Photo By Marcy Sanchez | Soldiers and civilians graduating from William Beaumont Army Medical Center’s...... read more read more
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Nearly 50 Soldiers and civilians with William Beaumont Army Medical Center were awarded their diplomas for completing their respective Graduated Medical Education (GME) program during a graduation ceremony at the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss Museum, June 15.
Graduates completed residency requirements and internships in internal medicine, orthopedic surgery, general surgery, transitional year internship, U.S. Army Graduate Program in Anesthesia Nursing (USAGPAN), and social work internship. While internships encompass the first year of GME coursework, residencies vary in length including a three-year residency program for internal medicine, a five-year residency program for orthopedic surgery and a six-year residency program for general surgery.
“(Graduating) feels good, but there’s a lot of work left to do,” said Capt. Aaron Brockshus, a postgraduate year one (PGY-1) graduate who completed his internship year at WBAMC’s internal medicine program. “There’s a lot of studying left to give the patients the best care that we can give them.”
Continuously learning was one key message to the graduates from this year’s guest speaker, Dr. Arnold Ahnfeldt, a retired Army colonel and orthopedic surgeon.
“You can’t do it alone. Never stop learning. There are things you will face that you can’t even conceive of,” said Ahnfeldt. “Always be pursuing that dream of yours, live every adventure, find something good in every assignment,” he added.
Forty two officers and six civilians made up this year’s graduating class. Graduates will go on to serve in various staff assignments, begin fellowship programs, or continue residency programs at WBAMC or other programs, including the Department of Veterans Affairs. Among the graduates were 29 interns, including four civilians, 16 residents, including two civilians, and three graduates with USAGPAN.
For residents, graduation means continuing their Army Medicine careers at Medical Treatment Facilities or in a deployed environment as part of Forward Surgical Teams. For interns, the graduation marks the beginning of increased accountability and duty.
“(Becoming a resident) is just a lot more responsibility as far as patient care goes,” said Brockshus, a native of Spencer, Iowa. “We’re making a lot more decisions. As an intern you always have a resident there to ask a question to and now instead of asking, I’ll be answering those questions, it’s a big role reversal.”
Words of encouragement from Ahnfeldt helped put perspective into place for graduates completing their GME training.
“What are you going to do when those instances come up when you’re called to do something beyond your comfort zone?” asked Ahnfeldt. “When you’re called to meet the crisis, meet the difficulties, because your career will be determined by how you meet those difficulties. So I really appreciate what you’re doing today because it’s really the end of the beginning.”
“You all have worked really hard, you should be really proud of yourselves,” said Col. Erik Rude, commander, WBAMC.
Ahnfeldt closed the ceremony by reminding graduates of the great responsibility they now have and lauded their service.
“Too many doctors get stuck pursuing wealth, fame and prestige, but they live hollow lives,” said Ahnfeldt. “You are serving in a tremendous profession where you can provide the care and save the lives of the men and women defending our country, and that is so much more important for our nation.”
William Beaumont Army Medical Center is home to various GME programs to include being designated as a phase II training site for several enlisted medical personnel training programs. Physicians, medical students and other health care professionals are developed by placing equal emphasis on patient care, teaching and research.
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2018 15:38 |
| Story ID: | 282209 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 71 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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