Lackland Air Base- In the process of developing treatment of various neck and head injuries at the Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base, there has been effort to rotate surgeons and doctors to Iraq.
Normally doctors that are serving residencies and fellowships are based in the United States. But with these different types of injuries, there has started a successful program of rotation of young surgical fellows and residents into the Iraqi war zone.
This Air Force surgical doctor rotation plan is the first of its kind, and marks a bold effort to give budding Air Force Doctors practical experience dealing with real soldiers and real surgical needs, on the front lines.
Air Force Colonel Dr. David Holck is the director of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship, and the director and chairman of the Ophthalmology Department at the Lackland Air Base Medical Center, and this program is his creation.
“We realized we can work together to give some of the best experiences possible to our doctors, being able to work in a combat zone like this,” said Colonel Holck. “They are able to deal with problems and issues just not seen in civilian Trauma centers,” stated Colonel Holck.
