Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

An aerial view of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences campus in Bethesda, Maryland.
Motto Learning to Care For Those In Harm's Way[1]
Type Federal medical school
Established 1972 (1972)
Affiliation  United States Army
 United States Navy
 United States Air Force
U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps}
President Richard W. Thomas
Academic staff
 1,087 (775 civilians; 312 military)
More than 4,000 off-campus
Undergraduates "None"
Postgraduates About 1,200
Location Bethesda, Maryland, United States
39°00′04″N 77°05′09″W / 39.0012°N 77.0859°W / 39.0012; -77.0859Coordinates: 39°00′04″N 77°05′09″W / 39.0012°N 77.0859°W / 39.0012; -77.0859
Campus Suburban
Colors Purple, gold and white
Mascot Bald Eagle
Website usuhs.edu

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) is a health science university run by the U.S. federal government. The primary mission of the school is to prepare graduates for service to the U.S. at home and abroad in the medical corps.

The university consists of the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, a medical school, which includes a full health sciences graduate education program, the Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing, and a postgraduate dental college. The university's campus is located in Bethesda, Maryland. USUHS was established in 1972 under legislation sponsored by U.S. Representative Felix Edward Hébert of Louisiana. It graduated its first class in 1980.

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences falls under the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.[2]

Programs

The university is a federal service postgraduate academy, similar to the federal military undergraduate academies such as the United States Military Academy, Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy Students are members of the uniformed services of the United States and receive a free education in exchange for a service commitment after graduation.

All medical students enter the university as commissioned officers via direct commissions in the pay grade of O-1 or rank of second lieutenant in the U.S. Army or U.S. Air Force, or ensign in the U.S. Navy or the U.S. Public Health Service. No prior military service is required for admission to USUHS's medical school. Students who already hold military commissions at higher rank in the Army, Air Force and Navy are required to accept temporary administrative demotion to O-1 for medical school; officers of the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps must resign their existing commissions and accept commissions in as O-1s in one of the other three authorized services.

Prior military service students in the Graduate School of Nursing or Graduate Education programs may keep their officer rank, or will be commissioned as O-1 if previously enlisted.

Students pay no tuition or fees and receive the full salary and benefits of a uniformed military officer throughout their time at the university. In return, all military students incur an active duty commitment proportionate to their time at USUHS. Medical students have a minimum of a seven-year active duty service commitment and a six-year inactive ready reserve commitment following their internship and residency after graduation.

Students in the graduate programs are a mix of both civilians and uniformed officers of various ranks. They also pay no tuition or fees. Civilian students may receive stipends and uniformed graduate students continue to receive their active duty pay and benefits while attending school at USUHS. The Graduate School of Nursing students are all active duty uniformed military nurses or nurses in federal civilian service. Neither pay tuition or fees at USUHS and both uniformed graduate students and nursing students maintain their rank and continue to receive their regular salaries while students at the university.

The postgraduate dental college offers a Master of Science in Oral Biology degree to students enrolled in selected graduate dental education programs of the Air Force and Navy. USUHS is one of many federal service graduate-level professional schools such as the Naval Postgraduate School, which has several Master of Science and Ph.D. programs.

School of Medicine

The medical college is named after Louisiana Congressman F. Edward Hebert, one of the longest serving members in the U.S. House of Representatives (1941-1977). Hebert was instrumental in the founding of USUHS in 1972.

With an average enrollment of approximately 170 students per class, the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine is located in Bethesda, Maryland on the campus of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (formerly the National Naval Medical Center Bethesda) and is located along Maryland Route 355, across from the National Institutes of Health. The school is named in honor of former U.S. Representative Felix Edward Hébert.

Typically, the first year class is composed of 63 Army students, 51 Air Force students, 51 Navy students, and two Public Health Service students. The Class of 2010 increased the Public Health Service student number to six. Students attending this institution receive free tuition, as well as reimbursement for all fees. They also receive salaries and benefits as junior officers. Textbooks are issued to the students at the beginning of each semester.

USUHS School of Medicine students are all active-duty uniformed officers during their schooling and receive pay and benefits at the grade of O-1 (second lieutenant for the Army and Air Force and ensign for the Navy and Public Health Service) - unless the student was prior service at a higher rank then that student will wear the O-1 rank but be paid at their previous pay grade. Upon graduation, medical students are promoted to the grade of O-3, (captain for the Army and Air Force, lieutenant for the Navy and Public Health Service), and are expected to serve at least seven years after residency on active duty and six years in the inactive ready reserve. Students graduating from the School of Medicine receive four years' credit toward military retirement once 20 years has been reached through military graduate medical education (residency/fellowship), practicing, and prior-service (if applicable).

