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By Bernard S. Little Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Hospital Communications
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center healthcare trainees and providers shared their laboratory and clinical research during the Department of Research Programs’ (DRP) 2026 Research and Innovation Month’s podium presentations symposium May 5.
The symposium featured competitions for the Robert A. Phillips (RAP) and Bailey K. Ashford (BKA) awards.
This year’s symposium also included the inaugural nurse-led competition named for Janet Rexrode Southby, a retired U.S. Army colonel who served as chief nurse at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
During the competitions, researchers explained their work, its future course and possible impact on military medicine and readiness.
“Research and Innovation Month recognizes our research heroes and subject-matter experts and encourages participation in research studies,” explained U.S. Navy Cmdr. Martin Boese, Ph.D., chief of DRP at Walter Reed. “This event celebrates the impact of research in the medical field with a special emphasis on military medicine.”
Projects at this year’s symposium covered a wide range of topics including functional impairment associated with insomnia, military service-related factors and barriers to mental healthcare, novel treatments for arterial injuries, improvements to long-term mobility after fracture surgery, advancements in gynecologic cancer treatments, cochlear implant telemedicine, and advancing military hematology/oncology training.
Other research focused on computer-based simulated scrub training, uterine leiomyosarcoma, exercise capacity after transcatheter aortic valve replacement, preventing infections in tibial shaft fractures, minimally invasive treatment for complex and fragility acute ankle fractures, deployment after Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and tibia allograft reconstruction.
“American military medicine has been the cornerstone of medical accomplishments since the founding of the United States,” stated officials of the Military Health System. “The efforts and innovations of the military medical research community have advanced treatments, logistics, procedures, and medications. From emergency response to groundbreaking medications to sterile conditions at medical facilities on and off the battlefield, the marvel of modern medicine is rooted in the tireless work of these devoted military scientists, clinicians, leaders, product developers, and so many more.”
The RAP award is named for one of these devoted military scientists, clinicians and leaders. Phillips, who was a U.S. Navy captain, conducted vital research on cholera treatments and developed methods for measuring hemoglobin levels during World War II. This was critical in producing a fast, portable, and accurate method for assessing blood loss and shock in wounded Soldiers directly on the battlefield. While Phillips died in 1976, his legacy lives on in the annual Walter Reed research competition that bears his name. The competition includes laboratory and clinical work by interns, residents, fellows and staff looking to advance military medicine forward as Phillips did during his lifetime.
The BKA award is also named for a military research pioneer. Ashford was a turn of the 19th century Army officer who pioneered treatment for hookworms, curing roughly 300,000 people and drastically reducing anemia deaths in Puerto Rico. The annual Walter Reed competition that bears his name also includes laboratory and clinical categories for graduate medical education trainees.
This year’s symposium included more than 20 podium presentations supported by poster displays and abstracts. Winners of the competitions will be recognized in late May to close out this year’s Research and Innovation Month at Walter Reed.
| Date Taken: | 05.18.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.18.2026 11:39 |
| Story ID: | 565508 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 27 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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