By Sharon Holland
More than 200 military medical students and graduate nursing students from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) will be graduating early to support their colleagues in the U.S. military health system amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
USU President Dr. Richard Thomas made the decision when the national emergency was declared.
USU is the nation’s only federal health sciences university and is part of the Department of Defense. USU educates, trains and prepares uniformed services health professionals, officers and leaders to directly support the military health system, the national security and national defense strategies of the U.S. and the readiness of the Armed Forces.
“Our curriculum has a specific focus on threats like emerging infectious diseases and disasters that our military and Public Health Service forces are likely to encounter in the course of their careers. This instruction is based on real-life lessons learned, is woven throughout the curriculum and is incorporated into our medical field exercises,” Thomas said.
Uniformed Services University student, pictured here in October 2019, are trained to provide care under the most challenging circumstances, including exposure to radiation or global disease outbreak.
“Our students are uniquely prepared to meet and address the readiness needs of the Department of Defense and our nation the moment they step out of our doors.”
“This is exactly what they were educated and trained to do. The Surgeon Generals of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Public Health Service will receive a competent cadre of healthcare professionals who can augment current resources available to them.”
The students, who are all active duty uniformed officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Public Health Service, will have completed all of their requirements to be awarded a degree and will be available for reassignment by their respective services.
The officers include physicians, family, mental health and women’s health nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and certified registered nurse anesthetists.
The addition of the USU graduates will offer much-needed support to the services and the Public Health Service in the wake of the deployment of several hundred military health care providers to the hospital ships and field hospitals in a number of states.
-This story originally appeared on DVIDShub.net. It has been edited for USO.org.
More Stories Like This
-
A 14-Day COVID-19 Quarantine is the First Stop for Troops Returning Home from Deployments
U.S. soldiers returning from deployments are being asked to quarantine for 14 days in the light of COVID-19. Here's a look where they head when self-isolation at home isn't an option.
-
USNS Mercy to Care for Non-COVID-19 Patients in Los Angeles
In a matter of days, the Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy will sail from San Diego and dock in the port of Los Angeles to help lift the burden from local medical treatment facilities that need to focus their resources on patients affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
-
What is the Navy Medical Service Corps?
Did you know the U.S. Navy has been caring for the medical needs of sailors and Marines since the military branch was first established in 1775? It’s true!
Every day, America’s service members selflessly put their lives on the line to keep us safe and free. Please take a moment to let our troops know how much we appreciate their service and sacrifice.
