By Rodney Jackson, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center Public Affairs
FORT CAVAZOS, Texas – The Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center Graduate Medical Education Programs, emergency medicine, family medicine, psychiatry residencies, and emergency ultrasound, and family medicine obstetrics fellowship, “matched” 24 doctors who will start their training at the hospital later this year in.
The “GME match” is the annual Joint Graduate Medical Education Selection Board that happens every December, and it selects Medical Corps officers (physicians) to train in residency and fellowship programs across the DoD.
“The incoming intern class in summer 2024 is full of exceptionally talented and diverse soon-to-be physicians who will be great additions to our program as they will challenge us to up our teaching game,” said Lt. Col. Chris Mitchell, director, emergency medicine residency program, CRDAMC. “In the next academic year, we will be fully implementing a competency-based curriculum in reading EKGs and performing procedures such as central lines, chest tube thoracostomies, intubations, and ultrasound exams.”
“Those who match into our fellowship programs are either senior residents graduating residency in 2024 or active-duty board-certified physicians currently serving or seeking additional training in their field,” said Col. Drew Baird, director, medical education, CRDAMC.
Officers who match into residency programs are mostly those graduating medical school in 2024, with some General Medical Officers currently serving in FORSCOM units also being selected.
CRDAMC had a successful 2023 GME match with each program filling its yearly complement. It had ten in emergency medicine, six for family medicine, and seven (two Air Force) in the psychiatry residencies and two for family medicine, OB-GYN and one in the emergency medicine, ultrasound fellowships.
“I chose CRDAMC because I was impressed with the faculty and pedagogy in the emergency medicine ultrasound fellowship,” said Cpt. Maya Alexandri. “Doctors Dan Brillhart and Vanessa Sieg impressed me with their leadership, focus on the practical application of ultrasound in operational environments, and good-hearted collegiality.”
Alexandri is currently finishing an emergency medicine residency at MCG-Augusta at the Augusta University Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia, and added that she is looking forward to improving her technical ultrasound image acquisition and interpretation skills at CRDAMC.
Another match, 2nd Lt. Lt. Abbey Burke chose to train in emergency medicine at CRDAMC, because of the unparalleled sense of community among its residents and faculty.
“On my audition rotation, I immediately felt at home and knew I wanted to complete my residency training at CRDAMC,” said Burke. “I am most looking forward to working with my amazing co-residents and building foundational knowledge in emergency medicine.”
CRDAMC emergency medicine has an incredible staff, and I am very excited to learn from their unique backgrounds and experiences, she added.
CRDAMC also had six physicians selected to join other facilities for fellowship training during the selection board. Maj. Sammy Taha will attend a civilian sponsored fellowship in Toxicology, Maj. Vanessa Rivera matched to the Leadership and Faculty Development Fellowship at Madigan Army Medical Center, Capt. Paige Williams will remain at CRDAMC to attend the Family Medicine Obstetrics Fellowship, Maj. Roberto Candelaria-Santiago will attend a civilian sponsored fellowship in Forensic Pathology, Maj. Aaron Burch matched to Sleep Medicine Fellowship at San Antonio Military Medical Center, and Capt. Reggie Taylor matched to the Sports Medicine Fellowship at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
-30-
