The Official USU Newsletter

Volume 8, Issue 1 • January 14, 2013

www.usuhs.mil
2 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

On the cover

SFC Ronald Wilson is the first servicemember 

to retire in a joint service ceremony at the 

Uniformed Services University of the Health 

Sciences. SFC Wilson was “piped ashore” at 

the conclusion of his retirement ceremony 

on Dec. 11.

Sharon Willis

Deputy Vice President for External 

Affairs and Managing Editor

Gwendolyn Smalls

Chief, Media Affairs

Tech. Sgt. Oshawn Jefferson

Deputy Chief, Media Affairs

MC2 Brittney Cannady

Editor

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 brittney.cannady@usuhs.edu or 

301-295-0895.

Courtesy Photo

Second-year medical students Ensign Luke Womble and Ensign Gabriel Calderon 

give blood during USU’s Army-Navy Blood Donor Challenge, Nov. 16. 

Army-Navy Rivalry Helps Ill and 

Injured Servicemembers

By MC2 Brittney Cannady, Editor

On Nov. 16 service members at 

Uniformed Services University of the 

Health Sciences participated in an 

Army-Navy Blood Drive Challenge in 

support of the Armed Services Blood 

Program. The donations will help ill 

and injured service members, veterans and their families. Encouraging 

members to give blood during the 

drive was the 122-year old ArmyNavy game rivalry.

 “I can’t speak for others, but the 

Army-Navy rivalry was part of the 

reason I chose to participate this 

year. I think the history, traditions, 

and unique characteristics of each 

branch of service provide for healthy 

competition with the understanding that we are all on the same team, 

working toward the same goals,” said 

Ensign Luke Womble, a second-year 

medical student who gave blood. 

“I choose to give blood because it 

is an incredibly easy way to have a 

profound impact on others, to the 

point of even saving a life.” After 

totaling the units donated for USU, 

Navy came out on top 46-27. All 

service members who gave blood 

will be eligible to donate again Jan. 

11, 2013. 

 The blood drive was one of 10 

taking place at blood bank centers in 

the metro Washington, D.C. area as 

part of the Army-Navy Blood Donor 

Challenge. On Dec. 8, during the 

third quarter of the game the Navy 

was announced as the winner of the 

challenge. In total more than 1,100 

units were collected in the contest. 

The Navy also continued its winning 

streak scoring 17-13 over the Black 

Knights. For more information on the 

Armed Services Blood Program or 

to schedule appointments visit www.

militaryblood.dod.mil.

Photo by Thomas C. Balfour
January 14, 2013 3

USU Holds First Class in Alternative Medicine

By Jeremy Johnson, NSAB Public Affairs staff writer

Uniformed Services University 

of the Health Sciences (USU) held 

the school’s first alternative medical 

treatments workshop for fourth-year 

students recently.

During the workshop, students 

were introduced to non-traditional 

methods of staying healthy, and 

managing stress and physical pain. 

Classes included interactive demonstrations in acupuncture, yoga, 

meditation and even self-hypnosis.

The two-day event was organized 

by USU in partnership with Samueli 

Institute, a non-profit organization 

dedicated to the science of healing. 

Though students were given the option 

to choose the sessions they wanted to 

attend, their presence at the workshop 

was mandatory, making it the first 

time USU has made an experience like 

this a requirement.

According to retired Lt. Gen. 

(Dr.) Eric Schoomaker, former U.S. 

Army Surgeon General and Scholarin-Residence at USU, the workshop 

served a dual purpose. First, he 

said, it exposed students to avenues 

of treatment outside traditional 

methods, such as acupuncture of the 

ears, a technique used to relieve pain 

without medication.

Second, the sessions offered 

students tools for handling stress and 

fatigue they may face in their own 

lives as military doctors.

“The final focus is self-care,” said 

Schoomaker. “What can students who 

are going to be future physicians in the 

military learn about these techniques 

to care for themselves, because it really 

starts with oneself. How do meditation, yoga, guided-imagery, and help 

with sleep assist a future provider who 

is going to be in a very busy practice, 

sometimes in some very dangerous 

and austere parts of the world, care for 

themselves and their families?”

Wayne Jonas, M.D., president of the 

Samueli Institute, agreed self-care was 

an important part of the motivation 

in bringing the workshop to USU.

