Plays of the Week:
Play of the week goes to Dr. Brian Graziose and the Social Committee for hosting this year's Holiday Party! Please send any pictures of the event to Britt Bumgardner.
Play of the week also goes to Dr. Noelle Molter for her recent essay published in the AAP newsletter. You can view her essay, " Let's Celebrate the Military Pediatricians who are Matched every December" here.
Schedule:
Date | Event | Time and Location | Audience/Notes |
Monday, 12/12 Block 7 Starts | MR: Case and Orient to Service | 0745 - 0850 America 2525 B/C | All welcome |
| Albert Einstein College of Medicine Migrant Medicine Lecture Series: Its Time Has Come, Sarah Kimball, MD | 1700 - 1830 Virtual | Register here |
Tuesday, 12/13 | MR: MMOC | 0745 - 0850 ARMY: 2525 B/C NAVY: Resident Workroom AF: 2525 A | Military Advisors and Residents Only **Army see pre-work below** |
| DEI Social Gathering | 1700 | See DEI email for more information |
Wednesday, 12/14 Match Day 🎉 | SIM/Skills: Chest tubes/Needle decompression (Groomes and Friedman) and Airway Management (Kolasinski and Bennett) | 0745 - 0845 SIM Center (4th Floor Heroes Bldg) **3rd Deck Team Report to PICU for SIM** | Residents & Medical Students Only; before the session, please review the related modules here OR go to www.classroom.google.com and enter the class code: xwe5vzj |
Thursday, 12/15 | MR: Case and GI Lecture, Burklow | 0745 - 0850 America 2525 B/C | All welcome |
Friday, 12/16 | MR: Case and Neutropenia Lecutre, Rees | 0745 - 0850 America 2525 B/C | All welcome |
| Pediatric Dept Holiday Party 🎉 | 1300 - 1500 Pediatric Subspecialty waiting area | All welcome |
Army MMOC Pre-Work:
Bring a copy of your ORB
Review the AIM2 Talent Marketplace (Assignment Interactive Module): https://aim.hrc.army.mil/
Check our Branch POCs-- who is yours?
Take a look at "Links" and "View My ORB" (ORB = SRB and can also be accessed from this website) - print this out or have it available to review on your computer
Check out View my RFO and View/Edit My record to confirm the accuracy of your documents
My Resume & Talent Marketplace will become relevant when you are ready for your next assignments
Save the Date 🗓 | Upcoming Birthdays 🎉 |
18DEC: First Day of Hanukkah 🕎 | |
25DEC: Christmas Day 🎄 | |
26DEC: Christmas Day (Observed) and Kwanzaa; Outpatient Clinics Closed | |
31DEC: New Year's Eve 🎊 | |
1JAN: New Year's Day | |
Announcements:
All Staff Updates
Library Updates
Lexicomp:
The DHA contract with Lexicomp will expire 10 DEC 2022 – Lexicomp access goes away.
NeoFax and Micromedex Pediatrics, and full MicroMedex:
The DHA has purchased DynaMedex - an upgrade of DynaMed which now includes NeoFax, MicroMedex Pediatrics and MicroMedex.
Mobile NeoFax and Micromedex Pediatrics, and full MicroMedex:
Although the existing local WRNMMC contract with NeoFax is good through FEB 2023, if a “Password expired” prompt appears on your mobile app, the new mobile app needs to be installed.
Local formularies within Lexicomp are no longer available. MHS GENESIS and the Express Scripts Formulary Search Tool are presently available and will continue supporting the enterprise beyond 10 DEC 2022.
Updated PSU Patient Request Form
The email transition to @health.mil broke the PSU request form’s embedded “Email Form” box in the top LEFT corner. The form is now fixed and attached below.
How do you know you have the new form? The “Email Form” box in the upper LEFT corner is now purple, and not red.
Couple caveats for maximum functionality with this form:
Open and complete with Adobe Acrobat (not Edge)
Also have Outlook email already open
Once form is complete, click the PURPLE “Email Form” box in the top LEFT corner. Form will attach to a new email addressed to the PSU organizational mailbox.
Send it to the listserv at the top of the form!
We have placed the updated PSU Request Form in the PEDIATRICS share drive within the folder “PSU SEDATION REQUEST FORM.”
Building 10 Lobby Renovation
The lobby of building 10 will be closed for remodeling starting 15Dec. Please see the flyer below for more information.
Do you know a family that could benefit from postpartum Doula services?
