JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas –
Maj. Kurt Fossum of Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston was recognized with the 2016 Lt. Gen. Frank Ledford, Jr. Physician Assistant Post-Graduate Research Award at a March 3 ceremony presented by the U.S. Army Medical Specialist Corps at Blesse Auditorium.
Fossum is the seventh recipient of this award, given to the most outstanding active duty physician assistant, or PA, post-graduate student who has completed a doctorate of science degree in either emergency medicine, orthopedics, general surgery; or to those completing a PhD program.
Ledford presented the award to Fossum at the ceremony. The retired general served as the 37th Surgeon General of the U.S. Army from 1988 to 1992. Among his numerous accomplishments as a Soldier, Ledford played a vital role in establishing the Army PA program.
In 1996, the military services combined their various PA programs to form the Interservice Physician Assistant Program, or IPAP, located at the Army Medical Department Center and School at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston.
The IPAP mission is to provide the uniformed services with highly competent, compassionate PA who model integrity, strive for leadership excellence and are committed to lifelong learning.
IPAP graduates are commissioned into the officer corps of their respective service and take their place beside other military health care professionals in providing medical services to active duty military personnel, their dependents, and retirees.
To learn more about the IPAP program, visit the AMEDDC&S website at http://www.cs.amedd.army.mil/ipap/.