“Unlike surgery, which you can’t 

practice on yourself, health promotion you actually have to practice on 

yourself,” said Jonas, “otherwise you can’t 

actually deliver it to patients. Health 

care providers have one of the highest 

burnout rates, and alcoholism rates 

are some of the highest in the country. 

It’s because of the pressure that they’re 

under - even more so in the military.”

Schoomaker said it doesn’t necessarily matter if the patients are seeking 

alternative health care from the 

military health care system to stay 

healthy; the need for knowledge about 

it remains the same. For example, in 

the Human Performance Optimization block of the workshop, the focus 

is on sleep, movement and nutrition - 

including supplements.

“We need to appreciate that our 

patients are using any or all varieties 

of these treatments,” said Schoomaker. 

“You don’t have to go to an exchange or 

base PX to see that nutritional supplements are a multibillion dollar business 

Students of Uniformed Services 

University of Health Sciences practice 

yoga in an interactive demonstration 

during an alternative treatment 

workshop held at the school.

in this country. Having some insights 

into good nutrition, and how nutritional supplements can help or hinder 

people [is something] I think people 

going into military practice need.”

Ensign Ryan Austin, one of the 

students in the workshop said the 

overall experience was beneficial. “As 

a doctor in training, anytime you’re 

taught another treatment modality - 

given an additional ‘tool in your toolbox’ 

so to speak - it’s a plus,” he explained. 

“Conventional medicine is wonderful until you run out of ideas for ways 

to help your patient. If you have some 

experience with alternative treatment 

methods in your back pocket you’ve at 

least got another avenue to pursue. Even 

if you don’t feel comfortable enough to 

perform those treatments yourself, you 

can at least feel good about referring 

your patient to someone who does.”

Both photos by Bill Burke/Page One Photography
4 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

USU doctors host Career 

Partnership Day

By Brittney Cannady, Editor

USU Alumna gives 87th MDG pediatric rooms child-friendly makeover

By Senior Airman Bryan Swink, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

On Dec. 7 students from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High 

School visited USU as part of the Junior Achievement 

of Greater Washington and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase 

Chamber of Commerce Partnership Day. Students toured 

the campus and were mentored by Army Maj. Thomas 

Rawlings, Col. (ret.) Linda Wanzer and Dr. Gary Crouch. 

The partnership day, an annual event held by Junior 

Achievement allows students to visit different workplace 

environments and shadow their chosen mentor for the day. 

 Throughout their visit students saw many areas on 

campus including the Building E, anatomical lab, the Learning Resource Center and the robotic surgery room in the 

Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine. Sarah Kissel, 

a BCCHS student who is interested in a career in nursing, 

spent the day with faculty of the Perioperative Clinical 

Nurse Specialist (PCNS) in the Graduate School of Nursing. 

While at lunch, the high school students spoke with current 

students at the university about their experiences and the 

importance of continuing their education beyond a bachelor’s degree. “The PCNS faculty enjoyed their time with 

these bright students,” said Col. (ret.) Wanzer. “We took 

When tummy aches, tiny coughs 

and big colds afflict Joint Base 

McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst’s youngest 

warriors, it seems to them like there 

is no end is in sight.

Capt. Kristine Andrews, USU class 

of 2009 graduate, 87th Medical Group 

pediatrician, wants to not only provide 

a cure for the sick children she treats, 

but bring a bit of comfort and enjoyment while they wait to be seen.

Andrews and her mother, Ildiko, 

spent approximately seven hours 

hanging assorted paintings and 

decorating the walls of each of the 

children’s waiting rooms Dec. 28, 

2012 while the clinic was closed. 

“Our goal was to brighten up our 

environment for the children and 

give them something fun to look 

at while they’re in the rooms,” said 

Andrews. “We have received a great 

response so far from patients and 

their families.”

Approximately 140 art pieces were 

spread out throughout the six waiting 

rooms - each room having its own 

theme; tropical, ocean, circus, outer 

space, safari and forest. 

Ildiko and seven of her friends 

from Lake Martin, Ala., who take an 

art class together, painted and donated 

all the pieces for the clinic. They 

spent several months and more than 

300-man hours working on all the 

eye-catching artwork.

Andrews and Ildiko drew each 

room’s layout and mapped out where 

each piece would hang. After the 

pieces were hung, the mother-daughter duo spent the rest of the evening 

painting complimentary images on 

the walls to create an elaborate flow 

of artwork.

“The paintings were beautiful 

and my children loved them,” said 

Staff Sgt. Angela Jackson, a reserve 

aerospace medical technician and 

mother of three. “My kids are usually 

running around screaming during 

doctor visits but this time they were 

focused on the artwork.”