The Oakleaf Foundation has provided a small grant available to help fund and support families that otherwise financially couldn’t afford this service. Please contact Elena Terminiello (elena.terminiello.civ@health.mil) if you know a family who can benefit
Holiday Week Gate Changes (21NOV2022-15JAN2023)
VEHICLES
GATE 1: Open 24/7 GATE 2: Open Monday-Friday, 0500-1700 for inbound and outbound traffic. GATE 3 (NEX): Open Monday-Friday, 0500-0800 to inbound & outbound traffic. Open 1300-1700 for outbound traffic only. GATE 4: Remains closed. GATE 5 (USU): DoD ID card holders only. Open Monday-Friday, 0500-1700 to inbound & outbound
PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLES
GATE 1 - Open 24/7 GATE 2: Turnstiles - Open 24/7 ADA Gate - Monday-Friday, 0500-1700 ADA pedestrians may also access the installation via Gate 1 (North Gate) where the Visitor Control Center is located. ADA Gate - Weekends - Closed GATE 3 (NEX) - Open Monday-Friday, 0500-0800 and 1300-1700, for inbound and outbound for pedestrians and cyclists. GATE 4 - Remains closed. GATE 5 (USU) - Open 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Closed on weekends.
Comfort Cases Donation Drive
Will you show your support this holiday season by making a donation to our Comfort Cases Donation Drive? Comfort Cases’ mission is to inspire communities to bring dignity and hope to youth in foster care through Comfort, Community, Character, and Compassion. They provide children entering foster care with backpacks filled with comfort and personal care items, since often times these children go into foster care with only the clothes on their backs, or given a trash bag to carry their belongings. Please drop off your donations in one of two train boxes located in Peds Specialty or Peds Primary. Donations will be collected until December 16th.
Resident-Specific Updates
AAP SOUS Survey
Please complete a short survey asking residents their thoughts on what would have been helpful to them as medical students preparing for a military residency. Survey will close on 31Dec. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2MF7HHL
MHS Genesis Updates:
PI/QI: Next Session is 10Jan
Please notify your stakeholders prior to the next meeting
Please view your project-specific template here
Educational/Teaching Opportunities
USU Teaching Opportunities
Clerkship Round Robin
Contact Dr. Brian Hughes (brian.hughes@usuhs.edu) if interested
Tentative Dates and Times:
4Jan2023 1300-1700*
3May2023 1300-1700*
30Aug2023 1300-1700*
Able to interact with students of the class who have their Peds rotation coming up in the subsequent 3 months. Designed to mimic a clinic half day, each faculty member will be in an MDL room with your particular case. The students have 30 minutes with you to go through the case/skills. Then there is a 10-minute buffer between rooms. The students will move. You stay put and will deliver the same content 5 times. There are 9-10 students per group.
Introduction to Clinical Reasoning (ICR) “Neonatal Transitions”: January 18th, 2023 (1300-1700)
The two cases that will be discussed in this ICR session involve an infant with respiratory distress.
Please sign up via the sign-up genius link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CA9A729A3FBC43-neonatal
Contact Dr. Brian Hughes (brian.hughes@usuhs.edu) if interested
3 consecutive 70-minute ICR sessions with approximately 7-10 students in each group focused on discussing common clinical presentations in the neonate transitioning from the intrauterine to extrauterine environments.
Cardiopulmonary Renal Module Sessions
EKG Small Group Lab: Thursday, Jan 5 1300-1600
Cardiac Ultrasound: Monday, Jan 9 1300-1700
Cardiac Physical Exam: Wednesday, Jan 11 1300-1700
Syncope ICR: Thursday, Jan 26 1300-1700
Autonomics SG Lab: Monday, Jan 30 0945-1115
Cough ICR: Wednesday, Feb 8 1300-1700
Dyspnea ICR: Thursday, Feb 9 1300-1700
HTN/HLD POPS: Friday, Feb 24 1000-1130
Renal US: Wednesday, Feb 15 1300-1700
ICR Hyponatremia: Thursday, Feb 16 1300-1700
ICR Acid Base: Tuesday, Feb 21 1300-1700
ICR Kidney Disease: Thursday, Feb 23 1300-1700
Please contact COL Jacob Collen if interested (jacob.collen@usuhs.edu)
Humanities Week
Contact Dr. Sebastian Lara (sebastian.lara@usuhs.edu) if interested
Co-facilitate a variety of multi-disciplinary health humanities activities. Past sessions include painting, comics design, dance, art of observation with National Gallery of Art, improv in medicine, narrative writing.
