Volume 10, Issue 5 n March 19, 2015 

www.usuhs.edu 

The Official USU Newsletter 

Learning to Care for Those in Harm’s Way 
 

 

 

 

 

Sharon Holland 

Deputy Vice President for External 

Affairs and Managing Editor 

Master Sgt. Oshawn Jefferson 

NCOIC of VPE and Deputy Chief, 

Media Affairs 

Eric Ritter 

Writer and Editor 

Christopher Austin 

Writer and Layout Design 

MC3 Laura Bailey 

Writer and 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 

eric.ritter2@usuhs.edu or by calling 

301-295-3338. 

On the cover 

Uniformed Services University Alumni and 

Faculty Earn Top Air Force Medical Awards 

by Sharon Holland, deputy vice president for external affairs/ managing editor 

Faculty and 

alumni from the 

Uniformed Services University of 

the Health Sciences topped the list of 

recently announced 

Air Force Medical 

Service award recipients in the areas 

of education, research, clinical care 

and leadership. 

The Air Force 

Surgeon General, Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Nicholas Duvall, the recipient of the Air Force 

Medical Service Dental Educator of the Year award, giving a lec- Thomas W. TraArmy Lt. Col. Danette Cruthirds a nurse anesthesia faculty 

member in USU’s Graduate School of Nursing, shows Force Base, Miss. (USU Postgrada student proper techniques during a recent anesthesia uate Dental College class of 2012).

practice simulation at the Val G. Hemming Simulation USAF Clinical Excellence Center. The Center, and the rest of the National Capital 

Region Simulation Consortium, was recently accredited. Award - Field Grade Category: 

See story, page 4. (photo by Thomas Balfour) Lt. Col. (Dr.) Ryan Mihata, 88th 

Medical Operations Squadron, 

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 

ture. (Courtesy Photo) vis, himself a USU 

alumnus, announced the recipients of the Air Force 

Medical Service 2014 Annual Awards 

on Feb. 10, 2015. The categories included both individual and team awards and 

represented a wide cross-section of the 

Air Force medical department, including enlisted Airmen, nurses, physicians, 

dentists, health care administrators and 

civilian support staff among others.

 USU graduates and faculty 

were eligible for consideration 

in 40 categories, and six were 

selected whose awards reflected 

the best in education, research, 

leadership and clinical excellence. 

They include:

 USAF Physician Educator of 

the Year: Lt. Col. (Dr.) Anthony 

Beutler, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine.

 USAF Dental Educator of the 

Year: Maj. (Dr.) Nicholas Duvall, 

81st Dental Squadron, Keesler Air 

Ohio (USU School of Medicine class 

of 2005). 

The Chief of the Medical Staff 

Commitment to Excellence Award: 

Lt. Col. (Dr.) Lauren Wolf, 377th 

Medical Group, Kirtland Air Force 

Base, New Mexico (USU School of 

Medicine class of 2003). 

USAF Outstanding Achievement 

in Clinical Research Award: Capt. 

(Dr.) Jameson Voss, 711 Human 

Performance Wing, USAF School of 

Aerospace Medicine, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (USU 

School of Medicine class of 2010 and 

USU Master of Public Health class of 

2013). 

USAF Surgeon General Award 

for Best Hospital of the Year: 96th 

Medical Group, Eglin Air Force Base, 

Fla., Commander: Col. (Dr.) Gianna 

Zeh (USU School of Medicine class of 

1993). 

“We are enormously proud of our 

graduates and faculty who have been 

recognized for excellence in their respective fields, and we are pleased, 

but not surprised, that they have risen to the top,” said USU President 

Charles L. Rice, M.D. 

2 the pulse March 19, 2015 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proud Single Mom, Sailor: Turning Struggle into Success 

by Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Laura Bailey, writer and photographer 

RP3 Ashley Ferguson and son, Kameren (Photo by MC3 Laura Bailey) 

A quote, secured with clear tape, hangs above Religious Program Specialist 2nd Class Ashley Ferguson’s 

desk inside her office at the Uniformed Services University. 

Her son has joined her at work this day and they’re 

both laughing about her so-called “dance moves” – her 

son denying she has any. 