The paintings not only created 

an appealing atmosphere, but will 

provide the pediatricians with 

another tool to treat their patients.

“The artwork will now allow us

 to better access the development 

of the children we see,” said 

Andrews. “For instance, we can 

point to an animal and ask the 

child what kind of noise the animal 

makes. We can ensure they are 

developing like they’re supposed to. 

We also hope it inspires creativity 

and imagination.”

Front row (L to R): Col. (ret.) Linda Wanzer, BCCHS students 

Sarah Kissel and Olyad Begna, and Dr. Gary Crouch. 

Back row (L to R): Air Force Capt. Mary Hillanbrand, Army 

Maj. Thomas Rawlings, and Anne Dimke.

this opportunity to grow, nurture and cultivate the student’s 

interest in nursing; it supports the growth of our next generation of healthcare providers.” The tour came to an end with 

a suture lab with senior PCNS and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) students where Kissel practiced tying surgical 

knots on a humanlike model.

Photo by Thomas C. Balfour
January 14, 2013 5

USU students volunteer at 

Bethesda Turkey Chase

By MC2 Brittney Cannady, Editor

Input Sought 

for Public Health 

Reaccreditation

On Nov. 25, Thanksgiving day, four 

second-year students of USU volunteered in the Bethesda Turkey Chase. 

The students, Ensigns Luke Womble, 

Natalie Slepski, Kerry Philbin and 

Michael Tsai, who are also members of 

the Family Medicine Interest Group, 

volunteered their services to the 

runners of the 10-kilometer race. The 

event, held every Thanksgiving Day 

for the past 30 years, saw thousands 

of runners turn out in support of the 

Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA and 

other local charities. The students were 

eager to step away from the classroom 

and spend a little time giving back to 

the community. 

“For me, involvement in community events such as this race is an 

important way for me to remind 

myself that my entire career won’t 

be spent in front of books, so it 

encourages me to keep going and 

study hard while I’m in the classroom,” said Womble. The students 

worked with medical services 

during the race, helping keep 

runners hydrated, treating minor 

scrapes as well as aiding the few 

participants who experienced 

nausea as the run progressed.

While there were no serious 

medical emergencies during the race, 

Womble says the event was an opportunity to think about how to treat 

patients if an emergency occurred. 

“I believe this is at the heart of 

military medicine, always being ready 

to provide the best care possible,” 

said Womble. “These events are great 

opportunities to help the community know about the school and learn 

about our mission, I think it is a 

win-win for everyone involved.” 

As part of the continuing accreditation requirements of the Graduate Programs in Public Health, the 

Department of Preventive Medicine 

and Biometrics (PMB) has recently 

completed a draft 2012 Self-Study in 

preparation of an anticipated April, 

2013 re-accreditation site visit by 

the Council on Education for Public 

Health (CEPH). Copies of the 2012 

Self-Study, as well as recent PMB 

annual reports to CEPH, are available 

on the PMB site at http://www.usuhs.

mil/pmb/graduateprograms.html. As 

part of the ongoing re-accreditation 

process, CEPH requires that interested and affected parties, including students, alumni, faculty, and the 

practice community be offered the 

opportunity to provide written input 

to the CEPH site visit team. If you 

would like to submit written input to 

the site visit team, please send it to the 

following address:

Council on Education for Public Health 

1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 220

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Second-year medical students Ens. Kerry Philbin, Ens. Michael Tsai, Ens. Luke 

Womble, and Ens. Natalie Slepski volunteered to assist with medical support for the 

recent Bethesda Turkey Chase 10-K race as members of the USU Family Medicine 

Interest Group.

Twitter

Follow us at

https://twitter.com/

usuhspao

Courtesy Photo
6 The Pulse The Official USU Newsletter

GSN gears up for 20th anniversary celebration

By Christine Creenan-Jones

On the heels of its 40th anniversary, 

USU will recognize another landmark 

milestone throughout 2013 with 

celebratory events that recognize 20 

years of innovation within its Graduate 

School of Nursing. 

An academic leader since 1993, 

the GSN began delivering a unique, 

signature curriculum to a small group 

of students in the Family Nurse Practitioner program under the leadership 

of Faye Abdellah, Ed.D., the first dean 

of the GSN and former deputy surgeon 

general of the United States. 

