The Indiana University School of Medicine is uniting with first lady Michelle Obama’s Joining Forces initiative in committing to train physicians to meet the unique health care needs of veterans and their families, including treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.
The IU School of Medicine, the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine have pledged to commit their integrated mission of education, research and clinical care in training the next generation of physicians and researchers to provide the quality of care warranted by our veterans’ sacrifices while serving their country.
“We are honored to participate in the White House Joining Forces initiative to address the health care needs of military service members and veterans and their families,” said D. Craig Brater, M.D., dean of the IU School of Medicine. “Nearly two-thirds of our school’s more than 100 years of history has been in collaboration with the Roudebush VA Medical Center to provide care to our veterans. This program is a natural extension of that responsibility that we embrace. Our goal has always been to offer state-of-the-art care to the men and women who have preserved our freedom.
“The IU School of Medicine has a focus on the neurosciences, which goes hand in hand with treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, two of the unique health care needs of veterans cited by the Joining Forces initiative,” Brater said.
The Joining Forces initiative lays the groundwork for medical schools and their associations to enrich medical education to ensure that physicians are aware of the unique clinical challenges and best practices associated with caring for military service members, veterans and their families.
The goal is to develop new research and clinical trials on PTSD and traumatic brain injury so they can be better understood and treated; share information and best practices with other institutions through a collaborative Web forum created by the Association of American Medical Colleges; and expand the body of knowledge leading to improvements in health care and wellness for military service members, veterans and their families.
“I’m inspired to see our nation’s medical schools step up to address this pressing need for our veterans and military families,” Michelle Obama said. “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.”
Mrs. Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe 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.
