By Rodney Jackson, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center Public Affairs
FORT HOOD, Texas – Temple High School medical students visited Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center for a guided tour of key hospital departments, gaining firsthand insight into health care careers and creating an interest in what military medicine can offer them.
The visit exposed students to real-world medical environments and highlighted a range of career paths within the health care field. Hospital leadership welcomed the group and spoke about the organization’s role in supporting the community.
“Opportunities like this give students a better understanding of what a career in health care looks like,” said Col. Mark Jacques, hospital commander. “We hope this experience encourages them to consider future roles in medicine, including military health care.”
Students toured multiple areas, including inpatient services, as well as the pharmacy and emergency departments, where staff explained daily operations and responsibilities.
Col. Thomas Nessler III, deputy commander for medical services, provided an overview of CRDAMC’s mission and the role of military medicine. Maj. Hugh Elsea, a critical care nurse, along with the nursing operations staff, guided students through designated areas of the inpatient services floor where no patients were present, demonstrating how care is delivered to admitted patients.
In the pharmacy, students learned about medication safety, and the role pharmacists and technicians play in patient care.
“Pharmacy is more than dispensing medications,” said Dr. Adam Alvarez, a pharmacist. “We work closely with providers to ensure treatments are safe and effective.”
Alvarez added that pharmacists and technicians serve as the final safety check before medications – whether oral or intravenous – are administered, both in the hospital and after discharge.
In the emergency department, students toured a treatment area without patients and learned about the fast-paced nature of emergency care.
Students also had the unique opportunity to visit the emergency department’s austere and remote medicine training area, where Army physicians and nurses adapt the skills, they use in the emergency department for field conditions. Army Medicine professionals rely on this training to deliver both humanitarian and military medical care in challenging, out-of-hospital environments.
“Every second counts in the ER,” said Maj. Jason Muise, emergency department chief nurse. “Teamwork and communication are essential to delivering quality care.”
The group also received an ambulance tour from Fort Hood Emergency Medical Services personnel, who explained their roles and demonstrated the equipment used to care for patients after dispatch.
The tour supports Temple High School’s medical college and career readiness program, which focuses on postsecondary planning. The program helps students align academic goals with future careers by offering support with college applications, financial aid, including FAFSA and scholarships, resume building, and interview skills. It also provides career exploration, internships and work-based learning opportunities.
Kristi Burke, college and career advisor for Temple High School, said the experience plays an important role in student development.
“Tours like this help students better understand their career options and the steps needed to achieve their goals,” Burke said. “For me, the most rewarding part is witnessing the ‘lightbulb’ moment when students connect with a specific career path – it transforms their curiosity into passion.”
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