Every 麻豆原创 medical student spends part of their education caring for military veterans 鈥� an experience they say helps them better understand and appreciate the sacrifices of our nation鈥檚 heroes.
During their third-year clerkships and fourth-year electives, medical students receive training in specialties including surgery, internal medicine, neurology and psychiatry at the Orlando VA Medical Center next door to the College of Medicine in Lake Nona and Bay Pines VA Healthcare system in St. Petersburg.
Third-year medical student Gary Saloman did his four-week general surgery rotation at the Orlando VA. He observed surgeries, learned laparoscopic surgery techniques and helped with sutures and incisions in the operating room. But he said the interactions with his patients taught him more.
鈥淚t was a really humbling experience serving men and women vets with such interesting stories, and to be able to give back to those who have done so much for our country,鈥� he says.
One of the patients he followed came in with abdominal pain and was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. Surgeons performed a palliative procedure to remove a tumor to relieve the patient鈥檚 pain. Saloman says the intense experience showed him how medicine and empathy can affect a patient鈥檚 condition.
鈥淵ou learn not to just focus on diseases but how to improve the quality of life as you get to know the patient and what is important to them,鈥� he says.
The Orlando VA Medical Center opened in 2015 and is one of the nation鈥檚 largest VA hospitals, serving the region鈥檚 400,000 veterans. It also houses the VA鈥檚 state-of-the-art SimLEARN National Simulation Center, where physicians can train using simulated robotic patients.
Students say they are particularly struck by how willing veterans are to share their medical and life experiences to help the learners become better physicians. Andrew Taitano, a surgeon at the Orlando VA and associate professor of surgery at the College of Medicine, says he isn鈥檛 surprised.
鈥淚t speaks to the character of the veterans,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey are happy to be getting care and want to help students learn to help others in the future.鈥�
Taitano says that Orlando VA training is different because there is not the pressure to see a lot of patients in a short amount of time.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really important in today鈥檚 medical practice and student training, they can take their time and get to know the patients,鈥� he said, adding that such time leads to better care and health outcomes.
A general surgeon for 24 years who began teaching in 2014, Taitano taught 麻豆原创 medical students in Bay Pines before joining the Orlando VA earlier this year.
His grandfather was in the Navy and an uncle also served in the military, so Taitano sees his role as giving back for their service to the country.
鈥淚 like to mentor students and I enjoy seeing them go through the process of figuring things out. It keeps me fresh and I鈥檓 excited to see them develop. I get inspired by the quality of the students,鈥� he says.
Martin Klapheke leads psychiatry education at the medical school and says he has seen an increased interest in psychiatry as a chosen specialty for 麻豆原创 graduates because of their training at the VA.
鈥淭hey get to assist in the evaluation and treatment of patients with comorbid psychiatric and medical conditions,鈥� he says, 鈥渉elping patients with mood, anxiety, substance use, psychotic and neurocognitive disorders as well as PTSD.鈥�
Third-year medical student Sean Yumul called his psychiatry rotation at the Orlando VA an inspiring learning experience.
鈥淭he sense of team healing and comradery is a unique aspect to VA psychiatric medicine,鈥� he says. 鈥淓ach patient has a shared experience with the military and is able to relate to each other鈥檚 experiences and struggles on a different level from their relationships in civilian life. There are no better stories than those from the men and women who served our country. I learned I have much to learn.鈥�
Yumul believes the VA environment of coordinated care and access to treatment, not limited by a patient鈥檚 ability to pay, 鈥渁llows medicine to be practiced in the purest sense.鈥�
Jeffrey LaRochelle is an Air Force veteran who is the College of Medicine鈥檚 associate dean for academic affairs. He was called back to active military duty at the height of COVID-19 and sent to New York City when it was the epicenter of the pandemic. He said training at VA hospitals gives 麻豆原创 medical students a snapshot of the patients they will be treating during their careers.
鈥淚n their interactions with veterans, medical students come to realize that they are, in fact, a … group representing all walks of life,鈥� he says.
