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Physicians can learn a great deal after they join the military, such as how to approach an army general and suggest potentially life-saving medical changes on a base, said Dr. Dore J. Gilbert, a dermatologist on the faculty at the University of California Irvine.
A week into Lt. Col. Gilbert's deployment as a brigade surgeon on a base in Kabul, Afghanistan, he identified areas where necessary changes needed to be made and scheduled an appointment with the General.
Dr. Gilbert determined there was insufficient blood stored on the base in the event of an emergency. He suggested a walk-in blood bank with the General as the first volunteer. The General, concerned with the potential consequences, strongly supported the idea of the blood bank.
Next, Dr. Gilbert requested training for the 16 medics on the base and for 14 more at outlying bases once a month for 2 hours. "They were not getting any training," he said. The General again agreed.
"We have these unbelievable mannequins that actually bleed," Dr. Gilbert said. "They are a great way to train people. Sometimes we blow smoke so it's difficult to see the mannequins or do [medic training] at night so they have to put on their head lamps," Dr. Gilbert said during the South Beach Symposium in Miami.
When he raised a third issue, the General said, "Just do it." Dr. Gilbert increased the screening of local Afghan cafeteria employees for endemic intestinal parasites. Their contract only stipulated testing once a year on a base that serves 3,000 soldiers.
And Dr. Gilbert, as a dermatologist, also ran a skin cancer screening clinic. He treated other patients as well, which was part of the multitasking everyone did on the base. "On the second day, I was peeling old shrapnel out of a guy's face."
"I got up every day at 5 am to go to they gym and then work until 9 or 10 at night. I worked 12 to 14 hours a day, 7 days a week," he rcalled.
All his initiative impressed the General, and he invited Dr. Gilbert to become part of the everyday army operations on the base. "I went from being a simple doc to being a part of every general staff meeting," he said. Dr. Gilbert also was called in to the command center every time there was a terrorist-related attack in downtown Kabul. He went out on about 20 missions, most of which were to support medical personnel at other bases.
"I got to do things that 99.9% of doctors do not get to do when they are overseas or here in the United States because of a happenstance meeting I had with the General," Dr. Gilbert said.
Perhaps the most impressive part of the tale is Dr. Gilbert joined and started basic training at Fort Sam Houston at the age of 59 years. "I was not going to allow people to say I was too old. Because there is such a dire need for physicians in the army they are willing to look at people who are slightly more mature."
One day he was doing a 5 mile ruck march with 35 pounds on his back. As he passed one of the younger soldiers, Dr. Gilbert said, "Pick it up. I'm older than your father." The soldier later approached him and said, "Sir, with all due respect, you are not older than my father, you are way older than my father."
Dr. Gilbert always wanted to serve and was inspired by his son Kevin, a corporal in the Marine Corps. "I was happy to see him home with his arms and legs. His battalion had about 25% casualties."
When he finished reflecting on his personal experiences as a dermatologist serving overseas, Dr. Gilbert said: "It was a great experience. I was honored to be able to serve my country."
--Damian McNamara @MedReporter on Twitter
Physicians can learn a great deal after they join the military, such as how to approach an army general and suggest potentially life-saving medical changes on a base, said Dr. Dore J. Gilbert, a dermatologist on the faculty at the University of California Irvine.
A week into Lt. Col. Gilbert's deployment as a brigade surgeon on a base in Kabul, Afghanistan, he identified areas where necessary changes needed to be made and scheduled an appointment with the General.
Dr. Gilbert determined there was insufficient blood stored on the base in the event of an emergency. He suggested a walk-in blood bank with the General as the first volunteer. The General, concerned with the potential consequences, strongly supported the idea of the blood bank.
Next, Dr. Gilbert requested training for the 16 medics on the base and for 14 more at outlying bases once a month for 2 hours. "They were not getting any training," he said. The General again agreed.
"We have these unbelievable mannequins that actually bleed," Dr. Gilbert said. "They are a great way to train people. Sometimes we blow smoke so it's difficult to see the mannequins or do [medic training] at night so they have to put on their head lamps," Dr. Gilbert said during the South Beach Symposium in Miami.
When he raised a third issue, the General said, "Just do it." Dr. Gilbert increased the screening of local Afghan cafeteria employees for endemic intestinal parasites. Their contract only stipulated testing once a year on a base that serves 3,000 soldiers.
And Dr. Gilbert, as a dermatologist, also ran a skin cancer screening clinic. He treated other patients as well, which was part of the multitasking everyone did on the base. "On the second day, I was peeling old shrapnel out of a guy's face."