Later, they plan to go home, and paint various toys. 

They enjoy the time they have together between school 

and work. 

“The Navy can be tough to be a single mother 

and be enlisted,” said Ferguson. “He’s the reason for everything I do. I joined the military for him. The military 

has made it possible for me to provide for my son independently.” 

It’s no coincidence that the quote above her desk 

by Sharon Jaynes reflects her own struggle as a single 

parent – “Successful mothers are not the ones who 

have never struggled. They are the ones who never 

give up, despite the struggles.” 

As an RP, her duties include supporting clergy 

of all faiths in the facilitation of religious activities. 

Her typical day at USU includes assisting Lt. Cmdr. 

Ray Pratik, a Navy chaplain, practicing with the color guard for ceremonies and giving campus tours for 

USU visitors. Once a month, she dedicates a Sunday 

to prepare the base chapel for others’ spiritual practices and customs by setting up for various religious 

services. Her schedule is full and responsibilities are 

many, but these things along with motherhood are 

no match for her happy-go-lucky personality. 

“My favorite thing about my Mom is that she’s 

fun,” said her son, Kamren. 

She may be smiling now, but that wasn’t always 

the case, she said. Her smile is a learned one and gets 

better with practice. 

“At my previous command, I wasn’t the most 

positive person,” said Ferguson. “So, it feels good to 

be at a new place and remake myself, because you 

can be anything that you want to be. If you let your 

past dictate what your future’s going to be, then your 

past can just keep continuing, or your future can become better.” 

Her experience in the Navy has helped her realize that her past only has power over her future if she allows it, she said. Even then, a negative past can be used 

to make improvements along the way. 

The book, “Great Quotes From Great Women”, contains inspiring quotes from African American 

women of the past who came from various walks of life 

and overcame struggles of their own. The book, which 

she reads often, sits at her desk. 

“I constantly look at this and try to strive to be a 

better person for myself as an African American woman,” said Ferguson. “I read a quote the other day. It said 

some of the people with the worst pasts create the best 

futures. Every time I go somewhere new, if I have the 

opportunity to be a better person, I always try to do that 

not just for me, but for my son too.” 

3 the pulse March 19, 2015 
ACS, SSH Award Accreditation to National Capital Region 

Simulation Consortium 

by Sharon Holland, deputy vice president for external affairs/ managing editor 

The National Capital Region 

Simulation Consortium (NCRSC), 

including the Val G. Hemming Simulation Center of the Uniformed 

Services University, has been accredited as a comprehensive Accredited Education Institute (AEI) 

by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and accredited by the 

Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). 

An ACS-accredited comprehensive institute addresses the educational needs of a broad spectrum of 

learners and advances the science 

of simulation-based surgical education. The overall goals of the ACSAEI program are to enhance surgical patient safety, support surgeons’ 

maintenance of certification requirements. It also will address the 

competencies that all surgeons and 

surgical residents need to achieve 

and demonstrate, and enhance access to contemporary surgical education. AEIs provide learners an 

opportunity to learn and practice 

new skills and receive immediate 

feedback without compromising 

patient safety or comfort. AEIs also 

conduct innovative research to advance simulation-based surgical 

education. 

The AEI accreditation program 

is a voluntary peer-review process. 

Institutions that successfully complete the process are accredited for 

a period of three years. To remain 

accredited for another three years, 

an institution continues to demonstrate compliance with 31 criteria in 

four standards: Learners and Scope 

of Educational Programs; Curriculum Development, Delivery of Effective Education, and Assessment; 

Administration, Management and 

Governance and Advancement of 

the Field. 

There are two levels of accreditation: Comprehensive and Focused, 

with each having specific requirements. The level of accreditation 

status differs based, in part, on the 

focus of the educational program, 

the learners served, the curriculum 

offered and the technological support and resources available. The 

National Capital Simulation Consortium, as a Comprehensive AEI, 

provides a comprehensive program 

that educates four learner groups, 

develops original curricula, offers 

a broad spectrum of education programs. It also has the resources and 

physical space necessary to conduct 

its educational activities. The consortium is also dedicated to the advancement of the field through research and scholarly activities. 

