 |
| Howard
Morgan, a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and
currently a professor in the Department of Neurological
Surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical
Center in Dallas, volunteered his services at Landstuhl
for nearly three weeks in April.
(Courtesy photo) |
By
Steve Mraz
Stars and Stripes European edition
LANDSTUHL,
Germany -- Stateside neurosurgeons are doing what they
can to support injured troops by volunteering their time
and highly specialized skills at Landstuhl Regional Medical
Center.
The
volunteer program began last December and was necessitated
by a neurosurgeon shortage in the military. The idea originated
in October 2004 after Col. Kory Cornum, commander of the
435th Medical Squadron at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center,
gave a briefing to senior Air Force medical leaders.
He
asked the leaders if they could spare a neurosurgeon. Four
active-duty Air Force neurosurgeons had helped at Landstuhl,
but an empty spot in the rotation was coming.
After
the meeting, reserve and guard generals among the senior
medical leaders asked Cornum if he would take a civilian
neurosurgeon.
“I
said, ‘I’m sure we can figure out a way to do it,’” Cornum
said.
And
so the program began. To date, eight civilian neurosurgeons
have volunteered at Landstuhl.
Last
year, about 200 troops with injuries requiring neurosurgery
were sent to the Landstuhl intensive care unit. Most of
the injuries came from shrapnel fragments or gunshots, Cornum
said.
“We
have numerous injured folks from downrange come here who
need acute neurosurgical care,” he said. “A lot of times
their operation has been done in-theater, but they need
a neurosurgeon to manage them in the intensive care unit
for the day or two or three while they’re here.”
The
volunteer doctors have their plane ticket, lodging and meals
covered during their stay, which normally runs two weeks,
Cornum said.
The
civilian doctors not only leave their families behind, they
also leave their highly paying practices for long stretches.
“Four
of the eight, when I have taken them back to the airport,
told me they have never been away from their private practice
this long, and that would include the doctor who was here
for 10 days,” Cornum said.
The
physicians told Cornum that they were proud to contribute.
The
most recent volunteer is Dr. Howard Morgan, a professor
in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University
of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
Morgan
spent two and a half weeks in early April volunteering at
Landstuhl. During his stint, Morgan, a U.S. Air Force Academy
graduate, performed a few surgeries and provided neurological
critical care to troops who underwent surgery downrange.
“It’s
a matter of duty,” Morgan said. “It was a small thing I
could do for the country, so to speak, and the young people
hurt over there.”
Since
his return, Morgan has corresponded with other neurosurgeons
who have expressed interest in the program.
And
now that Morgan is home from his experience volunteering
at Landstuhl, he has had time to think about the sacrifices
troops are making downrange.
“It
seems like the little that I did was the least I could do,”
he said.