"I got up every day at 5 am to go to they gym and then work until 9 or 10 at night. I worked 12 to 14 hours a day, 7 days a week," he rcalled.
All his initiative impressed the General, and he invited Dr. Gilbert to become part of the everyday army operations on the base. "I went from being a simple doc to being a part of every general staff meeting," he said. Dr. Gilbert also was called in to the command center every time there was a terrorist-related attack in downtown Kabul. He went out on about 20 missions, most of which were to support medical personnel at other bases.
"I got to do things that 99.9% of doctors do not get to do when they are overseas or here in the United States because of a happenstance meeting I had with the General," Dr. Gilbert said.
Perhaps the most impressive part of the tale is Dr. Gilbert joined and started basic training at Fort Sam Houston at the age of 59 years. "I was not going to allow people to say I was too old. Because there is such a dire need for physicians in the army they are willing to look at people who are slightly more mature."
One day he was doing a 5 mile ruck march with 35 pounds on his back. As he passed one of the younger soldiers, Dr. Gilbert said, "Pick it up. I'm older than your father." The soldier later approached him and said, "Sir, with all due respect, you are not older than my father, you are way older than my father."
Dr. Gilbert always wanted to serve and was inspired by his son Kevin, a corporal in the Marine Corps. "I was happy to see him home with his arms and legs. His battalion had about 25% casualties."
When he finished reflecting on his personal experiences as a dermatologist serving overseas, Dr. Gilbert said: "It was a great experience. I was honored to be able to serve my country."
--Damian McNamara @MedReporter on Twitter
Physicians can learn a great deal after they join the military, such as how to approach an army general and suggest potentially life-saving medical changes on a base, said Dr. Dore J. Gilbert, a dermatologist on the faculty at the University of California Irvine.
A week into Lt. Col. Gilbert's deployment as a brigade surgeon on a base in Kabul, Afghanistan, he identified areas where necessary changes needed to be made and scheduled an appointment with the General.
Dr. Gilbert determined there was insufficient blood stored on the base in the event of an emergency. He suggested a walk-in blood bank with the General as the first volunteer. The General, concerned with the potential consequences, strongly supported the idea of the blood bank.
Next, Dr. Gilbert requested training for the 16 medics on the base and for 14 more at outlying bases once a month for 2 hours. "They were not getting any training," he said. The General again agreed.
"We have these unbelievable mannequins that actually bleed," Dr. Gilbert said. "They are a great way to train people. Sometimes we blow smoke so it's difficult to see the mannequins or do [medic training] at night so they have to put on their head lamps," Dr. Gilbert said during the South Beach Symposium in Miami.
When he raised a third issue, the General said, "Just do it." Dr. Gilbert increased the screening of local Afghan cafeteria employees for endemic intestinal parasites. Their contract only stipulated testing once a year on a base that serves 3,000 soldiers.
And Dr. Gilbert, as a dermatologist, also ran a skin cancer screening clinic. He treated other patients as well, which was part of the multitasking everyone did on the base. "On the second day, I was peeling old shrapnel out of a guy's face."
"I got up every day at 5 am to go to they gym and then work until 9 or 10 at night. I worked 12 to 14 hours a day, 7 days a week," he rcalled.
All his initiative impressed the General, and he invited Dr. Gilbert to become part of the everyday army operations on the base. "I went from being a simple doc to being a part of every general staff meeting," he said. Dr. Gilbert also was called in to the command center every time there was a terrorist-related attack in downtown Kabul. He went out on about 20 missions, most of which were to support medical personnel at other bases.
"I got to do things that 99.9% of doctors do not get to do when they are overseas or here in the United States because of a happenstance meeting I had with the General," Dr. Gilbert said.
Perhaps the most impressive part of the tale is Dr. Gilbert joined and started basic training at Fort Sam Houston at the age of 59 years. "I was not going to allow people to say I was too old. Because there is such a dire need for physicians in the army they are willing to look at people who are slightly more mature."
One day he was doing a 5 mile ruck march with 35 pounds on his back. As he passed one of the younger soldiers, Dr. Gilbert said, "Pick it up. I'm older than your father." The soldier later approached him and said, "Sir, with all due respect, you are not older than my father, you are way older than my father."
Dr. Gilbert always wanted to serve and was inspired by his son Kevin, a corporal in the Marine Corps. "I was happy to see him home with his arms and legs. His battalion had about 25% casualties."
When he finished reflecting on his personal experiences as a dermatologist serving overseas, Dr. Gilbert said: "It was a great experience. I was honored to be able to serve my country."
--Damian McNamara @MedReporter on Twitter