FORT HOOD, Texas  –   Long Hours, Lasting Purpose: Inside Residency at CRDAMC
At Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, the next generation of military physicians is training for a mission that demands both medical expertise and military readiness.

The hospital’s graduate medical education programs include over 65 resident physicians from across the military, including the Army, Air Force, and Navy, creating a joint environment where residents spend three to four years refining their skills while caring for service members, retirees, and their families. Residents rotate through nearly every corner of the hospital — from the emergency department and labor and delivery to inpatient wards, mental health clinics, and specialty services — to learn as much as possible.

“They put in long hours — as much as 80 hours in a given week — to become the best physicians that they can for our patients and to preserve the nation’s fighting strength,” said Col. Drew Baird, director of medical education.

A Calling to Serve
For Navy Lt. Bradley Vander Zanden, a first-year family medicine resident, the journey to medicine was shaped by nearly two decades of military service.

“I began my military career in the Marine Corps in 2005 after joining on a dare with a close friend,” Vander Zanden said. “That impulsive decision ended up positively shaping my entire life.”

He realized his calling to medicine during deployments while caring for service members in challenging environments.

“One night in Kuwait, while working alone in a tent clinic and caring for multiple critical patients, I experienced a moment of realization that medicine was my true calling,” Vander Zanden said.

Now, his training includes rotations across multiple specialties while maintaining continuity in family medicine.

“As a Family Medicine intern, a typical week involves working on an inpatient service that rotates every four weeks,” he said. “This schedule requires long hours and intensive learning, but it consistently leads to a deeper appreciation and understanding of each area of medicine.”

Caring for the Mind
Air Force Capt. Hunter Barnes, a third-year psychiatry resident, says connecting with patients is what drew him to his specialty.

“Psychiatry is a very unique specialty in which we are able to sit down with another human, one-on-one, often in someone’s darkest or most trying time — and sit there with them to troubleshoot a way forward,” Barnes said.

Serving in a military hospital adds another layer of responsibility.

“We wear two hats,” Barnes said. “One is that of a physician where we remain clinical, data-driven, and compassionate. The other is with the mission in mind.”

High Stakes in the Emergency Department
Army Capt. Emmalena Kelly, chief resident in emergency medicine, describes each shift as unpredictable and intense.

“Emergency medicine offers an incredible blend of procedures, diagnostic reasoning, and human connection,” Kelly said. “It feels like solving a puzzle in real time.”

As a senior resident, she supervises trainees, runs trauma and resuscitations, and helps manage patient flow.

“The reward is the autonomy and procedural experience we gain,” Kelly said. “Our residents perform chest tubes, intubations, orthopedic reductions, splinting, and other bedside procedures that might be deferred to other specialties at larger hospitals.”

Yet some of the most powerful moments are quieter.

“In training, we learn countless ways to save lives,” Kelly said. “We don’t spend as much time learning how to honor someone’s decision not to pursue treatment.”

Long Hours, Shared Purpose
Residency demands more than clinical skill — it requires resilience, discipline, and support.

For Vander Zanden, balancing long hours with family life is the greatest challenge.

“Intern year is a grind — the learning curve is steep, the responsibilities are extensive, and the sleep between is never enough,” he said.

Still, the growth makes the sacrifices worthwhile.

“The most rewarding part of residency has been the steady growth in my skills, knowledge, and confidence as a physician,” Vander Zanden said. “There is a deep sense of accomplishment in coming home and sharing with my family what I have learned, the new skills I have developed, and the patients I have helped.”

Barnes reflected on the deep balance that defines military medicine: “For me it means I can give back to those who need the care without having to navigate some of the social constraints, while at the same time helping to support the mission.”

Kelly says serving as both a physician and officer adds meaning to the work.

“It’s a privilege,” Kelly said. “I have the opportunity to care for patients while serving as an Army officer — whether in the hospital, in training environments, or potentially in operational settings.”

For Vander Zanden, that dual mission is central to why he chose military medicine.

“It’s an honor to dedicate my life to serving both patients and the nation through my commitment to our military and the practice of medicine,” he said.

Each day at CRDAMC, residents step into clinics, wards, and emergency rooms knowing the hours will be long and the stakes high.

But for many, the purpose behind the work makes it worthwhile.

“Ultimately,” Vander Zanden said, “it is both a privilege and a responsibility to support the well-being of those who serve our country and their families.”