WarDocs - The Military Medicine Podcast

Col (Ret) Todd E. Rasmussen, MD: Vascular Surgeon Leveraging Combat Deployment Experience to Improve Care on the Battlefield and Beyond

     Dr. Rasmussen is a retired Air Force Medical Corps officer and is currently a Professor of Surgery and Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Surgery at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Rochester, Minnesota.
    In this episode, you will hear about how Military Vascular Surgeons are trained and about their role in providing expert care on the battlefield.  Col Rasmussen had the opportunity to deploy multiple times across the globe and shares how Military Medicine prepares and provides care from the tip of the spear through the evacuation chain to medical centers in the United States.  Dr. Rasmussen explains how the work of he and his colleagues at the US Army Institute of Surgical Research and with the DoD Combat Casualty Care Research Program used data-driven research to improve how coalition forces care for wounded service members.  He also is an incredibly talented Vascular Surgeon, and he shares some insights and lessons he’s learned from memorable cases over his distinguished career.
   Dr. Rasmussen received his medical degree from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and trained in General Surgery at Wilford Hall Air Force Medical Center. He returned to the Mayo Clinic for fellowship training in vascular surgery. He has deployed multiple times to combat zones and has held numerous leadership positions in Military Medicine before retiring and returning to the Mayo Clinic as a Senior Associate Consultant in the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery.
        
Find out more and join Team WarDocs at www.wardocspodcast.com
Honoring the Legacy and Preserving the History of Military Medicine
The WarDocs Mission is to improve military and civilian healthcare and foster patriotism by honoring the legacy, preserving the oral history, and showcasing career opportunities, experiences, and achievements of military medicine.
Listen to the “What We Are For” Episode 47. https://bit.ly/3r87Afm
WarDocs- The Military Medicine Podcast is a Non-Profit, Tax-exempt-501(c)(3) Veteran Run Organization run by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of donations go to honoring and preserving the history, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in military medicine. A tax receipt will be sent to you.
WARDOCS documents the experiences, contributions, and innovations of all military medicine Services, ranks, and Corps who are affectionately called "Docs" as a sign of respect, trust, and confidence on and off the battlefield, demonstrating dedication to the medical care of fellow comrades in arms.
 
        Follow Us on Social Media
Twitter: @wardocspodcast
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LinkedIn: WarDocs-The Military Medicine Podcast

SSG(R) Adam Bardwell: Special Operations Medical Sergeant: Maintaining a Readiness Mindset

   Adam currently serves as the Security Operations Supervisor at Global Rescue
   In this episode, you will hear about the assessment and selection process for Special Forces medics and about the training that these medics receive and how this is put to the test in real-world situations such as deployments to the CENTCOM AOR as well as Africa.  Adam talks about preparing for prolonged field care scenarios and other interesting training opportunities for Special Forces Medics.  He points out many lessons learned from his experiences providing point of care treatment for combat casualties and how important it is to be able to maintain laser focus on the mission and have a shared mental model with the entire team. He also describes some challenges associated with transitioning from working with elite teams in the military to the civilian sector.
  Adam served as a Special Forces Senior Medical Sergeant with the 3rd Special Forces Group Airbourne at Fort Bragg. In this role he was involved in maritime operations, unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense and special reconnaissance missions in support of CENTCOM and AFRICOM.   He has a passion for readiness and resilience training and has worked tirelessly to assist units with prioritizing medical cross-training and making it “fun”. 
                     
    Find out more and join Team WarDocs at www.wardocspodcast.com
Honoring the Legacy and Preserving the History of Military Medicine
The WarDocs Mission is to improve military and civilian healthcare and foster patriotism by honoring the legacy, preserving the oral history, and showcasing career opportunities, experiences, and achievements of military medicine.
Listen to the “What We Are For” Episode 47. https://bit.ly/3r87Afm
WarDocs- The Military Medicine Podcast is a Non-Profit, Tax-exempt-501(c)(3) Veteran Run Organization run by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of donations go to honoring and preserving the history, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in military medicine. A tax receipt will be sent to you.
WARDOCS documents the experiences, contributions, and innovations of all military medicine Services, ranks, and Corps who are affectionately called "Docs" as a sign of respect, trust, and confidence on and off the battlefield, demonstrating dedication to the medical care of fellow comrades in arms.
 