The accreditation is for the Consortium’s Assessment, Research, 

Teaching/Education, System Integration and Patient Safety pro-

(Courtesy Photo) 

Staff and faculty from the National Capital Region Simulation Consortium, including the Val G. 

Hemming Simulation Center at USU pose with their accreditation certificate. 

grams. This is the first accreditation 

that the international accrediting 

body has awarded to the consortium, which includes USU, Walter 

Reed National Military Medical 

Center and Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. 

The five-year accreditation 

granted by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) represents 

the highest level of accreditation 

that can be awarded to an organization. It shows the consortium’s 

substantial conformance to the SSH 

standards. In earning the five-year 

accreditation, the consortium put 

themselves through a rigorous peer 

review process and demonstrated 

to the accreditation team of surveyors, its commitment to offering 

healthcare simulation training programs and services that are measurable, accountable, and of the 

highest quality. 

The SSH was established in January 2004 to represent the rapidly 

growing group of educators and researchers who use a variety of simcontinued on pg. 5 

4 the pulse March 19, 2015 
New Phone System Being Implemented Across University
 

by Christopher Austin, writer/ layout design 

New Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones are being installed throughout the university. 

(photo by Christopher Austin) 

The Uniformed Services University Office of the Computer Information Officer is implementing a 

Voice over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) 

telephone system for USU and its 

off site locations. It will replace the 

current system and phone units. 

The Telecommunications Branch 

of USU’s Network Operations and 

Communications Department is 

working to install the new VoIP 

system, upgrading the current communications’ capacity in a project that increases service and also 

saves the University approximately 

$450,000 a year. 

“The contractors gave us a lot of 

very good information on the best 

approach, especially the technical 

side of things in regards to our configuration for our networks,” said 

David Lyons, the Telecommunications Manager at USU. 

An added benefit of the VoIP is 

that all concerns related to phones 

and phone relocations within the 

University can be handled by the 

Telecommunications Branch. Before, issues with the phones needed 

to be handled through the external phone service provider, adding 

more customer wait time. 

The new phones have a digital 

display and include features like 

video calling, corporate directory 

look-up, visual voice-mail and a 

call-log for all incoming and outgoing calls. 

Lyons and his team are working 

evenings and weekends to deploy 

the new phone units to avoid disrupting users during normal duty 

hours. 

The replacement of all current 

phones is expected to be completed 

by July. 

Each phone will come with a 

printed user quick guide. Frequently asked questions and video tutorials on the new phones can be found 

here: https://sites.google.com/a/ 

usuhs.edu/voip-project/. 

Continued from “Simulation Consortium” on pg. 4 

ulation techniques for education, and patient safety that promote bet- er federal agencies, the more than 

testing, and research in healthcare. ter patient care and can improve pa- 30,000 sq. ft. Val G. Hemming 

The membership, now more than tient outcome. Simulation Center at USU provides 

3,000, is working to improve per- The NCSC, comprised of USU, learners with an expansive selection 

formance and reduce errors in pa- Walter Reed National Military of training tools. They range from 

tient care by using all types of sim- Medical Center and Fort Belvoir simulated clinical exams using live 

ulation. These include task trainers, Community Hospital, has been pro- patients, to task trainers designed 

human patient simulators, virtual viding healthcare simulation activ- to improve skills and in procedures, 

reality and standardized patients. ities to students, residents, fellows to the Wide Area Virtual EnvironThey promote improvements in and staff since 1999. ment (WAVE) for team training of 

simulation technology, educational Working with a wide array of combat medical and surgical teams. 

methods, practitioner assessment partners from the DoD and oth-
USU and India Collaborate on Medical Educations
 

by Uniformed Services University Pathology Department 

Over the past several decades, 

members of USU have been working toward establishing multiple 

teaching and research programs 

with several government and private institutions in India. 

USU-sponsored conferences 

and symposiums include extensive 

lectures and hands-on laboratory 

technique demonstrations. More 

than 35 faculty members from the 

Departments of Pathology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Preventive 

Medicine and Biometrics, led by Dr. 

