From the Cockpit to the Clinic, USU Medical Students Immerse Themselves in Summer Operational Readiness Experiences

A summer of hands-on training takes USU medical students beyond the classroom and into the heart of the military mission.

September 30, 2025 by Hadiyah Brendel

Each summer, the roar of jet engines and the controlled chaos of tactical training replace the quiet routines of university life at the Uniformed Services University (USU). This is the Summer Operational Experience (SOE)-a program where military medical students trade textbooks for hands-on immersion in real-world operations. It offers a front-row view of how medical expertise integrates with missions and warfighters, while giving students a glimpse of the unique roles they may one day fulfill.

For some, the journey begins with a call to the flight line. For others, it unfolds in the middle of a simulated battlefield. For one student, it even meant earning Air Assault wings. This summer, three students experienced what it truly means to live the mission-just a glimpse of the many unique opportunities available to USU students during the Summer Operational Experience.

A G-Force Lesson in Flight Medicine

For 2nd Lt. Savannah Champagne, an Air Force medical student, the summer meant two weeks at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. There, she joined students from both military and civilian medical schools in a joint training program that fulfilled two of the core requirements for those pursuing a career as a flight doctor.

In the classroom, flight doctors spoke about their wide-ranging responsibilities. Champagne listened as they described overseeing occupational health, managing the care of an entire squadron, and ensuring pilots were fit to fly. That direct exposure revealed the unexpected breadth of the profession.

While the classroom provided theory, the most visceral lesson came in the sky. Buckled into the cockpit of a trainer aircraft, Champagne flew with a retired Air Force F-15 pilot. The horizon tilted as they banked, pressure building in her chest as the plane pulled just a few "G's." The experience gave new depth to the pilot's stories, linking her to both the technical skill of flying and the physical toll it takes on a pilot's body.

"It was a unique experience that no other SOE will give you," Champagne reflected. The flight was a physical manifestation of the vital connection between a medical professional and the military mission. She concluded, "No matter what specialty I get to be a part of after I graduate, I am an Air Force officer and in one way or another we are all supporting the mission of the Air Force. This SOE let us see how those physicians closest to the pilots care for them and support the mission of the Air Force, and reinforced the importance of you knowing the mission of the base/command you are under wherever you may end up."

On the Ground with Special Forces Medics

At Fort Bragg, N.C., Army medical student 2nd Lt. Jonathan Cook dove into the Special Forces Medical Skills Sustainment Course (SFMSSSC). This 15-day refresher for Special Forces Medical Sergeants and Special Operations Independent Duty Corpsmen is designed to sharpen skills that are high-stakes but rarely used.

Cook expected to just observe, but with a smaller group, he found himself in the thick of it. He watched the medics operate with a speed and precision he had never witnessed. One moment, they were calmly assessing a simulated patient; the next, a flurry of decisive, practiced movements stabilized a life-threatening wound. Their seamless coordination reflected a depth of training that exceeded Cook's expectations.

"Their ability to stabilize a patient and continue to support them for days waiting for evac to definitive care is impressive and inspires confidence in the Army's ability to take care of their soldiers," Cook said.

For a future emergency medicine physician, the experience of working alongside these medics was invaluable, transforming Cook's initial apprehension into practiced readiness. The lessons he gleaned in the controlled chaos of the course, he says, will stay with him long after leaving the field.

From Patient Exam to Sling Load Inspection

2nd Lt. Alexander Barrett, an Army medical student, spent his SOE at the Sabalauski Air Assault School at Fort Campbell, Ky. The physical challenges were numerous-including timed rucks and demanding obstacle courses-but it was the technical tasks that surprised him most.

"Inspection of sling loads was a very technical part of the experience, which reminded me of a patient exam," Barrett said. He explained that, just like a doctor goes head-to-toe on a patient, he and his classmates would start at the top of the load and work their way down, meticulously checking every strap and ensuring all items were secure. "It required you to be vigilant and detail-oriented to identify small issues… just like going head to toe on a patient." He learned that, in both medicine and on the battlefield, every small detail can have a huge impact. Even the absence of a single earplug from their kit would get them dropped from the course.

While this high-stakes attention to detail may deter some, Barrett advised, "Greater challenges often result in greater reward, so don't let the challenge push you away."

The most rewarding part of his experience was the camaraderie forged with his classmates. Barrett was proud to keep up with them through the course's demanding moments, but the true honor came at graduation when they pinned on his Air Assault wings. "I know that, having tackled these challenges with them, we will always have each others' backs, even in the most trying times."

Barrett sees the skills learned in the course as vital for a future in military medicine. As the threat environment evolves, he believes military doctors may need to move away from established field hospitals to provide care in smaller, more flexible footprints. This experience, he said, will allow him to pursue a more operational role and address the medical needs of future conflicts.