  Follow Us on Social Media
Twitter: @wardocspodcast
Facebook: WarDocs Podcast
Instagram: @wardocspodcast
LinkedIn: WarDocs-The Military Medicine Podcast

LTG(R) James Peake, MD- US Army Surgeon General on 9/11: From Infantry Platoon Leader in Vietnam to Strategic Leadership in Military Medicine and at the Dept. of Veterans Affairs.

   Dr. Peake served as the 40th Army Surgeon General and as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
   In this episode, you will hear about General Peake's early career deployed as an Infantry Platoon Leader in Vietnam, where he was injured in combat and was medically evacuated to a theater hospital. He describes his pathway in Military Medicine, beginning as a general surgeon and completing further training as a Cardiothoracic Surgeon.  He discusses his leadership pathway from commanding medical assets in Korea to Ft. Bragg to Madigan Army Medical Center.  He then helped shape the training of military medical providers as the Commanding General of the AMEDD Center and School (now U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence) and ultimately the Surgeon General on 9/11. You will hear some insightful lessons learned during the response to 9/11 and leading Army medicine into the initial entries into Iraq and Afghanistan.  Following Military retirement, Dr. Peake was appointed as the Secretary of the VA in the George W. Bush administration.  He speaks about some of the challenges and successes during his tenure at the VA and describes how the Department of Defense collaborates and coordinates with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  Dr. Peake is a United States Military Academy Graduate and received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College.  He is Board Certified in General Surgery and Thoracic Surgery and has deployed to combat zones as an infantry officer and as a medical corps officer. He is currently the Senior Vice President of CGI Federal.
      General Peake has had an enormous impact on how the military prepares for and provides excellent care on the battlefield and at home. He talks about his insights and lessons learned both in Military Medicine and at the helm of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
              
Find out more and join Team WarDocs at www.wardocspodcast.com
Honoring the Legacy and Preserving the History of Military Medicine
The WarDocs Mission is to improve military and civilian healthcare and foster patriotism by honoring the legacy, preserving the oral history, and showcasing career opportunities, experiences, and achievements of military medicine.
Listen to the “What We Are For” Episode 47. https://bit.ly/3r87Afm
WarDocs- The Military Medicine Podcast is a Non-Profit, Tax-exempt-501(c)(3) Veteran Run Organization run by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of donations go to honoring and preserving the history, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in military medicine. A tax receipt will be sent to you.
 
WARDOCS documents the experiences, contributions, and innovations of all military medicine Services, ranks, and Corps who are affectionately called "Docs" as a sign of respect, trust, and confidence on and off the battlefield, demonstrating dedication to the medical care of fellow comrades in arms.
 
        Follow Us on Social Media
Twitter: @wardocspodcast
Facebook: WarDocs Podcast
Instagram: @wardocspodcast
LinkedIn: WarDocs-The Military Medicine Podcast

CAPT(R) Eric Elster MD: USUHS Dean and Experienced Navy Transplant Surgeon Optimizing Combat Casualty Care Knowledge and Skills and Preparing the Next Generation of Medical Professionals.

    Dr. Eric Elster is the Dean of the School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD.
   In this episode, you will hear about Dr. Elster’s Journey to becoming a combat-tested General Surgeon who later specialized by completing a transplant surgery fellowship.  Dr. Elster has deployed multiple times to combat zones and he shares some stories from his experiences caring for severely injured service members and other patients often in austere locations or at Sea, far from comprehensive medical support assets.  He describes some important lessons he’s learned that are extremely valuable to the next generation of healthcare professionals. 
    CAPT(R) Elster covers the importance of translational research in answering important questions about diagnostic and therapies for traumatic injuries and describes his innovative approach to how Military Medicine can quantify and measure battlefield readiness and how to improve it.  Dr. Elster also talks about the critical role USUHS plays as America’s Medical School and some of the exciting initiatives and opportunities he is developing as Dean.
   CAPT(R)  Eric Elster, MD received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of South Florida in Tampa as a recipient of the U.S. Navy’s Health Professional Scholarship Program. Upon graduation, he completed a general surgery residency at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. Dr. Elster served as ship’s surgeon aboard the USS Kitty Hawk during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon returning from the Persian Gulf, he completed a solid organ transplantation fellowship at the National Institutes of Health; and then directed a translational research program at the Naval Medical Research Center in Silver Spring, MD, with a focus on developing improved diagnostics and therapies for serious traumatic injuries, transplantation, and advanced operative imaging. 
    Before his retirement from active service, Dr. Elster was last deployed as a surgeon and Director of Surgical Services at the NATO Role 3 Military Medical Unit in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons; and a member of the Society of University Surgeons, the Excelsior Surgical Society, and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. Dr. Elster has published over 150 scientific manuscripts in leading journals including JAMA, Annals of Surgery, American Journal of Transplantation, and Science Translational Medicine, and has received numerous research grants spanning all aspects of surgery.
                             
