The Official USU Newsletter

Learning to Care for Those in Harm’s Way

Volume 10, Issue 19 n November16, 2015

www.usuhs.edu
2 the pulse November 16, 2015

On the cover

USU students practice evacuating a casualty 

during a simulation at this year's Bushmaster. More than 135 USU brigade staff supported Military Field Practicum (MFP) 202 

at Fort Indiantown Gap (FIG), Pa., Oct. 5 

through Oct. 24 See story, page 4 and photos 

page 5. (photo by Tom Balfour)

Sharon Holland

Deputy Vice President for External Affairs and Managing Editor

Eric Ritter

Writer and Editor

MC3 Laura Bailey

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 

eric.ritter2@usuhs.edu or by calling 301-

295-3791.

by Eric D. Ritter

USU awards WRNMMC with 2015 

Excellence in Teaching Award 

Uniformed Services University presented the prestigious 2014 

USU Excellence in Teaching Award 

to Walter Reed National Military 

Medical Center (WRNMMC), November 6, in recognition of superior support for USU's medical and 

nursing education programs.

According to USU F. Edward 

Hébert School of Medicine dean, 

Dr. Arthur L. Kellermann, Walter 

Reed, Bethesda was easily selected 

this year, in part, for the leadership 

qualities and professionalism they 

help develop.

“We all know that Walter Reed 

is where our nation heals its heroes,” 

he said. “But, it’s also where the nation forges its future leaders of the 

military health system and American medicine. So, for all of us in 

the School of Medicine, thank you 

for the patience you demonstrated 

when you took our students under 

your wing. You are making them 

great nurses, great doctors, because 

they had Walter Reed as the perfect 

role model.”

The award takes into consideration the support for the USU teaching programs at military treatment 

facilities throughout the country, 

including the commander’s support 

and that of the faculty, staff and administrative elements. 

The award is given to a large 

and a small military treatment facility each year. Recommendations are 

given by the School of Medicine and 

Graduate School of Nursing faculty, and the winner is decided by the 

deans of the SOM and GSN. This is 

the eighth year USU has given this 

award to a military treatment facility.

Major Gen. Jeffrey B. Clark accepts the 2014 USU Excellence in Teaching 

Award from USU President Charles Rice (right), Deans Carol Romano and 

Art Kellerman (left) and John Lowe, HJF President and CEO (center). (photo by Eric D. Ritter)
3 the pulse November 16, 2015

Courtesy Article

Dumler to Chair F. Edward Hébert SOM 

Pathology Department

J. Stephen Dumler, MD, has 

been selected to chair the Department of Pathology at the Uniformed 

Services University of the Health 

Sciences’ (USU) F. Edward Hébert 

School of Medicine, “America’s 

Medical School,” effective in January 2016. Dumler will lead a greatly expanded academic enterprise 

that aligns the academic and service 

work of the Department of Pathology at USU, the Department of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at 

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the Joint Pathology 

Center, the successor organization 

to the former Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. Dumler, who is 

currently a professor in the Department of Pathology at the University 

of Maryland School of Medicine in 

Baltimore, succeeds Robert Friedman, MD, who retired in 2014 after 

34 years as chair of the department.

Dumler received his MD degree from the University of Maryland at Baltimore. His professional 

training includes residencies in anatomic pathology and laboratory 

medicine from The Johns Hopkins 

University School of Medicine, and 

a pathology residency and postdoctoral fellowship in Infectious Disease Pathology from the University 

of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. Before joining the University of 

Maryland’s faculty in 2013, Dumler 

was a member of the faculty of The 

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine 

for 17 years, and at the University 

of Maryland School of Medicine for 

six years.

His professional and research 

interests include vector-borne 

pathogens and tick-borne bacterial diseases, including an improved 

understanding of the pathogenesis 

of rickettsial infections such as anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis, Lyme 

disease, Rocky Mountain spotted 

fever and typhus. He has also made 

important contributions to research 

in medical microbiology and parasitology, especially in the development of molecular diagnostics for 

etiologic agents of acute febrile infections worldwide, including malaria, relapsing fever, and African 

sleeping sickness, among others. The 

alignment of the pathology activities and personnel of the Uniformed 

Services University, WRNMMC 

and the Joint Pathology Center will 

create one of the most formidable 

academic pathology programs in 

the world.

