August 4, 2010: The Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) is the hub of the Walter Reed Health Care System which provides comprehensive health care for more than 150,000 soldiers, other service members, family members and retirees. Walter Reed Army Medical Center, one of the largest medical treatment facilities within the entire Department of Defense. WRAMC has a long-standing reputation as one of the finest teaching institutions in the country. Medical officers nationally recognized for their skill, training and experience head WRAMC’s department and services, and our educational professionals provide the ultimate in medical professional education.
Dr Steven Treon visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) on Wednesday August 4th, 2010 under the invitation of MAJ Mark Roschewski and the WRAMC Hematologic Malignancies Department. The purpose of the visit was both educational for the trainees and staff at WRAMC as well as an opportunity for Dr Treon to visit with Soldiers who have been wounded in combat and those afflicted with hematologic malignancies. Upon arrival at WRAMC, Dr Treon visited with an 82nd Airborne Infantryman who was wounded in combat and is recovering from multiple orthopaedic injuries. The Soldier and his mother were both originally from the Boston area and appreciated the visit from Dr Treon given the mutual common interests. Another patient receiving inpatient chemotherapy for T-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma also received a visit from Dr Treon and the two discussed the process of his diagnosis while fighting in Afghanistan as well as the current status of his condition. The patient had been in charge of the medical evacuation process while deployed to Afghanistan and relayed his ability to see the importance of his job now that he was on the other end. Dr Treon provided expertise and insight into some possible options in the patient’s care.
Next, Dr Treon met with the Hematology-Oncology fellow trainees at WRAMC in a small group setting to discuss recent cases of Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia (WM) currently being treated at WRAMC and provided tremendous guidance regarding the specific issues regarding each patient. Multiple cases were discussed and the trainees were offered an opportunity to discuss the complexities regarding the management of these patients. Last, Dr Treon gave a formal didactic lecture to both the staff and trainees at WRAMC as well as the National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) in Bethesda, MD via video-teleconference. Approximately 50 persons were in attendance to hear a state-of-the-art discussion surrounding the current biology and treatment options in the management of Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia. Recent seminal discoveries presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting were discussed and time was allotted at the end for specific questions from the participants.
The trip was a resounding success offering both WRAMC and NNMC clinicians the opportunity to interact with a world-renowned expert in hematologic diseases as well as an opportunity for Dr Treon to get a “behind-the-scenes” look at the patients and providers unique to our military system of medicine.
Submitted by MAJ Mark Roschewski, WRAMC Hematologic Malignancies Department