  Find out more and join Team WarDocs at www.wardocspodcast.com
Honoring Military Medicine’s Past to Improve Healthcare’s Future
The WarDocs Mission is to improve military and civilian healthcare and foster patriotism by honoring the legacy, preserving the oral history, and showcasing career opportunities, experiences, and achievements of military medicine.
Listen to the “What We Are For” Episode 47. https://bit.ly/3r87Afm
WarDocs- The Military Medicine Podcast is a Non-Profit, Tax-exempt-501(c)(3) Veteran Run Organization run by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of donations go to honoring and preserving the history, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in military medicine. A tax receipt will be sent to you.
WARDOCS documents the experiences, contributions, and innovations of all military medicine Services, ranks, and Corps who are affectionately called "Docs" as a sign of respect, trust, and confidence on and off the battlefield, demonstrating dedication to the medical care of fellow comrades in arms.
 
        Follow Us on Social Media
Twitter: @wardocspodcast
Facebook: WarDocs Podcast
Instagram: @wardocspodcast
LinkedIn: WarDocs-The Military Medicine Podcast

COL(R) Douglas W. Soderdahl, MD- Military Urologist and Combat Surgery Multiplier

COL(R) Soderdahl is a retired Army Urologist with 30+ years on Active Duty and multiple deployments/missions across the globe.  He also is the Executive Director of WarDocs.
 
   In this episode, we interview COL(R) Dr. Doug Soderdahl.  You will hear how military urologists support warfighters in deployed environments and at home.  Find out how a wannabee Army Helicopter Pilot found his way to Army Medicine and stayed for a 30+ year career.   He describes stories from multiple deployments, including an isolated GSW to the prostate, MASCAL triage challenges as well as a self-inflicted “Beretta Bite”.   His expertise as a Urologist paid dividends downrange, and his surgical experience allowed him to perform procedures and interventions for combat casualties that were well outside his normal stateside scope of practice  Dr. Soderdahl shares some unique experiences, from Australian rappelling in Korea to humanitarian missions in Central America and Africa.  Find out how a Social Media Dinosaur with one Facebook friend created an online resource for ~2000 Army physicians.
 
Dr. Soderdahl attended Wheaton College and then graduated from Northwestern University Medical School. He completed urology training at Madigan AMC and an Endourology Fellowship at EVMS.  He has deployed twice to the CENTCOM AOR. He has held various titles in his career, including Commander, Program Director, Surgeon in Chief, and Army Urology Consultant to the Army Surgeon General.  COL(R) Soderdahl has had unique and interesting experiences during his distinguished Army Medicine career and beyond, and he shares important lessons learned and recommendations through engaging stories and personal reflection.
                 
  Find out more and join Team WarDocs at www.wardocspodcast.com
 
Honoring Military Medicine’s Past to Improve Healthcare’s Future
The WarDocs Mission is to improve military and civilian healthcare and foster patriotism by honoring the legacy, preserving the oral history, and showcasing career opportunities, experiences, and achievements of military medicine.
Listen to the “What We Are For” Episode 47. https://bit.ly/3r87Afm
WarDocs- The Military Medicine Podcast is a Non-Profit, Tax-exempt-501(c)(3) Veteran Run Organization run by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of donations go to honoring and preserving the history, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in military medicine. A tax receipt will be sent to you.
WARDOCS documents the experiences, contributions, and innovations of all military medicine Services, ranks, and Corps who are affectionately called "Docs" as a sign of respect, trust, and confidence on and off the battlefield, demonstrating dedication to the medical care of fellow comrades in arms.
        Follow Us on Social Media.
Twitter: @wardocspodcast
Facebook: WarDocs Podcast
Instagram: @wardocspodcast
LinkedIn: WarDocs-The Military Medicine Podcast

Lieutenant General (Ret). Mark A. Ediger, MD- Keys to Successful Mentorship- Defining Mentorship Relationships and Helping them Develop and Flourish.

