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Military Medical History

Military medicine has a long and celebrated history. We apply lessons from our past to improve the care of military personnel and their families today and in the future. New surgical techniques, powerful painkillers, antibiotic drugs, and triage and evacuation procedures have revolutionized military medicine.

In this section, you'll find featured stories and information about the history of military medicine.

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USU Students Examine Civil War History to Understand the Future of Medicine

Article Around MHS
9/22/2021
Nearly 300 students from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences participated in a 30-year-old-tradition of marching through the battlefield of Antietam on Aug. 20

During the Battle of Antietam, Union Major Jonathan Letterman implemented his ideas for reshaping the Army’s Medical Corps, earning him the nickname the “Father of Battlefield Medicine.”

Recommended Content:

Military Medical History

Gen. George Washington Ordered Smallpox Inoculations for All Troops

Article
8/16/2021
Old photo of George Washington in battle

George Washington’s tactics included directing the first mass military inoculations

Recommended Content:

Military Medical History | Immunizations

How Spec Ops and DHA Teamed Up to Build an Inexpensive DIY Ventilator

Article
7/28/2021
Nurse checks up on a patient in a mechanical ventilator

Military inventiveness is seen in the history of ventilators

Recommended Content:

Military Medical History

MHS and MOS Town Hall: Virtual Tour

Article
7/27/2021
Infographic for the Town Hall

MHS and Military OneSource To Your Health presents a virtual Field Trip to The National Museum of Health and Medicine.

Recommended Content:

Military Medical History | National Museum of Health and Medicine

MHS and MOS Town Hall Virtual Tour

Video
7/27/2021
Infographic about the Town Hall

MHS and Military OneSource To Your Health presents a virtual field trip to The National Museum of Health and Medicine.

Recommended Content:

Military Medical History | National Museum of Health and Medicine

30 Years after Desert Storm, Military Medicine Evolving ‘Phenomenally’

Article
6/9/2021
Military health personnel surrounding an operating table

Thirty years after the Persian Gulf War, technical advances in military medicine are saving lives and improving post-trauma quality of life.

Recommended Content:

Military Medical History | Health Innovation Month

Paving the way for women in military medicine: Dr. Mary Edwards Walker

Article
3/26/2021
Old picture of Dr. Mary Edwards wearing her Medal of Honor

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker’s persistence and disregard for societal norms was central to the role that women can play in the DOD and MHS today.

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Military Medical History | Military Health Medal of Honor Recipients | Women's Health

National Army museum honors America’s Soldiers

Article
11/13/2020
Wall in the museum with pictures and interactive displays

The museum is a joint U.S. Army-Army Historical Foundation construction effort.

Recommended Content:

Military Medical History

NMHM documents military medicine advancements during the Civil War

Article
10/5/2020
Old-time photo of soldiers with crutches, canes, and missing limbs.

Initial challenges to military medicine stemmed from limited medical knowledge and lack of organization in the medical corps.

Recommended Content:

Combat Support | Military Medical History | National Museum of Health and Medicine

Moments in Military Medicine: Blood Donations on the Battlefield

Video
2/4/2020
Moments in Military History

Since January was National Blood Donor Month, learn more about the history of blood donations on the battlefield and the incredible work of the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP).

Recommended Content:

Combat Support | Armed Services Blood Program | Military Medical History | National Museum of Health and Medicine

Physician-astronaut Col. Drew Morgan holds live Q&A from space

Article
10/25/2019
Army Col. Drew Morgan held up a floating USU pennant and grinned live from the International Space Station. He said there were tears in his eyes because "I am so proud. I am so proud to be a part of your team," talking to medical students at his alma mater, at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. (DHA photo)

Event connects International Space Station with USU, global audience

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Military Medical History

Moments in Military Medicine: The Genesis of MHS GENESIS

Video
10/3/2019
Moments in Military Medicine: The Genesis of MHS GENESIS

Electronic records are so common, it's hard to remember a time they weren't around. Learn about the #genesisofGENESIS and how electronic health records evolved in the Military Health System over the decades.

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Electronic Health Record: MHS GENESIS | Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization (FEHRM) Program Office | Military Medical History | MHS GENESIS Toolkit | National Museum of Health and Medicine | MHS GENESIS

Military doctors and the president

Video
9/4/2018
Military doctors and the president

Did you know that Abraham Lincoln's first responder was a military doctor? Military medicine has come a long way since Lincoln's assassination. Watch this video to learn more.

Recommended Content:

Military Medical History | National Museum of Health and Medicine

Paul Revere

Video
7/3/2018
Paul Revere

Before his midnight ride, Paul Revere was an amateur dentist. See how his work during the Revolutionary War inspired the use of dental identification on the battlefield and beyond.

Recommended Content:

Military Medical History | National Museum of Health and Medicine

Defense Health Agency Overview

Presentation
2/9/2017

Defense Health Agency Overview

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Military Medical History | Research and Innovation
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