DMU-COM Alumna Rear Admiral Promotion, Veteran's Day Celebrations, and More in Military Medicine News

DMUCOM Alumna Pamela Miller Promoted to Rear Admiral in Navy Reserves

Pamela Harvey Miller, DO, MHA, Director of Emergency Medicine for Fawcett Memorial Hospital in Port Charlotte, FL, this fall was promoted to rear admiral in the Navy Reserves. She is only the second rear admiral currently serving in Navy medicine. She was among 10 Navy reserve captains to come under consideration for promotion in March. In her new rank, she will be involved in determining the future configuration of Navy reserve medicine.

After receiving the news of her new position she said, “It’s going to be quite a transition. It’s a whole different world inside the flag ranks. You go from leading at the tactical level of execution of our medical mission to the next layer of leadership. You’ve gone from the operational to the more strategic level. It’s a real eye-opener. Everything that got you here won’t necessarily take you to the next level.”

Miller began her career in nursing. She then enlisted in 1989 as an ensign in the nurse corps. After joining the Navy, her commanding officer saw her potential and encouraged her to continue her medical studies. She matriculated into the Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DMUCOM) and graduated in 1999. She has been in the Navy for 30 years, holding various positions.

PNWU Students Give Back at 20th Annual Veterans Stand Down

On Saturday, October 19, Pacific Northwest University College of Osteopathic Medicine (PNWU-COM)’s Student Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons (SAMOPS) came together to connect with local veterans at the 20th Annual Veterans Stand Down and Benefits Fair, held at State Fair Park in Yakima, WA.

“Veteran health should never be overlooked or minimized, but rather, should be specifically considered,” explained Kat Lundeberg, second-year osteopathic medical student, U.S. Air Force Second Lieutenant, and president of PNWU’s SAMOPS club. “These individuals have been subject to various experiences and circumstances that last beyond their service time.”

The Veterans Stand Down provided community members with an opportunity to come together in recognition of the courageous sacrifices of our veterans. Over 80 organizations attended the event, providing information and services to our veterans and their families. Read more.

RVUCOM Hosts Military Appreciation Ceremonies

Photo: Lt. Gen Robb wearing the Order of Military Excellence and posing with veterans from the Southern Utah Veterans Home.

In honor of Veteran’s Day, Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine hosted Military Appreciation Ceremonies in Colorado and Southern Utah to celebrate the military servicepeople in the RVU community, including future military physicians and honored guests.

The ceremonies began with the Posting of the Colors, a traditional flag ceremony that was performed by each campus’ respective Color Guard. At the Southern Utah Veterans Home, Lieutenant General Douglas J. Robb, Air Force, (Ret.) gave the keynote address for RVUCOM-SU’s ceremony, and he was also honored with the Anthony J. LaPorta Order of Military Excellence for his service in the military and as an exceptional osteopathic physician. Keynote speaker Captain K. Dean Gubler, MC, (Ret.), and Major General Philip Volpe, MC, were also recognized with the Order of Military Excellence for their unique and significant contributions to military medicine at the Colorado campus.

Each ceremony also presented the Missing Man/POW Remembrance Ceremony, a tradition that honors and recognizes the service of those missing in action, taken prisoner, or deceased, and which was narrated by Anthony J. LaPorta, MD, FACS, Course Director of the Office of Military Affairs at RVU and a veteran of the U.S. Army.

Photo: RVUCOM-CO students posing after the RVU Veteran’s Day 5K Race.

In addition to the Military Appreciation Ceremony, students from the Colorado campus also participated in the RVU Veteran’s Day 5K Race, an annual tradition that supports the Veteran community and military medical students.

UNE COM Participates in Veterans Celebration

This year's Veterans Day Celebration took place in the Ripich Commons. The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM)'s a cappella group, the Sympathetic Tones, sang a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem to start things off.

Members of the UNE community, including osteopathic medical students Morgan O’Leary (pictured left), Kristofer Andren (pictured center), and Matt Kilroe (pictured right) were recognized for their service. The keynote speaker, John Romac (CRD RET), talked about the Travis Mills Foundation in Rome, ME that works to help Veteran families "recalibrate" to civilian life. Many UNE COM students have volunteered their time to support the foundation. This past Memorial Day, current second-year students volunteered for the Miles for Mills 5K to help raise money for the cause.

In recognition of our veterans and current service members, UNE highlighted three COM alumni: Shawn Laferriere, DO ’99, Joshua Tuck, DO '04, and Matthew Lutynski, DO '08 on their social media pages.

VCOM-Virginia Raises Donations for the Wounded Warrior Project

The Student Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons (SAMOPS) club at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Virginia Campus (VCOM-Virginia) has a partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project, where they allow the use of their logo on the SAMOPS club t-shirts. Half of the profits are donated to the Wounded Warrior Project. At the recent merchandising fair, the club was able to sell a considerable amount of t-shirts. The link shows the donation amount SAMOPS has raised and a short bio on their mission as a student organization. Learn more here.

WVSOM Honors Veterans with Celebratory Dinner

The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine’s (WVSOM) chapter of the Association of Military and Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (AMOPS) paid tribute to those who have served in the U.S. military during its annual Veterans Day dinner.

WVSOM AMOPS President Brendan Blackford said veterans of all service branches were welcome, along with their families. “The AMOPS club is honored to host this annual event,” he said. “There will be plenty of food and a warm atmosphere where we hope to give reverence for those who have made sacrifices for our nation, while also enjoying a nice evening with friends and family.”

WVSOM’s AMOPS chapter was established in recognition of the unique position that osteopathic physicians occupy within the U.S. armed forces.

ED to MED Guest Blog: From Serving My Country to Serving Patients: Why Congress Should Save Grad PLUS

This blog post was written by Josh Stanfield from the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine (PNWU-COM). It was published on December 7, 2018.

In 2004, after a frustrating high school experience, I joined the Army. My training as a medic introduced me to my two life-long loves: learning and medicine. I served on a medical response team for some of our nation’s few remaining chemical weapons, and another for the Army’s only nuclear reactor. I then deployed with 3 SBCT 2 ID out of Fort Lewis, Washington to Diyala province, Iraq, providing medical support for trilateral security operations and training local forces.

I then transitioned to the Washington National Guard to pursue my education. I decided that the only level of license that would allow me to participate in my patient’s care in a fulfilling way was a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine. The GI Bill was amazing in the assistance it provided during my undergraduate education, but I still graduated with a baccalaureate degree and a new car’s worth of debt, not including the costs incurred in the application and testing process required for admission into medical school. Read more.