Dates: 6MAR (0800-1300), 8MAR (0800-1300), 10MAR(0800-1300)
Research Opportunities & Upcoming Conferences
SOCR Abstract Submission Review Service: If you would like to get feedback on your abstract before you submit to any conference, please send a copy to Dr. Zanetti and Dr. Kolasinski, ideally 4, but at least 2 weeks before the deadline for review.
AAP 2023 CATCH Grant
Details
The CATCH Call for Proposals opened November 1, 2022, with an application deadline of January 23, 2023 @11:59pm CST. Funds are available for pediatrician-led community-based programs that address a wide variety of child health issues. Visit the CATCH website for more details. Browse the Community Pediatrics Funded Project list to learn about more than 300 community-based projects funded from 2017 to the present. Questions about the CATCH program can be submitted to CATCH@aap.org.
15th Annual Research & Innovations Month (May)
Details
- 15 different competitions will be offered by the Department of Research Programs (DRP) during the month of May - Submission for the following awards opens 30Nov and abstract deadline is midnight 29Jan2023 Bailey K. Ashford Awards (2): capstone projects in laboratory or clinical research Robert A. Phillips Awards (4): clinical or lab research by staff and fellows, or by residents and interns - Winners go on to compete with other medical centers for four awards in the 38th Annual Navy-wide Academic Research Competition (ARC) - Other awards are offered for case reports in categories for staff and fellows, or residents and interns. Other competitions honor projects in quality improvement, evidence-based practice, and patient- and family-centered care. - Further details regarding applications and how to submit will be emailed out next month
Abstract Submission (NEW)
- It’s time to craft your abstract for spring research and inquiry competitions!
- Please choose from six categories. You can apply for as many that suit your role and project. (Please note entrance criteria for each.)
- Only finalists will be required to prepare and hang a poster for Poster Week, 28 April - 05 May 2023. Up to 32 others may opt to make a poster, on a first-come, first-served basis. Please use the Defense Health Agency template provided.
- Please view the intranet link (WRNMMC computer compatible only) below for resources, templates, and examples: https://wrnmmc-intranet.health.mil/sites/DETR/ResearchProgramsDepartment/2016%20Research%20and%20Innovation%20Month/Forms/AllItems.aspx
Upcoming Conferences:
AMSUS Annual Meeting 2023: February 13-16th at the Gaylord National Resort & Conference Center, National Harbor, MD
Poster Presentations
AMSUS is currently accepting poster abstracts at https://www.amsus.org/2023-poster-submission-information/
The first 100 approved submissions will be invited to present at the in-person Poster Session on Wednesday 15 February. Space is limited; early submissions have the greatest chance of acceptance. The submissions portal will be disabled as soon as the first 100 submissions have been approved—long before the 15 October hard deadline. REMINDER: Before submitting your abstract to AMSUS, be sure to get USU presentation approval through ServiceNow
Awards
AMSUS honors the contributions of outstanding federal healthcare professionals each year through the Awards Program. Fifteen awards are available. The AMSUS Awards portal is now open! Visit https://www.amsus.org/professional-development/amsus-awards-program/ to learn more about the AMSUS Awards and begin the nomination process. The Awards portal closes on October 15.
Registration
Registration rates for the 2023 AMSUS Annual Meeting will be posted on the AMSUS website by mid-August. The registration portal will open in mid-September. If you have any questions, please contact the USU POC for AMSUS, Ms. Tiffany Helling tiffany.helling.ctr@usuhs.edu
2023 Helfer Annual Meeting
The Ray E. Helfer Society Annual Meeting Scholarship was established by the Helfer Society to encourage trainees to consider a career dedicated to the care of maltreated children. The Annual Meeting of the Helfer Society is a mid-sized meeting that promotes exposure to cutting-edge research dedicated to Child Abuse Pediatrics, as well as the opportunity to network with early, mid-career, and senior mentors. The meeting will be held April 16-19, 2023, at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, in Tucson, Arizona. Helfer will be having a hybrid meeting with live presentations and virtual attendance option as well. This scholarship is intended to support travel costs and meeting fees for a trainee to attend the Annual Meeting with the goal of increasing commitment to a career in Child Abuse Pediatrics by talented physicians.
Scholarships are available to medical students and pediatrics residents eligible for a Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship.
Applicants should complete the application form below and attach their current CV. A letter of support from a current member of the Society must be included as well. A subcommittee of the Society will review applications based on the likelihood that the scholarship will improve the potential of the applicant to apply for a Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship and have a productive career dedicated to the care of abused children. Successful applicants are expected to attend the large majority of sessions at the conference in person and are welcome for all social and most business and committee meetings.