Radha Maheshwari and Dr. Robert 

Friedman along with administration, and faculty members from other leading U.S. Institutions participated in these courses in India. The 

University courses were recognized 

as high quality medical information exchanges on malaria, leprosy, 

leishmaniasis and filariasis--issues 

crucial to the military. 

A graduate student exchange 

program was started between USU 

and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) in Pilani, India. BITS has long been recognized 

as one of the top universities in India and has collaborated with Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

for over 10 years. Over the past 25 

years, more than 30 students have 

participated on research projects 

with faculty members at USU, and 

they have produced cutting-edge 

research there. Currently, there are 

two graduate students from this 

program who are working at USU. 

(Courtesy Photo) 

The inaugural session of the International Multifocal Conference in Karad, India, held in December. The event was sponsored by USU and The Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences University. 

To celebrate the first 20 years of 

achievement of the USU-India programs, USU organized several scientific meetings in collaboration with 

Indian Institutions at BITS, Central 

Drug Research Institute and Industrial Toxicology Research Centre 

(ITRC) in Lucknow, India. A comprehensive report on the summary 

of the achievements was released 

by the Deputy Chief of Mission in 

January 2003 at an event at the U.S. 

Embassy in New Delhi. 

More than 50 scientific papers 

have been published in peer-reviewed journals with international 

recognition. Additionally, a large 

number of masters and Ph.D. dissertations were completed, and new 

capability and facilities were created 

in Indian Institutions. 

The members worked on making significant progress toward bilateral cooperation on health with 

India’s Armed Forces Medical Services and USU. They then signed an 

agreement on medical training and 

academic cooperation in military 

medicine. The Indian Minister of 

Health and Family Welfare, and his 

delegation visited USU and indicated their interest in expanding global public health-related programs. 

USU organized two workshops on 

global public health and medical 

education at BITS and in Lucknow 

with King George’s Medical University (KGMU) and the ITRC. A 

USU medical student and PMB resident have completed rotations at 

the Armed Forces Medical College, 

Pune, BITS, and at the KGMU. 
Captain Sara Newman to Head Office of Public Health
 

by Louis Rowe, Deputy Associate Director of the National Park Service 

outbreak response and 

health promotion. 

Newman will also 

serve as the commanding officer for 

the public health operating division, administratively managing 48 officers detailed 

to offices and bureaus 

in the Department of 

Interior. 

Newman has more 

than 20 years of experience as a public 

health professional. 

She has worked with 

the National Park Service for the last eight 

years, developing the 

public risk management program and 

providing policy, Public Health Service Navy Capt. Sara B. Newman was guidance and techni­ recently selected as the new Director of the National Park cal support to parks Service’s Office of Public Health (courtesy photo) – undertaking a range 

Public Health Service Capt. Sara 

B. Newman was selected as the director of the National Park Service’s Office of Public Health, effective March 1. She replaced Captain 

Chuck Higgins who retired in October. 

As director of the Office of Public Health, Newman will lead the 

NPS’ public health efforts. She will 

also serve as the principal advisor to 

the director for public health programs that affect 300 million visitors 

a year. The Office of Public Health 

provides technical expertise to the 

NPS on food safety, drinking water 

safety, wastewater and vector control, infectious disease surveillance, 

of visitor injury prevention initiatives. 

At the Office of Risk Management, Newman has also served as 

deputy chief, leading the effort to 

oversee the development of a national safety, health and wellness 

strategy for NPS employees. From 

2012 through 2013,she served as the 

division’s acting chief. 

“We are excited to bring Sara 

on to the senior management team 

of Visitor and Resource Protection 

(VPR),” said VRP Associate Director Cam Sholly. “Sara has demonstrated she has the broad public 

health experience and strong management skills and leadership capacity required to manage this critical program.” 

“I am honored to have been selected for this position and I am 

thrilled about the opportunity to 

support this outstanding program 

and team, Newman said.” 

Prior to working for the NPS, 

Newman was the special projects 

advisor to the deputy assistant secretary for public health emergency medical countermeasures in the 

Office of Public Health Emergency 

Preparedness at the Department of 

Health and Human Services where 

she provided managerial support, 

technical input and strategic planning expertise in medical countermeasure planning. 