   Lt. Gen. (Ret) Ediger served as the 22nd Surgeon General of the Air Force.
   On this episode of our Military Medical Mentorship Moments Series, Dr. Ediger focuses on how to develop and cultivate mentorship relationships.  You will hear him provide insightful answers to the following questions:
What are the different types of Mentorship Relationships?
Can one convert between one type and another? How does that happen?
What is the primary goal/purpose of a Mentorship relationship?
What are some key Mentor/Mentee activities?
What makes mentoring relationships successful?
How do mentorship relationships fail?
Personal Reflections on Mentorship
Who was your most influential mentor? Why
What was the best advice you got from a mentor?
What do you know now that you wish you would have learned much earlier?
What characterizes a “good” or “not so good” mentorship relationship from your experience? Provide examples
What is some practical advice for someone interested in mentoring or being mentored? What are the next steps to take?
     Lt. Gen.(Ret) Ediger shares many insights and mentorship lessons learned over a distinguished career. You don't want to miss this special episode!
     Dr. Ediger received his MD degree at the University of Missouri and holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Texas School of Public Health in San Antonio. Dr. Ediger trained in Family Medicine at Wake Forest University and subsequently completed an Aerospace Medicine Residency at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks AFB, TX. He served as a Flight Surgeon for the 94th Fighter Squadron and was the Command Surgeon for several units, including the Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field in Florida, HQ U.S. Air Forces Europe and HQ Air Education and Training Command. Lt. Gen. Ediger deployed to Southwest Asia as the Commander of the 363rd Expeditionary Medical Group and later served as the Commander of the Air Force Medical Operations Agency.  
Find out more and join Team WarDocs at www.wardocspodcast.com
 
         
Honoring Military Medicine’s Past to Improve Healthcare’s Future
The WarDocs Mission is to improve military and civilian healthcare and foster patriotism by honoring the legacy, preserving the oral history, and showcasing career opportunities, experiences, and achievements of military medicine.
 
Listen to the “What We Are For” Episode 47. https://bit.ly/3r87Afm
 
WarDocs- The Military Medicine Podcast is a Non-Profit, Tax-exempt-501(c)(3) Veteran Run Organization run by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of donations go to honoring and preserving the history, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in military medicine. A tax receipt will be sent to you.
 
WARDOCS documents the experiences, contributions, and innovations of all military medicine Services, ranks, and Corps who are affectionately called "Docs" as a sign of respect, trust, and confidence on and off the battlefield, demonstrating dedication to the medical care of fellow comrades in arms.
 
        Follow Us on Social Media
Twitter: @wardocspodcast
Facebook: WarDocs Podcast
Instagram: @wardocspodcast
LinkedIn: WarDocs-The Military Medicine Podcast

CMC(Ret) Tyrone Willis: Shipboard Medicine Insights and Positively Impacting Military Careers and Organizations

Willis is a retired Command Master Chief after completing 32 years of service in Navy Medicine.  In this episode, CMC Willis discusses his pathway to becoming a Navy Corpsman and the unique aspects of delivering shipboard medical and marine medical Care.  He deployed to both Desert Storm/Desert Shield and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He discusses the role of the Corpsman in combat and the preparations for combat care. He also gives excellent insight into Senior Enlisted Leadership and the challenges and his tips on handling difficult leaders and positively shaping subordinates who may not fully understand the mission. He discusses why he volunteered to join the board of WarDocs and how he hopes this organization will help positively impact military medicine, capture history, and increase public awareness.
  CMC(Ret) Willis has held several senior enlisted positions at all levels, retiring as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and Defense Health Agency, Capital Region Directorate. He has deployed several times around the world to include Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom with Marines and sailors.  He received his BS and MBA from Grantham University. He is currently employed at the Uniformed Service University of Health Sciences as a Recruitment Specialist for Diversity. He has had unique and interesting experiences during his distinguished Navy Medicine career and beyond. He shares important lessons learned and recommendations through engaging stories and personal reflection.
  Find out more and join Team WarDocs at www.wardocspodcast.com
             
