It looks like the Obama administration is making a real effort, on behalf of veterans and the military, to promote research and treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Earlier this week First Lady Michelle Obama, during an address at Virginia Commonwealth University, announced that 130 research facilities and medical schools are joining in a coordinated effort to combat TBI and PTSD.
The facilities — 105 medical colleges and 25 osteopathic colleges — have committed to train students in treating brain injuries, PTSD and other mental-health issues affecting returning service members.
A press release Wednesday said that as part of Obama and Jill Biden’s Joining Forces initiative, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) had “committed to creating a new generation of doctors, medical schools, and research facilities that will make sure our heroes and their families receive the care worthy of their sacrifice.”
As part of this collaboration, the 130 schools associated with the AAMC and AACOM pledged to leverage their missions in education, research, and clinical care to train the nation’s physicians to meet the unique health care needs of the military and veterans communities.
“I’m inspired to see our nation’s medical schools step up to address this pressing need for our veterans and military families,” the First Lady said in a statement. “By directing some of our brightest minds, our most cutting-edge research, and our finest teaching institutions toward our military families, they’re ensuring that those who have served our country receive the first-rate care that they have earned.”
The AAMC and AACOM are committing to improve the education in their medical schools, the research in their laboratories, and the clinical care in their hospitals to better address the health issues that military families face, according to the press release. Let’s hope that’s true.
Specifically, these organizations are committing to:
• Train their medical students as well as their current physicians, faculty, and staff to better diagnose and treat veterans and military families
• Develop new research and clinical trials on PTSD and TBI to better understand and treat those conditions
• Share their information and best practices with one another through a collaborative web forum created by the AAMC
• Continue to work with the VA and the Department of Defense to make sure that everyone is providing the best care available.
“Because of our integrated missions in education, clinical care, and research, America’s medical schools are uniquely positioned to take a leadership role in this important effort,” said Dr. Darrell Kirch, president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges.
“Medical schools have long recognized the sacrifice and commitment of our military, veterans and their families,” he said. ” The relationship between the Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and academic medicine dates back to the end of World War II and serves as a model for successful partnerships between public and private institutions. Our work with the White House on Joining Forces is a natural extension of our efforts in this area and renews our commitment to the wellness of our nation’s military.”
Dr. Stephen Shannon, president and CEO, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, also had a statement.
“A central component of the White House Joining Forces Initiative is wellness, and I am pleased to announce AACOM’s participation in a new Joining Forces effort that could have a significant impact on the health and well-being of our nation’s veterans,” he said.
Examples of universities stepping up to provide for veterans and their families include:
• Virginia Commonwealth University, where they’re leading a groundbreaking project to provide resources and training to health care providers, volunteers, and community members throughout Virginia who can help ease the transition home for veterans with TBI and PTSD.
• The University of Pittsburgh, where researchers are developing a new imaging tool that allows the visualization of the wiring of the brain in vivid high definition, which could lead to new breakthroughs in the diagnosis of TBI.
• The University of South Florida, where they are working with the Department of Defense and the VA to create a first-of-its-kind Center for Veterans Reintegration, which will mean a single, cohesive research, treatment and education facility for veterans and families.
Obama and Biden created Joining Forces to bring Americans together to recognize, honor and take action to support veterans and military families as they serve our country and throughout their lives. The initiative aims to educate, challenge, and spark action from all sectors of society to ensure veterans and military families have the support they have earned.
The initiative focuses on key priority areas – employment, education, and wellness while raising awareness about the service, sacrifice, and needs of America’s veterans and military families.
More information is available at: www.JoiningForces.gov.
Here is a list of the 130 universities and colleges participating in the new program:
• University of Alabama School of Medicine
• University of South Alabama College of Medicine
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine
• Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
• AT Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine of Arizona
• University of Arizona College of Medicine
• Loma Linda University
• Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
• Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Stanford University School of Medicine
• UC Davis Health System
• University of California, Irvine School of Medicine
• David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
• Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
• Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• University of Colorado School of Medicine
• Yale School of Medicine
• Georgetown University School of Medicine
• George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Howard University College of Medicine
• Florida State University College of Medicine
• Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Florida International University
• Nova Southeastern University College os Osteopathic Medicine
• University of Florida College of Medicine
• USF Health Morsani College of Medicine
• Emory University School of Medicine
• Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Health Sciences University
• Mercer University School of Medicine
• Morehouse School of Medicine
• University of Hawaii at Manoa, John A. Burns School of Medicine
• Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
• Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University
• Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
• Rush University Medical Center, Chicago
• Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
• The Chicago Medical School in conjunction with the Lovell Federal Health Care Center
• University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
• University of Illinois College of Medicine
• Indiana University
• University of Kansas Medical Center
• University of Kentucky College of Medicine
• University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans
• Tulane University School of Medicine
• Boston University School of Medicine
• Harvard Medical School
• Tufts University School of Medicine
• University of Massachusetts Medical School
• Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
• Uniformed Services University of the Health Science’s F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine
• University of Maryland School of Medicine
• University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
• Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• University of Michigan Medical School
• Wayne State University School of Medicine
• University of Minnesota Medical School
• Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine AT Still University
• Saint Louis University
• University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine
• University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine
• Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
• University of Mississippi School of Medicine
• Creighton University School of Medicine
• University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine
• The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
• Wake Forest School of Medicine
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
• University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Dartmouth Medical School
• Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.
• University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – New Jersey Medical School
• University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
• University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – School of Osteopathic Medicine
• University of New Mexico School of Medicine
• University of Nevada School of Medicine
• Hofstra North Shore – LIJ School of Medicine
• New York Institute of Technology New York College of Osteopathic Medicine
• State University of New York Upstate Medical University
• Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• University at Buffalo State University of New York School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
• Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
• The Ohio State University
• Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
• University of Toledo College of Medicine
• Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
• Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
• Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine
• Pacific Northwest University of Health Science College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Commonwealth Medical College
• Drexel University College of Medicine
• Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University
• Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
• Penn State University College of Medicine
• Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Temple University School of Medicine
• University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
• Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine
• Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine
• University of South Carolina School of Medicine
• University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville
• University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine
• Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Meharry Medical College
• Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
• Baylor College of Medicine
• The Texas A & M Health Science Center College of Medicine
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
• The University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
• The University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio
• University of Texas Medical School at Houston
• University of Utah School of Medicine
• Eastern Virginia Medical School
• University of Virginia School of Medicine
• Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
• Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
• Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
• University of Washington School of Medicine
• Medical College of Wisconsin
• University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
• The Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University
• West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
• West Virginia University School of Medicine