Joining Forces Wellness Week raises awareness of veteran healthcare needs

Students in the UAB School of Medicine are observing the fifth annual Joining Forces Wellness Week Nov. 7-11 with a week filled with student-driven lunch lecture events to increase awareness of the nuanced healthcare needs of veterans and their families.

Created in 2012 by the Association of American Medical Colleges, Joining Forces Wellness Week heightens awareness about the health needs of the nation’s veterans, service members, and families, and elevate the role that medical schools and teaching hospitals play in serving this community. During the week, many AAMC-member medical schools and teaching hospitals will also host local events to honor veterans and address the health care needs of returning military service members.

“As medical students, we’re training to give our patients the best possible care,” said Jason Eversull, second-year medical student and president of the Military Medicine Interest Group, which is hosting the Joining Forces Wellness Week events.  “Part of that is recognizing that veterans and their families are a special population, and we might have different questions we need to ask in order to understand their need and provide treatment.”

Eversull said the invited speakers would give lectures and perspectives to help students better understand the context of war, including injuries, infectious diseases and mental health. Guest speakers for the week include Benjamin Von Schweinitz, M.D., and Aaron Roberts, M.D., presenting and introduction to military medicine; Pedro Legua, M.D.,Ph.D., presenting on leprosy; James Johnson, M.D., speaking on his military career and experience as a military physician; and Richard Powers, M.D., former head of the Birmingham VA PTSD clinic, speaking on PTSD in service members.

“Our hope for Joining Forces Wellness Week is to introduce medical students to the idea that they will likely care for a veteran or their families at some point in their practice,” Eversull said. “We wanted to create a program that’s helpful for everyone, whether you’re pursing a medical career in the military or practicing as a civilian.”

The Military Medicine Interest Group in the School of Medicine is made up for approximately 20 first- and second-year student who are committed to military medicine. Students or faculty interested in getting involved with the group can contact Jason Eversull at jleversull@uab.edu.