eric elster, md, FACS, FRCSEng (Hon.)
CAPT, MC, USN (RET)
Every medical student who enrolls at USU — whether entering straight out of college or following years of military service — is commissioned an officer in one of the School’s four sponsoring services. USU’s “Molecules to Military Medicine” curriculum is crafted to cover the same scientific concepts and clinical skills that civilian med students learn, and much more. Unlike other medical students, USU students receive more than 700 additional hours of supplemental training in military medicine, tropical diseases, combat casualty care, humanitarian assistance, ethics and other military-relevant topics and skills. Because we are the leadership academy of the military health system, our educational philosophy stresses inter-professional education, teamwork, problem-solving and systems thinking in a wide range of contexts and environments.
Within the School of Medicine, we offer a top tier medical degree, as well as outstanding graduate education programs in public health; tropical medicine; health administration and policy; medical and clinical psychology; and interdisciplinary PhD programs in areas that are highly relevant to the military and public health service.
THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY OF MILITARY MEDICINE
In addition to offering a world-class education to students committed to careers of national service, America’s Medical School supports a robust and high-impact program of research. Our interdisciplinary centers focus on issues of high importance to military health, such as combat casualty care, human performance optimization, emerging infectious diseases, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress and infectious diseases. These centers and other programs not only enrich the academic environment on campus, they also strengthen our links with partner institutions. These partnerships, and our national network of military treatment facilities ensures that our students, staff, and faculty can make a difference at every level of academic endeavor - from cell biology to global health.
USU’s motto is “learning to care for those in harm’s way.” As an element of the U.S. Department of Defense, we contribute to America’s national security by ensuring that the U.S. military has a “medically ready force” and a “ready medical force”— whenever and wherever they are needed. The students, faculty and staff of the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine are committed to defending the health security of the United States by educating and developing military medical leaders, generating high-impact scientific and clinical discoveries, by delivering compassionate and efficient patient care, and by advancing public health throughout the United States and around the world.
Eric Elster, MD, FACS, FRCSEng (Hon.)
Captain, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
Dean, School of Medicine