WBAMC Fort Bliss, TX –
First-year dental and medical students from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) toured William Beaumont Army Medical Center on July 14, 2023, to discuss education and military medicine.
The tour is part of a recruitment effort to improve community relations with El Paso and Fort Bliss health sciences programs. In addition to recruitment, the tour allows TTUHSC to launch its Immersion courses, which are prerequisites medical and dental students must complete before starting their studies in medicine and dentistry.
WBAMC Red Cross Volunteers and Soldiers escorted 40 students who met with WBAMC staff and civilians. The simulation center was one of the tour's destinations, alongside other departments.
“The Simulation Center offers students a comprehensive exhibition of a military hospital's operational and functional components. It gives them an accurate depiction of how we train our doctors, nurses, and specialists,” said Edward Fonseca, simulation operator at WBAMC.
The students observed a variety of simulation scenarios, including cardiac arrest, childbirth, and trauma. They also had the opportunity to practice their skills on manikins.
Fonseca said that the students had a firsthand look at how simulation is used to train healthcare professionals.
Selected staff from other departments explained the importance of military medicine and the opportunities the hospital has to offer.
“My experience was great. Mrs. Sue (Red Cross volunteer) did an excellent job of keeping us on track. The Department of Dentistry was the finest. They advised dental students on residency programs and discussed how their military experience has helped them become better leaders,” said Andrea Carrillo, student from TTUHSC.
The tour aimed to educate and inform the community about health sciences programs at the hospital and create a platform to discuss military medical careers.
Photo by: Mr. Vincent Byrd
Caption: First-year dental and medical students from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) received a brief during a tour of William Beaumont Army Medical Center on July 14, 2023. The primary goal of the tour was to provide educational and informative experiences to the community regarding the health sciences programs offered at the hospital.