This episode of WarDocs features Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. Charisma Evangelista, the Air Force’s leading voice on refractive surgery and an expert in ocular trauma. The conversation begins with her upbringing in the Philippines and her unique path to military medicine, driven by a desire for service and the supportive, collaborative culture she found at the Uniformed Services University. Dr. Evangelista explains her transition from a prospective general surgeon to an

From Survival to Restoration: The Evolution of Military Rehabilitation     In the wake of 9/11 and the ensuing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, military medicine faced a daunting challenge: a wave of casualties with devastating, complex injuries unlike those seen in recent history. In our latest episode of WarDocs , we sit down with Retired Army Colonel Dr. Paul Pasquina, a leader in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, to discuss how Walter Reed Army Medical Center adapte

In this compelling episode of the podcast, we explore the groundbreaking paradigm shift of bringing whole blood resuscitation from the combat zones of Afghanistan directly to civilian pre-hospital emergency care. For decades, standard civilian trauma protocols relied heavily on crystalloid fluids and component therapy, delaying crucial blood transfusions until a critically injured patient arrived at the hospital. However, hard-won lessons from military medical teams operating

Leading the Future of Military Medicine: A Master Class with LTG Mary K. Izaguirre   In this episode of WarDocs, we are honored to speak with Lieutenant General Mary K. Izaguirre, the 46th Army Surgeon General. With a career spanning over 30 years—from her early days at Madigan Army Medical Center to her time in a Bagram tent—LTG Izaguirre shares her perspective on leading through periods of immense transformation. The Fundamental Shift: Optimizing for the Mission    A core t

Celebrating Excellence in Military Medicine Research In this episode of WarDocs, we sit down with the lead author of the prestigious 2025 Military Medicine Article of the Year. The discussion centers on a groundbreaking study that utilizes the LIMBIC-CENC cohort, a massive consortium representing over 3,000 participants. This research is fundamentally changing how the medical community views "invisible" wounds by providing physical evidence for symptoms that traditional imagi

The transition from the intense street battles of Mogadishu to the halls of Congress is a path few have walked, but for retired Army Colonel Dr. Robert Mabry, it was a journey fueled by a singular mission: ensuring no soldier dies from a preventable injury because the system failed to adapt. In this compelling episode of WarDocs , Dr. Mabry shares a raw look at the evolution of Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and a provocative vision for the future of operational medicin