Family Medicine Residency Program — Program Director Welcome

• Dept. of Family & Community Medicine
• Family Medicine Residency Program
• Family Medicine Residency Clinic
• About FMRP
• About CRDAMC
• About Fort Hood
• Community Service
• Goals and Objectives
• Program Director Welcome
• Rotations
• News
• Resources
• Contact Us

Greetings,
Thank-you for visiting the Family Medicine Residency Program at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, Fort Hood, TX website! As the Program Director, I can confidently say that our program offers the complete package of outstanding education, diversity of care, a hands-on resident driven experience, all in a family friendly atmosphere. Let me share with you our vision of the "Model Residency."

Our residents graduate with a toolbox of skills including an abundance of teaching experience, military leadership skills, primary care research experience, a focus on preventive and evidence based medicine, and working knowledge of emerging medical technologies including medical simulation and personal digital assistants (PDA's). Our program will open your eyes to the importance of preventive medicine and the critical role the Family Physician plays. As health care costs rise and budgets tighten, we must not fail to train our graduates in this vital area.

One of my passions is evidence-based medicine, and our program ensures every resident is grounded in the most cutting-edge, evidence-based medicine available. Via multiple "hands-on" laptop and PDA sessions, a completely new Journal Club, and numerous point-of-care evidence-based information systems from UpToDate, to Essential Evidence Plus to the Prescriber's Letter and PEPID, every resident and staff role-models these "best practices." Similarly, the use of PDA's in medicine can make our jobs easier and improve patient safety. Regardless of whether you are using an iPhone, Android, Blackberry, WebOS/Palm, or Windows device, our program will give you the tools you need to ensure patients receive the “best medicine” and the most up to date preventive measures.

The old adage of "see one, do one, teach one" works in some situations, but when it comes to medical procedures, it is time for a change. At Fort Hood, we believe that the first time a resident performs a procedure it should be on a simulator not a person. That vision has become a reality. Medical simulation is incorporated into the residency Didactic Curriculum, Procedures Curriculum, Quarterly Simulation Days covering everything from Obstetric Emergencies to Combat Trauma, and numerous Observed Structured Clinical Examinations that evaluate performance along the continuum of residency education.

Our residency possesses one of the most diverse faculty compositions in the military setting. All of our board-certified Family Physicians possess additional training in a variety of fellowships including Faculty Development, Sports Medicine, Obstetrics, Geriatrics, and Sports Medicine. This diversity has resulted in outstanding academic performance on the resident in-training and board certification exams.

An important aspect of every physician's life is personal mastery and the necessity to maintain life balance. Our residents and faculty make great efforts to model balance on both physical and mental levels. Throughout the year, residents and staff gather together for "time off" at our annual Residency Retreat, Holiday Progressive Dinner, Spring Planning Conference, and Graduation Roast. Finally, we take your physical fitness seriously via weekly physical fitness sessions consisting of team building activities including our personal favorite--Bucket Ball!

Program Director is the job I have dreamed of having since becoming a Family Physician. It is not one that I take lightly. Molding young physicians to become model clinicians, teachers and Army officers is an awesome responsibility. At Fort Hood, we are up to the task. Please come join our team and make the Carl R. Darnall Family Medicine Residency Program the "Model Residency" for others to follow.