Before that, Newman served as 

the senior epidemiologist with the 

Division of Immigration Health 

Services at the Department of 

Homeland Security, managing the 

agency’s disease surveillance and infection control programs. 

In 2002, Newman earned her 

doctorate of public health from the 

Uniformed Services University.

 Prior to her doctoral studies, 

she served in the private sector as a 

technical consultant in public health 

for the World Bank, the International Center for Research on Women, 

Family Health International and 

John Snow, Inc. 

In 1993, Newman earned her 

master’s degree in city planning 

from the Massachusetts Institute of 

Technology, where she focused on 

health program planning and evaluation and conducted her thesis research in Ceará, Brazil. 

7 the pulse March 19, 2015 
“Docs” Fight for First
 

by Christopher Austin, writer/ layout design 

The Fighting Docs, the USU student-run hockey club, is currently in 1st place for the Hockey North 

American Washington, D.C. League. 

So far, the club has had 12 wins and 3 losses. It has 

two more games in March before playoffs begin in April 

and hopes to encourage students to attend games and 

cheer them on. 

“We had a bunch of fans come out once from the 

Graduate School of Nursing. That was kind of cool,” 

said Navy Lt. Brad Respondek, a registered nurse anesthetist student in the Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School 

of Nursing and player/coach on the team. “Apparently, 

when the team was in its infancy, they used to have half 

the student body show up for games, but it’s been quite 

some time since that’s happened.” 

The club was founded in the early ‘90s and has no 

qualifications for joining the team other than being associated with the university. Its main purpose is to provide those associated with the university an outlet. 

“Anyone can join the team — male or female, skill 

level, or experience in hockey. It doesn’t matter,” Respondek said. “For those who are less experienced, we 

love having them on the team, because they improve, 

and we improve, and it builds unit cohesiveness. 

“Every student needs balance and needs an escape 

from their studies just for their own mental health,” said 

Respondek. “For us, playing hockey once every seven to 

The Fire Ants face USU’s Fighting Docs (in black) on Feb. 15. The Docs 

won the game 7-2. (photo by Thomas Balfour) 

ten days is that mental break that we get.” 

Members of the team include several medical students from the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, 

faculty and staff from USU, civilians attending the University and staff from Walter Reed National Military 

Medical Center. 

Around August every year, the club sends out a mass 

email to the student body asking if anyone would like to 

join for the season. It is too late in the current season to 

join but the team would be happy to take new members 

in the following season, according to Respondek. 

8 the pulse March 19, 2015 
Lushniak takes 

command in Liberia 

Deputy Surgeon General of the United States, Rear Adm. 

(Dr.) Boris Lushniak, was recently deployed to Liberia as Commanding Officer of the United States Public Health Service 

Monrovia Medical Unit. The Unit was staffed by members of 

the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Ebola Response Team, including a number of USU alumni. (Courtesy 

photos) 

Rear Adm. (Dr.) Boris Lushniak assumes command of the U.S. 

Public Health Service Monrovia Medical Unit in Liberia. 

USU Master of Public Health program alumnus, PHS Lt. David 

Dar, a member of the PHS Commissioned Corps Ebola Response 

Team, served alongside PHS Rear Adm. (Dr.) Boris Lushniak, Deputy Surgeon General of the U.S., in Monrovia, Liberia 

Members of the PHS Monrovia Medical Unit Two stand at attention during the 

change of command ceremony 

Rear Adm. (Dr.) Boris Lushniak (pictured, center right) takes a tour through the Monrovia Medical Unit upon his arrival in Liberia. 
Final Frame

Deans from USU’s Postgraduate Dental College were on campus recently, participating in the search for a new Postgraduate 

Dental College Executive Dean. Pictured, from left to right are: USU President Charles L. Rice, M.D., Navy Capt. Glen Munro, dean of the Navy Postgraduate Dental School in Bethesda, Air Force Col. Drew Fallis, dean of the Air Force Postgraduate 

Dental School in San Antonio, Texas and Army Col. Priscilla Hamilton, dean of the Army Postgraduate Dental School headquartered in San Antonio. (Photo by Sharon Holland). 

10 the pulse March 19, 2015