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Navy Medical Corps 152nd Anniversary celebrated at NMRTC Bremerton
3/03/23 (Fri)
Story by Douglas Stutz
Naval Hospital Bremerton/Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Bremerton
It was on March 3, 1871, that 153 U.S. Navy physicians was officially recognized as a staff corps to parallel their professional status with other naval officers.
That date was readily acknowledged 152 years later, March 3, 2023, at Navy Medicine Readiness Training Command Bremerton with an anniversary celebration for Navy Medical Corps officers assigned to the command.
“Happy birthday to our Medical Corps colleagues. They have an amazing amount of medical knowledge within our Navy Medicine. I have had the privilege over the last 30 years of working with some of the best in the business and most of the best in the last year, if I may so. I am very grateful for the association with the Medical Corps,” said Capt. Patrick Fitzpatrick, Naval Hospital Bremerton director and NMRTC Bremerton commanding officer.
There are 4,200 active duty and reserve physicians in the Medical Corps practicing in 23 medical specialties and over 200 sub-specialties.
According to the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), even well before the Medical Corps’ inception, their collective responsibilities then, as now, continues to expand in scope and complexity. Navy physicians are assigned at a number of locales on land. as well as at sea, in aviation and undersea medical communities, and as astronauts exploring the frontiers of space.
In providing patient-centered care at NHB/NMRTC Bremerton, Medical Corps officers engage in such specialties as; anesthesiology, family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, neurology, and dermatology. Subspecialties include working with mental health, OB/GYN, occupational medicine, otorhinolaryngology (Ears, Nose, and Throat clinic), ophthalmology, orthopedic, pediatrics and radiology.
For Capt. Samuel Espiritu, his career as an anesthesiologist has provided gratification in caring for those in need and working with other corps officers.
“As a physician, it is gratifying to provide treatment to a patient and also treat their fears of not knowing what to expect. Allaying that fear is a reward all its’ own,” explained Espiritu. “It also is rewarding to help mentor a younger member to navigate all the requirements and get through the years of internship, residency and specialty training.”
The ceremony, as tradition dictates, included a cake-cutting ceremony featuring the most senior Medical Corps officer, Capt. James McDonald with 22 years of experience and Lt. Brodrick Hirai, starting out at his first command after completing his residency at NMRTC Camp Lejeune Family Medicine Residency in July, 2022.
Congratulatory letters from Navy Medicine Dental Corps, Civilian Corps, Hospital Corps, Medical Service Corps and Nurse Corps directors were read by representatives of each distinct entity as was well-wishes by Rear Adm. Guido Valdes, Medical Corps chief.
“As our country and the world continues to recover from the global pandemic, I reflect on how dedicated Navy physicians support our Navy and Marine Corps and civilian family. From managing patients affected by COVID-19 to supporting mental health and wellness, our corps has dedicated time, skill and experience to the fight. As we celebrate 152 years of service to our Navy, I am awed by the professionalism, tenacity and ingenuity of our 4,200 active and reserve Medical Corps officers. Embedded into our fleet, Marine Corps and joint teams, you provide comprehensive medical services anytime, anywhere. Whether deployed around the world, providing care to our service members and dependents at home, or conducting groundbreaking research, Navy physicians are vital to the performance of high-reliability teams,” wrote Valdes.
“As we transition into the future of military medicine, our corps will continue to work relentlessly to support the warfighter with top-notch clinical excellence,” continued Valdes. “In support, I want to increase mission transparency and provide opportunities for career development to you as naval officers and dedicated physicians. I am immensely proud of everything you do every day. You continue to inspire me in your ability to triumph over adversity to provide outstanding care to the world’s most deserving patients.”
Medical Corps officers are also active in biomedical research, medical education and training. They serve aboard afloat platforms and in combat theaters. Navy physicians also fill billets with the Marine Corps, in the Attending Physician’s Office to Congress, as well as the White House.
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