SAN ANTONIO, Texas –
The San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium celebrated military medical professionals during a graduation ceremony June 6 at the Scottish Rite Auditorium in downtown San Antonio.
The ceremony honored 250 residents and fellows from 58 diverse physician and allied health specialty programs. SAUSHEC is the organization responsible for military graduate medical education and graduate allied health education in San Antonio with two major training sites at Brooke Army Medical Center and the 59th Medical Wing.
"It’s been a long road,” said Dr. Mark True, SAUSHEC dean. “If you count all the way back through all of the school, even back to kindergarten, your training years total up to 24 to 28 years.”
True reminded the graduates that they are ready for independent practice.
“You are now the authority for the care you provide to your patients and with this authority comes great responsibility,” True said. “We know you will rise excellently to this occasion.”
The dean also praised the instructors for their efforts. “I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge that our graduates would not be able to walk across this stage without the tireless efforts of our program directors and our faculty, and also our program coordinators.”
True told the graduates that their instructors would continue to guide and support them as they move forward in their careers.
“I want you to know that these program directors and faculty are not going away to be a remnant of your past,” True said. “They all remain committed to you as you move forward in your careers. Dial a mentor is a real thing, and I encourage you to stay connected.”
Air Force Capt. Jareatha Abdul Raheem said she chose a career in military medicine because of her family’s strong ties to the military.
“My mom, uncles and grandfather all served,” she said. “Growing up in a military family gave me deep insight into the unique challenges and needs military families face, especially military children. I felt drawn to medicine as a way to directly address these unique healthcare needs and give back to the community that shaped me.”
Abdul Raheem chose pediatrics because it allows her to support families at “foundational moments” and partner with them in promoting lifelong health.
“From a young age, I understood how powerful it can be when a physician earns a family's trust — my own family, initially skeptical of healthcare, was transformed by the kindness and clarity of a pediatrician who took the time to listen and explain,” she said. “That moment stayed with me and ultimately shaped my desire to be the kind of physician who meets families where they are.”
“Military pediatrics deepens this calling,” Abdul Raheem said. “I am drawn to the opportunity to care for children navigating not only developmental milestones but also the challenges of frequent relocations, disrupted continuity, and fragmented care across states and countries. The ability to build trust, foster resilience, and extend care globally is why I chose this field and why I find it endlessly meaningful.”
“My residency at SAUSHEC has been incredibly rewarding and transformative,” she added. “I am deeply grateful for the friendships, mentorship, grit, and professional growth I've experienced here, and look forward to continuing my journey to improve healthcare for military families.”
The keynote speaker at the graduation was retired Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Robert Miller, the associate vice president and director of the Military Health Institute, University of Texas Health San Antonio. Miller was the Surgeon General for the Air Force and Space Force prior to retiring after serving 39 years in the military.
“It truly is my honor to be here today,” Miller said as he congratulated the graduates and welcomed their families. “Enjoy every moment and know how important you are to the Military Health System,” he said.
The former surgeon general shared three key lessons that he said were very important to him.
“Number one, enjoy every step of this amazing journey,” Miller said. “Every day is a good day, just some days are better than others. I really think that’s true.”
Miller also encouraged the graduates to learn about their service culture and what makes the military special.
The second thing was to be a “continuous learner.”
“That’s the beauty of the Military Health System, you have options,” Miller said. “Some of you may stay clinical and we need you to do that, some of you may go leadership, some of you may want to do research and development, education and training; it doesn't matter, but you have those opportunities, and you can go back and forth. So, the bottom-line is don't close any doors, burn any bridges, keep all opportunities open.”
Miller said the third lesson was the most important of all – “family comes first.”
“I believe that with all my heart, because we ask a lot of each of you to live by the core values, and that's 24-7, and it's not just when you're at work, and it's not just when you're in uniform,” he said. “Behind all of that is family. That is the family that you work with, but even more importantly, it's the family at home.”
“Know that I'm very proud of each of you,” Miller concluded. “I wish you all the very best, and once again, I cannot stress enough how important you are to our country, the future of the DOD, the future of the Military Health System. What you do matters.”
Along with the graduation certificates, several awards were presented during the ceremony.