The ensuing 20 years brought 

several new academic programs to the 

GSN, along with hundreds of military 

nurse corps officers. These faculty and 

alumni helped create an impressive 

legacy for USU, including the development of America’s first and only 

Master’s-level Perioperative Clinical 

Nurse Specialist program, accolades 

from industry leaders like U.S. News 

& World Report, groundbreaking 

research across several disciplines of 

biomedicine, and a strong emphasis on 

comprehensive, patient-focused care 

for servicemembers at duty stations 

around the world.

“We’ve always been an incredible resource for military health 

care. Our focus has centered around 

warriors’ and their families’ health 

and well-being for decades now, and 

we’ve been hugely successful in these 

efforts,” said Ada Sue Hinshaw, PhD, 

dean of the GSN. “As a tribute to 

our vast array of accomplishments, 

we’ll celebrate both our heritage 

and triumphs with 20th anniversary 

commemorations that will include 

special guest speakers, research 

highlights and alumni achievements.” 

Late last year, a planning committee was convened to organize the GSN’s 

anniversary festivities. Although details 

are still being finalized, the committee is encouraging USU faculty, staff, 

students and alumni to share their GSN 

memories at http://www.usuhs.mil/

gsnanniversary/sharegsnmemory.html. 

The GSN has enjoyed many milestone achievements 

throughout its 20 years history, including: 

1993

•	Graduate School of Nursing 

is established.

•	Three students enter the Family 

Nurse Practitioner Program.

1994

•	The GSN adds a Nurse Anesthesia 

program. 

1995

•	The first GSN class graduates, 

which includes two students 

in the Family Nurse Practitioner 

program.

2003

•	GSN alumni are called to serve 

in Operation Enduring Freedom 

and Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

•	GSN establishes a Master 

of Science in Nursing for 

Perioperative Clinical Nurse 

Specialists and a Doctor of 

Philosophy in Nursing Science.

2007

•	USU’s Nurse Anesthesia program 

is ranked sixth in the nation by 

U.S. News & World Report.

2008

•	The first class of Adult 

Psychiatric Mental Health 

Nurse Practitioner students 

matriculate in the summer. 

•	The GSN opens the Dr. Faye 

Glenn Abdellah Research Center. 

2011

•	Ada Sue Hinshaw, Ph.D., RN, 

FAAN, dean of the GSN, was 

named a “Living Legend” by the 

American Academy of Nursing.

2012 

•	Founding Dean of USU’s 

Graduate School of Nursing, 

Dr. Faye Abdellah, is inducted 

into the American Nurses 

Association Hall of Fame in June.

•	First class of Doctor of Nursing 

Practice students matriculate.
January 14, 2013 7

 USU 

Celebrates 

the Holidays 

HPRC Health Tips

USU’s Human Performance 

Resource Center Health Tips are 

intended to provide the USU 

community with information to 

help develop and maintain a healthy 

lifestyle. Check out the HPRC 

website at: http://hprc-online.org.

Think of water and exercise as 

food groups in your diet.

Water. Water helps flush our 

systems of waste products and 

toxins, yet many people go through 

life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s 

common to mistake thirst for hunger, 

so staying well hydrated will also help 

you make healthier food choices.

Exercise. Find something active that 

you like to do and add it to your day, 

just like you would add healthy greens, 

blueberries, or salmon. The benefits 

of lifelong exercise are abundant and 

regular exercise may even motivate you 

to make healthy food choices a habit.

Get Sleep.

Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of 

sleep each night. If you are having 

trouble sleeping, make changes to 

your routine to get the sleep you need. 

Getting a good night’s sleep can have 

many benefits. You will be less likely 

to get sick and more likely to stay at 

a healthy weight; you can lower your 

risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. We have a natural cycle for when 

we feel tired and awake. Our “biological clocks” are set to make us feel the 

sleepiest between midnight and 7 a.m. 

Our biological clocks also help us stay 

alert during the day, although many 

people have a sleepy period between 1 

p.m. and 4 p.m. If you experience any 

problems sleeping talk to a doctor or 

nurse. You may need to be tested or 

treated for a sleep disorder.

The University helds its annual holiday party 

Dec. 14th. Top right: USU President Charles 

Rice kicks off the celebration with a few 

words. Bottom left: Military and civilian 

employees practice their moves on the dance 

floor. Bottom right: Santa Claus waves to the 

crowd as he enters the festivities.

All photos by SPC Ernest Sivia, U.S. Army