Honoring Military Medicine’s Past to Improve Healthcare’s Future
The WarDocs Mission is to improve military and civilian healthcare and foster patriotism by honoring the legacy, preserving the oral history, and showcasing career opportunities, experiences, and achievements of military medicine.
Listen to the “What We Are For” Episode 47. https://bit.ly/3r87Afm
WarDocs- The Military Medicine Podcast is a Non-Profit, Tax-exempt-501(c)(3) Veteran Run Organization run by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of donations go to honoring and preserving the history, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in military medicine. A tax receipt will be sent to you.
WARDOCS documents the experiences, contributions, and innovations of all military medicine Services, ranks, and Corps who are affectionately called "Docs" as a sign of respect, trust, and confidence on and off the battlefield,demonstrating dedication to the medical care of fellow comrades in arms.
        Follow Us on Social Media
Twitter: @wardocspodcast
Facebook: WarDocs Podcast
Instagram: @wardocspodcast
LinkedIn: WarDocs-The Military Medicine Podcast

MG(R) Joseph Caravalho Jr., M.D. Operational Expertise Enhances Strategic Medical Leadership in the Joint Force Environment

   Dr. Caravalho received his undergraduate degree in mathematics from Gonzaga University and his medical degree from the Uniformed Service University of the Health Sciences. He completed an internal medicine residency and nuclear medicine and cardiology fellowships.
   Dr. Caravalho served in several clinical roles and operationally as a medical officer in the 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group; Joint Special Operations Command; 75th Ranger Regiment; U.S. Army Special Operations Command; and XVIII Airborne Corps. He also commanded the 28th Combat Support Hospital. He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and served as the senior medical officer for both Multi-National Force-Iraq and Multi-National Corps-Iraq. He also has been the Commander of Brooke Army Medical Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, both the Army's Northern and Southern Regional Commands, and the Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (MRMC).
    MG(R) Caravalho's culminating assignments on Active Duty were as Army Deputy Surgeon General and then as Joint Staff Surgeon, where he served as the chief medical advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  He currently serves as President and CEO of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (HJF).
    In this episode, Dr. Caravalho talks about his extensive experience in operational medicine in the Special Forces and in the 75th Ranger Regiment and how that prepared him to serve at the highest strategic levels in Military Medicine.  He reflects on his many commands and the lessons he's learned during his distinguished career.  He describes the importance of research within Military Medicine and the incredible accomplishments of the MRMC.  Dr. Caravalho provides a unique perspective of how Military Medicine needs to be able to function at the highest levels in a Joint Force environment where individual Services can’t afford to operate within silos. 
   Dr. Caravalho also describes the mission and purpose of HJF and how the organization has been able to support Military Medicine in performance improvement, research, and innovation in ways that supplement the efforts of the Services. MG(R) Caravalho has had unique and interesting experiences during his distinguished Army Medicine career and beyond, and he shares important lessons learned and recommendations through engaging stories and personal reflection.
  Find out more and join Team WarDocs at www.wardocspodcast.com
                   
Honoring Military Medicine’s Past to Improve Healthcare’s Future
 
The WarDocs Mission is to improve military and civilian healthcare and foster patriotism by honoring the legacy, preserving the oral history, and showcasing career opportunities, experiences, and achievements of military medicine.
 
Listen to the “What We Are For” Episode 47. https://bit.ly/3r87Afm
 
WarDocs- The Military Medicine Podcast is a Non-Profit, Tax-exempt-501(c)(3) Veteran Run Organization run by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of donations go to honoring and preserving the history, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in military medicine. A tax receipt will be sent to you.
 
WARDOCS documents the experiences, contributions, and innovations of all military medicine Services, ranks, and Corps who are affectionately called "Docs" as a sign of respect, trust, and confidence on and off the battlefield, demonstrating dedication to the medical care of fellow comrades in arms.
        Follow Us on Social Media.
Twitter: @wardocspodcast
Facebook: WarDocs Podcast
Instagram: @wardocspodcast
LinkedIn: WarDocs-The Military Medicine Podcast