When the school was first formed, the United States Congress weighed whether to make each student a cadet or midshipman (like the military service academies) or to give students full active-duty officer status and promotion benefits. A compromise was reached whereby medical students were commissioned as O-1 grade officers, were not promoted while enrolled in the School of Medicine, and do not receive time in grade or time in service while enrolled in USUHS. However, this status puts USUHS Medical Students in a unique position; unlike the Graduate School of Nursing and other programs, School of Medicine students are barred from promotion. Additionally, prior-service commissioned officers must accept a demotion to O-1 in order to matriculate. Upon graduation, when these officers are promoted to O-3, half of the time spent in prior active duty service is then added to their time-in-service (TIS)/time-in-grade (TIG) and used toward promotion to the rank of major or lieutenant commander (O-4). However, as of FY 2008, prior service officers will be paid their former base pay while attending School of Medicine.

The curriculum at the School of Medicine begins with 1.5 years of basic sciences organized into organ-system based modules called "Molecules to Military Medicine". Additional courses include Parasitology, Combat Medical Skills, Military Medical History, Officer Professional Development, Military Applied Physiology, Epidemiology, and several other courses. The clerkship year begins in January of the second year, and is followed by the USMLE Step 1. After Step 1, students participate in an integrated advanced didactic module, "Bench to Bedside and Beyond", and then begin fourth year clerkships/subinternships. These clerkships are done at various military hospitals across the country.

Approximately 80 percent of military physicians reaching 20 or more years of military service are graduates of USUHS. A majority of medical corps leadership positions are occupied by graduates of USUHS. Graduates also make up a majority of Army Special Forces physicians.

USUHS is featured in the documentary Fighting for Life.

Affiliated military and civilian teaching hospitals are:

Combined MD/PhD Program

Students can indicate their intent to apply for the MD/PhD program on the USUHS secondary application and complete the graduate school application. Applicants not selected for the graduate school are still eligible for acceptance into the medical school. The combined MD/PhD program requires the same military commitment as the school of medicine. Three MD/PhD degrees are currently offered; neuroscience (NES), molecular and cell biology (MCB), and emerging infectious diseases (EID). Students remain civilian until graduate school requirements are completed. Degrees are not granted until completion of both graduate and medical requirements.

Graduate School of Nursing

The Graduate School of Nursing (GSN) is the nursing graduate school at USUHS. Students enrolled in the GSN program who were previously in the military maintain active duty rank and privileges, to include time in service, time in grade, and promotions. Graduate nursing students at USUHS generally have already completed undergraduate nursing degrees and come from within the ranks of the uniformed services.

The Graduate School of Nursing offers a Master of Science in Nursing degree programs in nurse anesthesia, family nurse practitioner, perioperative clinical nursing, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and full- and part-time programs for a Ph.D. in nursing sciences.

Graduate School

The graduate programs in biomedical sciences and public health in the School of Medicine are open to civilian and military applicants. Civilian students may apply to most of these programs. The faculty is composed of a mix of military and civilian professors. There is no tuition, stipends are guaranteed for three years, and no military service is required after graduation for civilian students. There also is no undergraduate teaching.

The graduate program at USUHS currently has approximately 170 full-time graduate students.

USUHS currently offers the Ph.D. in emerging infectious diseases, medical and clinical psychology, molecular and cellular biology, neuroscience, pathology, Environmental Health Sciences and Medical Zoology.

USUHS also offers the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH). Master's degree programs are offered in comparative medicine, military medical history, healthcare administration and policy, health professions education, public health and tropical medicine and hygiene.

There are military students in the graduate programs, most notably the public health and tropical medicine programs and clinical psychology program. Generally, military students were in the military before beginning their graduate training, but some commission as they enter their programs.

Affiliated Programs and Centers

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ "External Affairs | Uniformed Services University | Branding Guide" (PDF). usuhs.edu. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  2. ↑ "Jonathan Woodson: Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs)". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  3. ↑ Blackledge, Brett J. (November 6, 2009). "Details emerge about Fort Hood suspect's history". Associated Press. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
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