FORT BLISS, Texas — Thirty-nine interns and residents graduated from the William Beaumont Army Medical Center Graduate Medical Education program during a ceremony June 12 at the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss Museum to transition into specialized military medical roles.
The annual event celebrated the achievements of military medical officers who completed rigorous training in fields such as orthopaedic surgery, general surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and internal medicine. These graduates are now prepared to serve as expert clinicians within the operational force of the U.S. Army.
Retired U.S. Army Col. Stephen Hetz, who served as the WBAMC General Surgery Residency Program Director from 1993 to 2014, was the guest speaker and shared words of wisdom. "The truth is it's a lifelong learning experience being a physician," Hetz said. "And I really want them to know that they're learning, really, or their education is only just begun."
Among the graduates, Capt. Lindsey Davis expressed immense pride in completing her three-year internal medicine residency. "It was nice to see all of our current staff and supporters, but also previous staff that were part of this journey," Davis said. She will next head to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to complete a three-year pulmonary critical care fellowship.
Another internal medicine graduate, Capt. Luis Alberto Contreras Zarate, celebrated finishing an 11-year journey of higher education. He will transfer to Alaska to care for Soldiers and their families there. Contreras Zarate thanked the active-duty Soldiers, retirees, and families of Fort Bliss, for trusting the WBAMC internal medicine team with their healthcare.
The graduation ceremony highlighted the culmination of years of academic and clinical preparation required to support the healthcare needs of Soldiers and their families. The Defense Health Agency Graduate Medical Education program serves as the premier platform for producing these specialized medical officers. Globally, the DHA GME platform trains more than 3,000 U.S. military officers annually across 25 teaching hospitals hosting 216 training programs.
The DHA GME platform features 200 programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. While the remaining 16 programs are not formally recognized by the ACGME, they are recognized by their associated specialty boards as qualified training programs. This comprehensive network ensures military physicians are equipped for the unique demands of the operational force.
Hetz, who retired from WBAMC in 2006, continues to maintain a strong connection with the El Paso medical community. He and his wife regularly return to the hospital to serve as Red Cross volunteers.