“The expanded department 

Steve Dumler is coming to USU to 

lead combines the outstanding education and cutting-edge research 

capabilities of our existing Department of Pathology with Walter Reed 

National Military Medical Center’s 

world-class Clinical and Anatomic 

Pathology services and a renowned 

Pathology residency program,” said 

Arthur Kellermann, MD, MPH, 

dean of the Hébert School of Medicine. “In addition, USU’s and WRNMMC’s programs will work closely 

with the Joint Pathology Center—

the federal government's premier 

pathology reference center supporting the Military Health System, the 

Department of Defense and other 

federal agencies. The synergy this 

combination creates will produce an 

academic and clinical powerhouse 

that will provide outstanding service to ill and injured warfighters, 

advance Pathology research and education and training, and promote 

high-impact innovations in the 

United States and worldwide. Steve 

Dumler’s energy, vision and leadership skills make him the ideal choice 

to lead this formidable department. 

We are pleased to welcome him to 

‘America’s Medical School.’”

J. Stephen Dumler, MD, has been 

selected to chair the Department of 

Pathology at the Uniformed Services 

University of the Health Sciences’ 

(USU) F. Edward Hébert School of 

Medicine. (Photo courtesy of the University of Maryland)
4 the pulse November 16, 2015

Bushmaster 2015

Article by MC3 Laura Bailey

Photos by Tom Balfour

More than 135 Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) brigade staff supported Military Field Practicum (MFP) 

202, or "Operation Bushmaster", 

at Fort Indiantown Gap (FIG), Pa., 

Oct. 5 through Oct. 24, contributing 

to another successful training evolution. 

Operation Bushmaster, the 

“capstone” of the USU military 

medical education, serves as a final 

graded examination for fourth-year 

medical students at the F. Edward 

Hebert School of Medicine at USU. 

After “deploying” to FIG, as 

part of a Joint Task Force tasked 

with a Show of Force mission, USU 

students were formally evaluated on 

their medical knowledge and leadership abilities in a resource constrained, far forward tactical field 

setting. During a realistic, 96-hour 

simulated combat zone, students 

assume leadership and clinical positions in a battalion aid station where 

they are presented with reality based 

missions and operational problems 

for which they have to plan and 

execute. Simultaneously, students 

manage the medical care of simulated disease and non-battle injury 

patients, combat stress and trauma 

casualties. 

Support staff and faculty are 

essential to carrying out the training. 

“An exercise of this scale cannot be accomplished without the 

absolute dedication of a team,” said 

Army Col. (Dr.) Melissa Givens, assistant professor and director of the 

MCM course. 

"I am humbled and inspired by 

the dedication and spirit of my USU 

colleagues as they each contributed 

in their own unique way. The collaboration between SOM and GSN 

made for an incredible synergistic 

effort, all fueled by amazing support 

staff from across the University.

“I want to highlight a few of 

the key individuals who gave countless hours of their time: Mr. James 

Schwartz (Course Co-Director) 

who makes the magic happen in 

the field; Master Sgt. Kalili (Course 

NCOIC) and Senior Chief Dow, 

MEM's senior enlisted officer, both 

consummate professionals who orchestrated a complex compilation 

of support staff and led it to execute 

like a seasoned team; Maj. Wanda Michaels and Sgt. First Class 

Kimbrough (Operations Officer 

and NCOIC), a dynamic duo of a 

team who coordinated and executed thousands of individual tasks to 

ensure the operation flowed seamlessly; Lt. C ol. Carissa Grant, Sgt. 

Escusa and Ms. Kelly Mullaly (Administrative Officer, NCOIC and 

our Departmental Secretary), who 

worked tirelessly to process and 

execute hundreds of travel orders 

for individuals all over CONUS;Lt. 

Gen. (retired) Schoomaker, Dr. 

John McManigle and Dr. Neil Grunberg (MEM Leadership Team) who 

completely revamped our approach 

to faculty development and student 

leadership evaluation; Dr Goolsby 

who coordinated all casualties and 

simulation, and finally our GSN colleagues who ran our casualty moulage (Maj. Brian Kittleson and Lt. 

