Fort Hood physicians chosen to attend female leadership course in Virginia

Courtesy Photo | Female physicians from across the military gather for a photograph during the Military Health System’s Female Physician Leadership Course Sept. 2, in Falls Church, Va. The two-day seminar focused on strengthening female physicians’ leadership abilities and career management skills. (Courtesy photo)  

FALLS CHURCH, VA, UNITED STATES

09.02.2015

Story by Staff Sgt. Kimberly Hackbarth 

69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade

FORT HOOD, Texas – Maj. Ezella Washington, the brigade surgeon for 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, and Maj. Elizabeth Markelz, the brigade surgeon for 48th Chemical Brigade, were selected to attend the Military Health System’s Female Physician Leadership Course Sept. 1 and 2 in Falls Church, Virginia.

Approximately 80 female physicians from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as the Public Health System attended the two-day seminar focused on strengthening female physicians’ leadership abilities and career management skills.

Washington said she was honored to be nominated to attend the course.

“It felt great because I was one of only two (Army Forces Command) providers in the course,” she said.

Markelz found out she was accepted into the course while she was on leave in Spain and almost missed the deadline to respond.

Thankfully, a former colleague saw Marklez’s name on the list and responded on her behalf, she said.

The course brought together Washington and Markelz, who had previously only interacted with each other during meetings held here, said Markelz.

“These networking opportunities are about accomplishing a mission in a much more efficient and effective way … to serve the Soldiers better,” she explained.

Both Washington and Markelz said they valued meeting Lt. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho, who is the first woman to be appointed as the Army’s surgeon general, during the course.

Washington said that meeting Horoho reminded her that becoming a surgeon general or a general in the military is not an impossible goal.

“At that level you could do … so many things to affect the entire Army and, to me, that is amazing,” she said.

For Markelz, meeting Horoho and the other medical seniors made her feel like the leaders in her field had an interest in her and the other women in the course, she said.

“It was great to have a three-star general right in front of you just having this one-on-one conversation with you … and just talking to us about our concerns,” she said.

Markelz said that if she could attend the course again she would, but she would also like to send her battalion surgeons.

“If I don’t get to go, I want to make sure other women don’t miss out on this opportunity,” she explained.

Washington said she wanted to share what she learned throughout the course with the female physicians in her brigade as well as all junior Soldiers.

“I think it’s significant that we, as leaders, make sure that we mentor those junior Soldiers and let them know… these things are obtainable,” she said. “You can do whatever you want do and there’s no limit; we only limit ourselves.”

• Date Taken: 09.02.2015
• Date Posted: 10.13.2015 11:53
• Story ID: 178773
• Location: FALLS CHURCH, VA, US
• Hometown: FALLS CHURCH, VA, US