Commanders Research Awards:
Allied Health Research
Army Maj. Alexander W. Kenney, Surgery and Critical Care physician assistant, “Determining Transfusion Threshold for Mortality Benefit in Patients Receiving Whole Blood after Trauma”
Resident Animal Basic Science Research
Army Maj. Franklin A. Valdera, General Surgery, “Wound Healing and Antimicrobial Properties of Synthetic Platelets with Gentamicin in Porcine Burns”
Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS) Research
- 1st Place: Air Force Maj. Amanda V. Radtke, Sleep Medicine, “Enhancing Identification and Diagnosis of Nightmare Disorder in Active-Duty Patients at a Sleep Disorders Center”
- 2nd Place: Air Force Maj. James R. Kang, Sleep Medicine, “Enhancing Primary Care Detection and Referral of Nightmare Disorder: A Quality Improvement Initiative”
- 3rd Place: Air Force Maj. Aaron P. Burch, Sleep Medicine, “Improving Detection of Bedtime Procrastination in the Military Population: A Quality Improvement Project”
Resident Medical Research:
- 1st Place: Air Force Capt. Elena M. Crouch, Internal Medicine, “Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Physical Fitness in Air Force Basic Trainees”
- 2nd Place: Army Capt. Madison T. Crum, Obstetrics/Gynecology, “Advanced Cervical Neoplasia Rates in Young Service Members; Implications of Primary HPV Screening for Military Readiness”
Resident Surgical Research:
- 1st Place: Air Force Maj. Elizabeth L. Barbera, General Surgery, “Randomized Placebo-Controlled Phase 2B Trial of the TLPO versus TLPLDC Vaccines to Prevent Recurrence of Resected Stage III/IV Melanoma: A 36-Month Analysis”
- 2nd Place: Army Maj. Christina S. Lee, General Surgery, “Vascular Reconstruction and Limb Loss in Military Tibial Artery Injuries”
- 3rd Place: Air Force Capt. Mikalyn T. DeFoor, Orthopedic Surgery, “Novel 3D MRI-Based Volumetric Assessment of Rotator Cuff Musculature Demonstrates Stronger Correlation with Preoperative Functional Status When Compared to the Goutallier Grading Scheme”
Fellow Clinical Research:
- 1st Place: Army Maj. William J. Moore III, Pulmonary/Critical Care, “Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Cytology of Deployed Military Personnel with Chronic Respiratory Symptoms”
- 2nd Place: Air Force Maj. Matthew A. Tunzi, Cardiology, “Catheter Ablation for Typical Atrial Flutter in Tactical Athletes”
- 3rd Place: Air Force Capt. Emma N. Prichard, Neonatology, “A Qualitative Study on How Neonatologists Discuss Resuscitation Decisions with Parents”
HouseStaff Hall of Fame Awards: The HouseStaff Hall of Fame Award began in 2015 to recognize the outstanding fellow and resident who have exceeded their peers in the area of scholarly activity, particularly publication of manuscripts and presentation of research at scientific meetings throughout their training.
- Quality Improvement Patient Safety: Army Capt. Caitlin C. Bettger, Infectious Disease
- Resident: Air Force Capt. Mikalyn T. DeFoor, Orthopaedic Surgery
- Fellow: Army Maj. William J. Moore III, Pulmonary Critical Care
Outstanding Merit Awards:
Maj. Gillespie Award: Presented to the SAUSHEC intern who best exemplifies excellence in medical knowledge, clinical judgement and professionalism.
Air Force Capt. Eleanor P. Iodice, Transitional Year
Maj. David Berry Award: This award is presented to the graduating SAUSHEC resident who best exemplifies the spirit and character of Maj Dave Berry, which include superb professional competence; outstanding collegial relations as a teacher, mentor and consultant and an exemplary ability to balance personal and professional life.
Air Force Capt. Mikalyn T. DeFoor, Orthopaedic Surgery
Col. Donald Null Award: This award is presented to a graduating SAUSHEC fellow. Null is a retired Air Force Neonatologist, whose team at Wilford Hall in the 1980s and 90s developed many of the therapies which are routinely used to care for critically ill newborns today.
Air Force Maj. Vishaka R. Hatcher, Allergy/Immunology
Col. Woodson Scott Jones Award: The Outstanding Junior Graduate Allied Health Trainee.
Army Lt. Lindsay E. Jensen, Surgery & Critical Care Physician Assistant Residency
Col. John L. Chitwood Award: The Outstanding Senior Graduate Allied Health Trainee Award.
Air Force Maj. Caley M. Kropp, Military Readiness Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship
Ylda Benavides Award: Outstanding Program Coordinator Award.
Sharrian M. Riley-Agostino, Transitional Year Program Coordinator
Col. Gail M. Deyle Award: Graduate Allied Health Education program director of the year.
Army Maj. Natalia H. Cardona, Army Clinical Psychology Residency
Col. John D. Roscelli Award: This award recognizes the outstanding SAUSHEC program director.
Air Force Col. Brian Neubauer, Internal Medicine