Col. Andrea Fuller), working round 

the clock to process over two thousand casualties for the benefit of our 

student's learning.

“There are literally hundreds 

more I could thank, and I hope you 

all realize the role you play in educating the future leaders of military 

medicine.”

Students learned how to carry stretchers and patients over several different 

terrains to effectively transport patients through a field environment.
5 the pulse November 16, 2015

Students learned several field combat techniques such as stacking and 

room clearing.

Learning to care for a patient in tight spaces.

First-year medical students, U.S. Naval Academy midshipment and USU factulty volunteered to play victims to add more realism to 

the excercise. 

Students learned how to work under pressure such as evacuating a 

patient while under fire after a simulated IED blast.

BushMaster 2015, cont.
6 the pulse November 16, 2015

Navy Rear Adm. (ret) John C. 

Duffy, founding Psychiatry professor at Uniformed Services University (USU), received The William 

Cullen Bryant Award, October 22, 

which recognizes individuals who, 

in the tradition of New York Medical College (NYMC) Founder William Cullen Bryant, demonstrate 

distinguished leadership in health 

care, science, education, business 

or the arts. Duffy has held academic 

appointments at six medical schools, 

three of them start-ups. He has also 

launched a medical institute and a 

medical journal. Today, at 81, he is 

professor and director of international clerkship services at the University of Central Florida’s College 

of Medicine, a four-year-old institution that just graduated its first class.

After graduating NYMC in 

1960, Dr. Duffy entered an internship at Henry Ford Hospital in 

Detroit that sparked an interest in 

pediatrics, but the escalation of the 

Vietnam War caused him to delay 

his residency and join the Air Force 

as a flight surgeon. Research with pilots led to an interest in the psychology of stress—and an award from 

the Aerospace Medical Association. 

He has participated in life-saving 

operations on several occasions with 

the U.S. Coast Guard, including rescues at sea where he was dropped 

by a harness from a helicopter onto 

a ship carrying seriously ill and injured service personnel.

Those early experiences in academia and the military launched

a 45-year career mixing academic 

and clinical medicine with military 

and public health service. Duffy’s 

first stop was the University of Minnesota’s child psychiatry program, 

where he succeeded its retiring 

chair. Five years into that position, 

his first start-up opportunity came 

knocking. “The University of Arizona in Tucson was opening a new 

medical school, and they offered 

me the opportunity to head a new 

department of child psychiatry,” he 

says. “I developed a reputation as a 

guy who knew how to do academic 

start-ups.” Just two years later, Duffy 

was drafted for a similar challenge at 

the newly established USU. 

"This award has special significance for me, as it comes from my 

medical school, whose imprint in 

my life has always been a major part 

of my career," said Duffy.

USU founding Psychiatry professor wins William Cullen Bryant award

Courtesy of New York Medical College

Rear Adm. (Dr.) David Lane, 

a 1991 graduate of the F. Edward 

Hébert School of Medicine at the 

Uniformed Services University 

of the Health Sciences, has been 

named as the next director of the 

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Secretary of the Navy 

Ray Mabus and Adm. John Richardson, Chief of Naval Operations, 

made the announcement November 

2. 

Lane, who is currently serving 

as The Medical Officer of the Marine 

Corps and the director of Health 

Services for the Marine Corps, enlisted in the Navy in 1975 as a hospital corpsman. He was later accepted 

into the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1981. Lane subsequently 

served as a naval flight officer in EA6B Prowler aircraft prior to attending medical school at USU. 

After medical school, Lane 

completed a family medicine residency at the Naval Hospital in 

Bremerton, Wash., and served on 

clinical staffs at the Naval Hospital Bremerton, Naval Health Clinic 

Groton, and Naval Medical Center 

San Diego before being selected as 

Aide to the Surgeon General of the 

Navy. He has also cared for patients 

at the Naval Hospital Rota Spain, 

Naval Health Clinic Newport, 

Rhode Island, Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan, and most recently at 

the Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, 

where he served as Commanding 

Officer. Lane also served as a command surgeon with the Marines in 

the Pacific area of operations from 

2004-2012, and spent two years at 

Yale University School of Medicine 

as a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical 

Scholar. 

