct. 14 at the U.S. Air Force Postgraduate Dental School, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The three students 

are completing their USU degree as part of their orthodontics residency program. (U.S. Air Force photos/Staff Sgt. 

Kevin Iinuma)
13 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016

Health Professions Education Degree Program 

provides academic leaders for MHS

Dr. Alexis Battista, second from right, teaches a recent seminar at the 

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), that's part of 

the university's new Health Professions Education (HPE) program. Last year, 

USU’s F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine launched the Master of Health 

Professions Education and the Doctor of Philosophy in Health Professions 

Education (Ph.D. in HPE). These new degree programs offer a chance for 

military providers to become educational leaders and scholars. (Photo by 

Sarah Marshall)

By Sarah Marshall

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) 

is seeking health care professionals 

who would like to gain expertise in 

leadership, research and theories in 

one of the university’s new innovative and dynamic graduate programs. 

Last year, USU’s F. Edward Hébert 

School of Medicine launched the 

Master of Health Professions Education (HPE) and the Doctor of 

Philosophy in HPE, to address a 

need for health care leaders with 

academic skills throughout the Services. Many senior-ranking physician-educators and program leaders had retired, separated from the 

military, or had changed their career 

path. These new degree programs 

offer a chance for uniformed health 

care providers to fulfill that need in 

the Military Health System (MHS), 

and become educational leaders and 

scholars. 

“Those who complete these programs will be very well prepared to 

serve as academic leaders such as 

program directors, clerkship directors, service chiefs, chairs, or educational deans,” explained Dr. Steven 

Durning, director of Graduate Programs in HPE. “They’ll also contribute to the continuous advancement 

of health professions education and 

research in the MHS as well as in the 

civilian community.”

The programs are geared toward 

active duty military personnel who 

are health professionals, including 

physicians, nurses, dentists, and

DoD civilian health professionals 

working in the MHS or the Public 

Health Service. The programs can 

be completed on a part-time or fulltime basis, and blend face-to-face 

coursework and practicum opportunities with a robust online learning community. The programs focus 

on a number of competencies including leadership, scholarship and 

research, teaching, learning and assessment, and communication. 

“Our HPE programs are staffed by 

a world-class faculty who have published more than 500 peer-reviewed 

journal articles and have won more 

than $30 million in grant funding 

for educational research,” said Dr. 

Louis Pangaro, chair of USU’s Department of Medicine, which oversees the degree program.

“They’re highly regarded, exceptional leaders who are committed to 

intellectual development and professional growth,” Durning said of 

military health care professionals.

Advanced degrees in HPE are 

also increasingly emphasized as a 

requirement for academic leadership positions throughout the nation’s medical educational system, 

he added, so these programs are expected to have a lasting impact on 

both the MHS and the civilian community.

The first student to enroll in the 

Ph.D. program, Dr. Matthew D’Angelo, agreed with these sentiments. 

He is an assistant professor and interim associate dean for Faculty Affairs in the Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing, and has been 

teaching graduate level nursing for 

the last decade. 

“The HPE program has offered 

countless experiences where I’m 

given the opportunity to reflect on 

how I, and the programs within the 

GSN, deliver curriculum and how it 

is evaluated,” D’Angelo said. 
14 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016

First Lutz Bushmaster Award recipients 

announced

The recipients of the 2016, and first ever, Col. Clifford C. Lutz, Jr., Operation 

Bushmaster Honor Platoon Award. (Photo by Tom Balfour)

The plaque for the Col. Clifford C. 

Lutz, Jr., Operation Bushmaster 

Honor Platoon Award can be viewed 

in the MEM hallway at USU. (Photo 

by Sharon Holland)

By Sharon Holland

The recipients of the first Col. 

Clifford C. Lutz, Jr., Operation 

Bushmaster Honor Platoon Award 

were announced by the Department 

of Military and Emergency Medicine (MEM) on Oct. 31. 

The award was named for the 

former MEM vice chair, Army Col. 

(Dr.) Clifford Lutz, who was a graduate of USU’s F. Edward Hébert 

School of Medicine and a long-time 

director of Operation Bushmaster, 

the department’s educational capstone field practicum. Lutz passed 

away unexpectedly in August and 

to honor his memory, MEM established the honor that is awarded 

to the Bushmaster student platoon 

with the highest overall score based 

on the exercise evaluations. 

“Cliff made an impact on Operation Bushmaster that is truly immeasurable. He helped forge it into 

the experience that so many of our 

students remember years after they 

graduate from this institution,” said 

Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Kevin Semelrath, assistant professor of MEM 

and course director for Operation 

Bushmaster. “I am very proud to 

present this award in his name.”

The winning platoon's picture, 

along with an engraved plate with 

their platoon name and the year, 

is affixed to the memorial plaque, 

which is located in the MEM hallway. This year’s recipients of the 

Lutz Award were the members of 

Alpha Company, 4th Platoon. They 

include:

Medical students:

Air Force 2nd Lt. Armando Aguilera

Army 2nd Lt. David Ahn

Army 2nd Lt. Jack Ayres

Air Force 2nd Lt. Max Barnes

Air Force 2nd Lt. Bradly Brown

Navy Ensign Matthew Christian

Air Force 2nd Lt. Logan Clemons

Army 2nd Lt. Laura Dutkiewicz

Army 2nd Lt. Michael Eckhoff

Navy Ensign Maunoo Lee

Army 2nd Lt. Ryan Mann

Army 2nd Lt. Brian Merrigan

Army 2nd Lt. Aimee Moores

Air Force 2nd Lt. Douglas Morte

Army 2nd Lt. John Neighbors

Navy Ensign Angela Pronger

Navy Ensign Jessica Saeger

Air Force 2nd Lt. Chloe Shea

Navy Ensign Brandon Shumway

Navy Ensign Serena Zhang

Graduate School of Nursing 

Students:

Air Force Maj. Marcie Hart 

Air Force Maj. Susan Joseph 

Navy Lt. Ashley Robertson 

Air Force Capt. Heidi Wilson 

Foreign Medical Students:

Mexican Armed Forces 2nd Lt. Jesus Alamos Ramos

Mexican Armed Forces 2nd Lt. Juan 

Carlos Castillo del Toro
15 the pulse Nov. 14, 2016

Final Frame

Army Maj. Young Yauger, a nurse anesthetist in the Neuroscience Ph.D. program at USU, examines a cell sample. This 

photo was taken as part of the Day in the Life of USU photo project. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Stephanie Morris)