Cardiologist Discusses Army Career

　　Casscells医生

　　勇气、自由和努力这些词不仅仅是心血管研究领域中一些最新研究的名字，而且也是像S.Ward Casscells医生（国防部健康事物助理秘书）一样的那些美国军人的座右铭。

　　Casscells医生在他身后的主会场大屏幕上列举了17个具有爱国主义和激励色彩的试验名字，例如“力量和希望”，并说：“看看心血管研究的列表，正是这些词每日激励着与我一起工作的同事。”

　　在成功的心脏病学职业生涯中期，Cassells医生决定要改变自己的生活轨迹加入美国陆军预备役。这周他在TCT大会上描述了扩大的军队卫生系统，并鼓励他人加入并为军队卫生系统效力。

　　领导力的训练

　　在2007年4月获得内阁任命前，Casscells医生是休斯敦的得克萨斯大学健康科学中心内科学（心脏病学）和公共卫生学教授，并被授予John Edward Tyson著名教授称号，他还是得克萨斯心脏研究所临床研究主任。作为美国陆军预备役上校，他被指派参加近来的飓风和海啸灾难以及伊拉克战争的救援工作。

　　他说：“那是一段非常艰苦的时光。我发现在那里开展工作非常困难，我在那里失去了很多朋友——医生、护士、战士和水兵。”他鼓励那些正面临职业选择的医生到征兵站去加入陆军医疗队。

　　Casscells医生劝说听众中的药物和器械公司的CEO们想想那些为军队服务的战士正是在接受领导力和信息学训练的潜在的工作者。“他们的特长是管理和领导，而不是再狭窄和心脏衰竭。”他说。

　　关于反恐战争中外伤性脑损伤，还有很多信息并不清楚。Casscells医生邀请神经病学家考虑参加研究，并说：“我们有3亿美元的资金去进行这项研究，我们需要你们的建议。”

　　合作的可能

　　在TCT Daily采访过程中Casscells谈到医生军队卫生系统正在扩大。

　　他说：“军队卫生系统在不知不觉中变得越来越大。医生们没有认识到军队卫生系统对科学、医学及社会和人道主义作出的贡献。如果他们希望作为合作科学家参加研究工作，如果他们有兴趣穿上军装干一番事业，我们欢迎。”

　　军队卫生系统享每年有430亿美元的财政预算，而且还在增加。今年每天都有13到14.5万雇员在为其工作。这还包括70家医院和1000家诊所，其中拥有910万患者的数据库。

　　军队卫生系统每年资助10亿多美元用于研究。这些钱主要用于战伤护理、医疗信息学、组织再生和感染性疾病的科技研究。

　　随着系统财政经费的增长，它也需要越来越多的研究人员。

　　Casscells医生最后说：“我们打算在今后10年使军队的医生和护士更多地成为和平大使，而不仅是国家勇士的保护者。”

　　（首都医科大学附属北京安贞医院　苑飞　编译）

Cardiologist Discusses Army Career

Casscells invitedattendees to contribute.

Words such as COURAGE,FREEDOM and ENDEAVOR are more than names of some of the latest trials in cardiovascular research. They are words that describe and inspire U.S. military personnel, according
to S.Ward Casscells, MD, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.

“ L o o k i n g through this list of cardiovascular trials, I noticed that many of these are terms that motivate the people that I work with everyday,” Casscells said, making reference to the 17 patriotic and inspirational trial names – such as STRENGTH andHOPE – listed behind him on the Main Arena screen.

Upon reaching the middle of his successful career in cardiology, Casscells decided to switch tracks when he joined the U.S. Army Reserve. This week, he came to TCT to describe the expansive military health system, and to urge others to take part in the military’s health-care efforts.

Trained in leadership

Prior to his government appointment in April 2007, Casscells was the John Edward Tyson Distinguished
Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) and Public Health at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston.

He was also director of clinical research at the Texas Heart Institute. As a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, he was deployed to recent hurricane and tsunami relief efforts, as well asto Iraq.

“It’s been a very tough time,” he said. “I found it a very difficult thing being deployed there. I lost friends there — doctors, nurses, soldiers, marines under my care, colleagues.”

He urged doctors who are facing the next phase of their careers to “walk down to the recruiting station
and join the Army Medical Corps.”

Casscells urged pharmaceutical and device company CEOs in the audience to consider that soldiers coming off military service are potential workers trained in leadership and informatics. “Their specialty is management and leadership, not restenosis or heart failure.”

The “signature injury of the war on terror” is traumatic brain injury, and information is needed. “We have $300 million going into that research,” he said, inviting neurologists to consider applying for grants. “We welcome your suggestions,” Casscells said.
 

Collaboration possible

The military health-care system is extensive, Casscells told TCT Daily in an interview.

“The military health system is bigger than [physicians] know about because it’s so quiet,” he said. “They don’t realize most of the scientific contributions, medical contributions, and social and humanitarian contributions. If they want to participate as collaborating scientists with research grants, if they’re interested in putting on a uniform and doing some handson work … we welcome that.”

The system operates with a $43 billion per year budget that is climbing. This year, there are between 130,000 and 145,000 employees working in the system each day. That number includes 70 in-patient facilities and close to 1,000 clinics. There are 9.1 million people in the patient database.

The health-care system funds its own internal research run primarily out of the Army with a little over $1
billion available. That money is generally earmarked for combat casualty care, medical informatics, tissue

regeneration and infectious disease technology research.

As the system grows financially, so will its staff.

“We continue to think that over thenext decade, the military physicians and nurses will increasingly be ambassadors of peace and not just protectors of the nation’s warriors,” Casscells said.