Behind the 600-plus specialized providers who come through Uniformed Services University (USU), the Health Professional Scholarship Program, and other military training programs at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), stands a powerhouse team: the Graduate Medical Education (GME) Program Coordinators and Administrative Professionals. Thirty-three coordinators support 51 programs at Walter Reed, two at the Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center (ATAMMC) at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and several at USU.

Staci Harrison, the program coordinator for the Pediatric Subspecialty Fellowships at Walter Reed, highlighted the immense responsibility of supporting our nation's young providers. “We will work with Army, Navy, Air Force, and Public Health Service positions. It’s an honor to work with them and to make sure they are successfully trained, and our programs maintain accreditation,” she said.

GME program coordinators and administrators gathered for their third annual retreat on Dec. 4 at the USO building on Naval Support Activity Bethesda. to discuss how they can enhance their services.

The retreat was designed for team building and professional growth, creating a “safe space” for coordinators to gain clarity, set purposeful goals, and leave with practical solutions to challenges they face in their daily work. With many coordinators geographically spaced out, the event provided an in-person forum to share knowledge and build a vital community. For Denise Martin, Transitional Year Program Coordinator, National Capital Consortium (NCC)-WRNMMC, who helps lead the volunteer planning committee, it's also about the future. "Brand new coordinators attended and this event helped us build on our mentorship program. That’s been the big benefit of doing this retreat," she said.

Throughout the day, attendees participated in teambuilding and resiliency activities highlighting networking, best practices, goalsetting, and customer service, such as a role-playing exercise with a resiliency coordinator and a game of "GME Family Feud."

Martin elaborated on what the takeaways were for GME retreat participants. “They felt celebrated and appreciated at the retreat and left the retreat feeling empowered to reach out to the other Program Coordinators if they have any questions or struggles. We are learning to become ‘One Team’ and not individuals who are trying to handle the weight of our individual programs alone,” she said.

To learn more about GME programs, visit https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Education-and-Training/DHA-GME/Institutions/NCC/Programs.