Please send completed applications to dbandy@helfersociety.org. Applications will be accepted until January 13, 2023 and results will be communicated around or before February 10, 2023. Scholarships are to be used to support travel, lodging, registration, and other reasonable expenses incurred in the course of travel to the meeting (also see details in the application form). Expected length of applications is 1-3 pages. Please submit application and attachments in a pdf format!!!
Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Conference 2023: April 27-May 1st in Washington, DC
Open Call for Abstracts! Deadline January 4, 2023, at 11:59 pm CT.
With thousands of pediatric researchers and educators attending, PAS 2023 offers an exceptional opportunity to showcase your research at a national conference and to a global audience.
Please remember there are pre-submission steps and DEI requirements to complete before the abstract "Submit" button will be activated. Please begin your preparations early to ensure you meet the PAS 2023 abstract deadline of January 4, 2023, at 11:59 pm CT.
1. Pre-submission Steps. Before submission, all authors/co-authors must submit the following two required tasks. Submissions cannot be accepted unless the below tasks are completed.
a. Author Information Form
b. COI Disclosure
2. DEI Requirements. All submissions are expected to proactively attend to DEI. PAS continues to commit to reaching our DEI goals, creating a more diverse and inclusive Program and community. (For more information, please read our PAS DEI Statement here).
3. PAS 2023 Highlighted Theme. PAS will continue to build a program schedule around three Highlighted Themes each year. When you submit you will have the opportunity to let us know if your abstract aligns with a Highlighted Theme:
a. The Impact of Policies on Health and Research
b. Addressing & Overcoming Racism in Clinical Care and Research
c. Science is Real: Research, Misinformation, and Trust
4.Pre-recording. All accepted oral abstracts and posters will be required to pre-record prior to the PAS Meeting. Presenting authors will also be expected to attend and present in person.A small number of oral abstracts will be selected for "Live" stream and will be recorded during the presentation in DC. Pre-recording your session will allow those unable to travel to access your science via On Demand. PAS strives to make more meeting content accessible to the pediatric community and your help in this is greatly valued. More information on this is to come.
5. Patient/Family Representation - PAS values the family/patient perspective and encourages their participation within research. You will have the opportunity to let us know if they are a part of your abstract during the submission process.
Click here to submit
ARMY
- Planning on going on leave? There is a new DA31 form. You can find the most updated leave forms here: https://www.nccpeds.com/army-leave
AIR FORCE
PT Tests:
To schedule a test at Walter Reed, please contact SSgt Talia Johnson (talia.l.johnson2.mil@mail.mil). Please allow a few business days for a response.
If there is no availability at WRNMMC, you must test at Andrews AFB. Contact Ms. Laurie Creel (laurie.a.creel.civ@mail.mil)
Leave
Complete an updated Travel Assessment for any leave requests and send to Brittany Bumgardner or Dr. Zanetti for signature.
Upload the signed TRA to your LeaveWeb request, and designate Brittany Bumgardner and Dr. Zanetti as your primary and backup approver.
If you have a negative balance, submit requests to Col Rieker.
Ensure you are up to date with your Individual Medical Readiness
For Fellows: Fill out TRA, send to fellowship director/specialty chief for signing, submit leave to Maj Mary Hoffman and backup is AF personnel within specialty
NAVY
Training Schedule

FITREPS
- Please start submitting your FITREP through eNAVFIT system.
- Link to access: https://www.bol.navy.mil/BAM/menu.aspx
- Click “eNavFit Program”
NCCPeds Instructions:
Overall Timeline:
- FITREP Ranking Board: 12/14
- "Drop-Dead" Deadline for eNAVFIT Completion & Green Folders: 12/21
*****************************
- Send Dr. Hepps your Brag Sheet & Block 41 draft NLT 12/9-- pre-ranking board on 12/14
- Send Theresa "Green Folder Items" (see below) NLT 12/16-- pre-submission date on 12/21
- Complete eNAVFIT NLT 12/16- pre-submission date on 12/21 <--- ** PLEASE initiate your eNAVFIT sometime next week. Almost everyone who has done this process already has had to do some major troubleshooting.**
What do YOU do, versus the Program versus the FITREP office?
