Photo By Gino Mattorano | Col. Meredith Sarda, the 10th Medical Group chief of staff, conducts an...... read more read more
When the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 2027 reported for Inprocessing Day June 28, their first steps toward joining the long blue line of Academy graduates began with the men and women of the 10th Medical Group.
10th MDG staff members greeted the new basic cadets and quickly started them along the medical screening process.
“For many Basic Cadets, the Medical personnel they interact with on In-processing Day may very well be the first opportunity they have to see how Air Force professionals should conduct themselves,” said Col. Thomas Stamp, 10th MDG commander. “The reception and respect we show the Basic Cadets during a high-stress time certainly impacts how they navigate the rest of In-processing Day.”
While the vast majority of the 1,100+ incoming Basic Cadets are fully medically qualified to undergo the rigors of Basic Cadet Training, In-processing Day gives the medical team the opportunity to ensure every Basic Cadet is healthy, has the needed immunizations and is registered in the Electronic Heath Record, according to Stamp.
“The heavy lift on In-processing Day decreases delays or gaps in training due to medical reasons, as Basic Cadet Training proceeds over the following weeks,” Stamp said.
The medical screening process starts with COVID screening and a review of the new basic cadets’ medications, both prescription and over the counter. Next, they proceed to the laboratory station, where basic cadets have their blood drawn to screen for a number of medical issues, check for blood type and provide a DNA sample for the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory. They are also screened for immunizations and current eyeglass prescriptions, and even undergo a running shoe check by the physical therapy team to ensure they are prepared for the strenuous demands of basic cadet training.
This process requires a great deal of planning and effort by the 10th MDG. More than 160 staff members participated in this year’s In-processing Day.
“We had medics working for several days prior to In-processing Day to input records and print labels to make things run efficiently,” Stamp said. “We also had staff working well after the medical screening processing was complete to process, package and ship lab samples.”
Another key part of the medical screening process, is checking the heart health of the cadet class, starting with the intercollegiate athletes.
“We evaluate all of our new intercollegiate athletes for any serious medical conditions that could affect participation in their sport and completes cardiac screening/EKGs for these members,” said Chris Reese, a Medical Director for Inprocessing Day and the Cadet Medicine Clinic Nurse Consultant assigned to the 10th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron. “During Basic Cadet Training we also complete cardiac screening/EKGs on all the Basic Cadets to evaluate for any underlying cardiac conditions that could result in serious complications, to include death, if they were undetected.”
The 10th MDG commander says the entire operation ran smoothly for the 1,300+ new basic cadets, who are now participating in Basic Cadet Training, and expressed his thanks to the 10th Medical Group Team, along with his mission partners.
“Inprocessing Day is a great example of how a learning organization (10th MDG, 10th Air Base Wing, and the U.S. Air Force Academy) utilizes feedback, both real-time and delayed, to make adjustments to processes.” Stamp said. “This constant effort to improve makes Inprocessing Day and Basic Cadet Training better every year.”
| Date Taken: | 07.07.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 07.07.2023 17:41 |
| Story ID: | 448752 |
| Location: | U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 407 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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