Newswise — Bethesda, Md. – The Surgeon General of the United States Navy, Vice Adm. C. Forrest Faison, III, will address more than 400 uniformed professionals and their guests on May 18, Armed Forces Day, as they receive their medical, graduate nursing, dental, biomedical science, public health, and clinical psychology degrees from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU).
The university’s 40th commencement exercise will take place at the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.
Faison received his baccalaureate degree from Wake Forest University, prior to being commissioned by the Navy in 1980. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from USU in 1984, then completed post-graduate training in general pediatrics at Naval Hospital San Diego and fellowship training in neurodevelopmental pediatrics at the University of Washington. Prior to being appointed the Navy’s 38th Surgeon General in 2015, Faison served in numerous leadership positions, including commander of Navy Medicine West and Naval Medical Center San Diego, where he was responsible for medical care and support to more than 850,000 eligible beneficiaries by a staff of 16,000 at 10 hospitals and more than 300 clinics from the West Coast to the Indian Ocean. He has also served as deputy chief of the Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, deputy commander of Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, director of Department of Defense Telemedicine, and director of clinical services for U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, Japan.
During USU’s commencement exercise on Saturday, students will enter DAR Constitution Hall to “Pomp and Circumstance” performed by “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Corps Band. The graduates are a mix of military and civilian students. The uniformed students are active duty officers in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Public Health Service and will walk across the stage, wearing their academic regalia. After receiving their diplomas, they will leave the stage and change into their military uniforms. Graduating medical students will return to recite their respective Service commissioning oath, led individually by each service Surgeon General or his/her representative, and will then be promoted to the next rank.
Graduates from USU’s F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine – “America’s Medical School” – will include 168 Doctor of Medicine degrees, 44 master’s degrees in biomedical sciences and public health, 19 Doctor of Philosophy degrees, and 1 Doctor of Public Health degree. USU’s Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing will confer 41 Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees, 2 Master of Science in Nursing degrees, and 2 Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science degrees, and USU’s Postgraduate Dental College will confer 69 Master of Science in Oral Biology degrees. Through USU’s College of Allied Health Sciences, 57 enlisted members will also receive their Associate of Science in Health Sciences degrees.
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About the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) is the nation's only Federal health sciences university. USU educates, trains and prepares uniformed services health professionals, officers and leaders to directly support the Military Health System, the National Security and National Defense Strategies of the United States and the readiness of our armed forces. For more information, visit www.usuhs.edu.
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