1) FITREP Office: The FITREP Office will make the summary group "shells"
2) You:
a) Create your individual FITREP on eNAVFIT
- See email below for what goes in each block
- You may find your summary group using these code:
Interns: Residents/Fellows: 2023 03 2100 P-Interns Residents/Fellows: 2023 03 2100 P-Residents Res/Fellow Select: 2023 03 2100 P-Residents Select
- Your reviewer chain is as follows:
i. YOU
ii. CAPT Gregory Gorman
iii. CDR Joseph Zeman (DMS)- DODID 1276997765
iv. CAPT William Grady (FITREP Office)
v. CAPT Anthony Keller (Xo)
vi. CAPT Ziad (Steve) Aboona (CO)
- Paste your draft Block 41 into the comments section. If you have not had yours reviewed and approved by one of our Navy Advisors at the last MMOC session, let me know ASAP.
b) Email Theresa the following items for your Green Folder
- Prior FITREP
- Brag sheet (reattached just in case)
- PRIMS (see below for link)
- IMR (see below for link)
- OSR & PSR (see below for link)
- Electronic Training Jacket (found on "My Navy Portal" --> ETJ --> Training)
3) The Program: CAPT Gorman and Dr. Hepps will review your FITREP and print/submit your FITREP packages (green folders with admin items + FITREP draft)
Troubleshooting Pearls:
* If you are having trouble searching yourself under email, search with DODID
* If you're having trouble finding reporting senior/others in your chain, try different versions of their email (@ health.milvs. @ mail.mil)
Previous Instructions:
If you need training on how to use eNAVFIT—access the power points on RELIAS or use this link to access modules: https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Career-Management/Performance-Evaluation/eNAVFIT/
Important Instructions:
The FITREP office should have opened up a shell FITREP for you, so once you have access to the site, on the left hand side go to Click “Manage Appraisal”
If you don’t see a FITREP started for you, then on the left hand side click “Start Appraisal”
If you by accidently have two or more FITREPs, you can delete duplicative FITREPs at the bottom of the appraisal.
Filling eNAVFIT Instructions:
If you have to “Start Appraisal” from scratch, enter the DODID of CO Aboona : 1105253016
Duty: ACT
Station: NMRTC Bethesda
Promotion status: Regular
Date Reported to this Command: Enter when you checked in
Physical Readiness: Your most recent PRT results
Billet Subcategory: Intern (PGY1) or Resident/Fellow ( for PGY-2 and above)
Under the Report Section: Period of Report February 1st 2022 to January 31st, 2023, you may have a different period of report if you just started internship, residency, or fellowship. Please input your check in date.
Type of Report: Regular
Mid-term Counseling Performance: Date when you met with your PD/APD and their name
Fill out your Command/Duties
Under the Comments section is what we originally referred to as Block 41 and the bulk of your FITREP! Make it SHINE 😊
Under the Reviewers section: Please ADD YOURSELF FIRST, then your APD or PD or your Navy GME leadership representative. Your Directorate representative should also be added, I’ve listed below for your reference.
Directorate of Medical Services(DMS) –Add CDR Joseph Zeman
Directorate of Surgical Services( DSS) – Add CDR Michael Paul
Directorate of Education, Training and Research (DETR)—Add MAJ Robyn Chalupa
Directorate of Behavioral Health (DBH) –Add CDR Robert Lovern
Directorate of Clinical Services (DCS)—Add MAJ (s) Jonathan Keung
Finally REMEMBER TO CLICK SAVE!!
Once completed, PRINT out a copy and put in the Green Folder along with the items listed below.
You will still need to submit in a GREEN FOLDER the following documentation to your GME leadership:
Your printed FITREP after submission online (place in the right side of the folder) and any DRAFTS from reviewers
Previous FITREP -- https://www.bol.navy.mil/BAM/menu.aspx (place in the left side of the folder)
Brag sheet – Attached in this e-mail above (place in the left side of the folder)
Copy of PRIMS -- https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/performance/prims?utm_source=mnp%20public (place in the left side of the folder)
IMR -- https://www.bol.navy.mil/BAM/menu.aspx (place in the left side of the folder)
Member Data Summary (OSR and PSR) -- https://www.bol.navy.mil/BAM/menu.aspx(place in the left side of the folder)
Important Dates:
1. FITREPS due to your Program Director or GME Leadership-please check with your internal services!
2. 03/LT cycle ends-- January 31st , 2023
Important Resources:
1. CAPT Joel Schofer’s Medical Corps Officer Blog on how to write FITREPS! https://mccareer.org/joel-schofers-fitrep-prep/
Specific Instructions on FITREP from CO:
1. All FITREPs need a soft break out and a closing promotion recommendation
2 Comments on Performance section: Needs to be Cause and Effect so use objective numbers when at all possible
3. Comments on Performance section: Those in training especially approaching a selection board, gives bullets on current activities/accomplishments. And if able to participate in command activities(hospital committees or subcommittees), research, QI projects, how many procedures performed or patients seen, national committee board member and the impact of your role.