“I am delighted that Admiral 

Lane has been named to the directorship of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. I have 

known and worked with him for 

many years and I know that he, as a 

USU alumnus, understands the critical importance of a close working 

relationship between the medical 

center and the university. I am confident that he will build on the outstanding groundwork of Maj. Gen. 

Jeff Clark,” said Charles L. Rice, MD, 

USU President.

USU Alumnus Rear Adm. David Lane to direct WRNMMC

By Sharon Holland

Rear Adm. (Dr.) David Lane has 

been named as the next director of 

the Walter Reed National Military 

Medical Center. (USMC photo)
7 the pulse November 16, 2015

McAndrews selected for NPWH Reporter Program

Air Force Capt. Jennifer McAndrews, a nursing student in the 

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) 

Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner 

(WHNP) program at the Daniel K. 

Inouye Graduate School of Nursing 

(GSN), at the Uniformed Services 

Univesity, attended the 18th Annual National Nurse Practitioners in 

Women’s Health (NPWH) Premiere 

Women’s Healthcare Conference, in 

Salt Lake City, Oct. 14 through the 

17. She was selected to be a student 

reporter as part of the second student cohort of the NPWH Reporter 

Program. 

“The NPWH serves as the professional organization for the women’s health specialty in nursing,” 

said Air Force Lt. Col. Jennifer A. 

Korkosz, the director of clinical education for the GSN’s WHNP program at USU. “Each year, NPWH 

sponsors students from nursing 

schools around the country to attend the annual conference in October.” 

The program aims to build a 

community of women’s health nurse 

practitioner students nationally and 

provide those students the opportunity to connect with and learn from 

expert WHNPs and advanced practice registered nurses working in 

women’s health care. 

“The student reporter program 

is a unique concept that NPWH has 

recently adopted,” said McAndrews. 

“We were required to assist with a 

variety of administrative functions 

while simultaneously serving as 

ambassadors for our schools. There 

were so many people who had no 

idea that USU existed and they were 

interested to hear about our program. Many were interested to hear 

how my schooling differs from that 

of my civilian counterparts.

“There are so many leadership opportunities in nursing,” said 

McAndrews. “I met many nursing 

leaders serving the profession in 

a variety of ways. More often than 

not, these nurses were nearing retirement and were actively seeking 

their replacements. As doctoral prepared nurses, we need to consider 

filling these roles so that our profession can continue to innovate and 

grow.”

Poster presentations, vendor 

booths, health promotions with 

yoga and a group run/walk kept her 

busy, but she enjoyed every minute, 

she said. 

“It was outstanding,” said 

McAndrews. “Not only did I benefit 

from all of the educational experiences, I was able to meet many military nurses from around the country and got a behind-the-scenes 

view of what it takes to pull off such 

a large conference. There were over 

500 healthcare professionals in attendance and between the conference and pre-conference there were 

42 lectures and hands-on learning 

experiences. I was also able to hear 

what other NP students were working on in their programs. Without 

a doubt I would attend this conference again and now I'm excited to 

see what other conferences have to 

offer.”

Quit Like a Champion

You’ve always said you could go the distance; that you could stop lifting 

that pack at any time; that you had the strength and the willpower to be a 

quitter. Well, the American Cancer Society® is hoping you’ll prove it – to 

yourself. On Thursday, November 19, we present the American Cancer 

Society Great American Smokeout® event. It’s a day where defeating tobacco becomes a team sport. Sure, overcoming the obstacle of addiction 

can feel like a personal competition, but when you go one-on-one with 

tobacco, we’re all in your corner. So get ready, because with enough dedication, drive, and support, this is the day you’re going to lose – the cigarettes. We know it’s a challenge. But if you can win one day, you can win 

them all. Give the fans of your life something to cheer about. Quit like a 

champion. To learn more, visit cancer.org/smokeout or call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345.

by MC3 Laura Bailey

Air Force Capt. Jennifer McAndrews, 

was selected to be a student reporter 

as part of the second student cohort 

of the 18th annual NPWH Reporter 

Program. (Courtesy photo)
8 the pulse November 16, 2015

Final Frame

To help kick off this year's Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class 

Laura Bailey, aka "Lindsay Lohan" addresses her adoring public as the winner of the CFC costume contest, 

October 30. (Photo by Tom Balfour)