Surgical residency receives full joint training platform accreditation Published Sept. 15, 2009 KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFNS) -- The 81st Medical Group at Keesler AFB, which boasts the largest Air Force surgical training residency program, has received full Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accreditation as a joint training platform. The program was evaluated by the ACGME, the governing body for all United States physician medical training programs in April 2009. The surgical residency received full accreditation from the ACGME to proceed with training four general surgeons each year for five years of general surgery residency. "This marks one more major milestone in Keesler's post-Katrina recovery and return to pre-Katrina operations," said Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Dan Wyman, 81st MDG commander. "It also exemplifies the spirit of our Gulf Coast Joint Venture and cooperation between the services and the VA. "This provides a unique and highly robust training platform with resident experiences in the three military services, the VA, a civilian institution, as well as an overseas location, where we care for our wounded warriors. "The program is unparalleled, and we believe it will serve as a major element in recruiting and producing the next generation of outstanding military surgeons." According to Col. Martha Stokes, 81st MDG director of graduate medical education, the surgical residency was electively closed following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and re-established in July 2007. The program was restructured in 2008 under the leadership of Program Director Lt. Col. (Dr.) Valerie Pruitt to include integration with the Naval Hospital in Pensacola, Fla., 96th Medical Group at Eglin AFB, Fla., and the Biloxi Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miss. The surgical residents also perform specialty rotations at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Miss., Brooke Army Medical Center Burn Unit in San Antonio and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Colonel Pruitt noted this training platform enforces and sets a clear understanding of the functioning of the joint service environment and reflects the current operational environment. "The Keesler Medical Center general surgery residency brings an individual into the military and promotes the Air Force core values and expectations as an officer," Colonel Pruitt said. "Contrary to civilian surgical residency programs where the emphasis is on molding individuals into surgeons, the military residency program emphasis is on molding individuals into surgeons who work in a joint-service team environment to support the war fighter under any theater command." "In this program, having 20 future Air Force surgeons who get to know each other and not only work together but also within all branches of the military, creates a continual knowledge base on a personal and professional level," Colonel Pruitt said. "This training platform lends to creating camraderie among the future surgeons and continual professional relations promoting informational sharing among all levels of residents and active military surgeons."