Uniformed Services University and UK Defence Medical Command Expand Collaboration to Strengthen Allied Medical Readiness

Agreement creates new opportunities for military medical education, research, and training while advancing U.S.-UK partnership.

July 8, 2026 by Sharon Holland

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) and the United Kingdom's (UK) Defence Medical Command have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) July 2 in London to expand collaboration in military medical education, research, training, and professional development, reinforcing the long-standing partnership between two of the world's closest military allies.

USU President Jonathan Woodson, MD, MSS, FACS, and Air Marshal Clare Walton, Chief of Defence Medical for the UK, signed the agreement, which establishes a framework for increased academic collaboration and creates new opportunities for eligible UK military medical personnel to participate in USU academic programs, collaborate in research, and engage in professional military medical education alongside their U.S. counterparts.

"The United States and the United Kingdom have long stood shoulder to shoulder in military operations around the world," Woodson said. "Preparing the next generation of military healthcare professionals together builds on that legacy and ensures our forces remain ready to meet the evolving challenges of military medicine."

Under the agreement, eligible UK military medical personnel may participate in USU's signature military medical training experiences, including Operation Bushmaster, the University's culminating field practicum that prepares future military healthcare professionals to deliver care in complex operational environments. Faculty, researchers, and military medical professionals from both organizations will collaborate through academic exchanges, professional development activities and the sharing of operational and clinical expertise, strengthening interoperability and readiness across allied medical forces.

Woodson said the partnership reflects a shared investment in the next generation of military medical leaders.

"This Memorandum of Understanding reflects the enduring partnership between the Defence Medical Command and the Uniformed Services University and our shared commitment to excellence in military medicine," Woodson added. "By working together to educate and develop the next generation of military healthcare professionals, we strengthen our ability to provide outstanding care to those we serve and enhance our readiness to meet future challenges together."

The MOU adds to a growing roster of international partnerships at USU. Military medical school leaders from around the world gathered at the university in 2024 for the International Conference of Military Medical Schools, where global health security and cross-border collaboration were central themes.

Walton said the agreement reflects a shared commitment to strengthening military medicine through education and collaboration.

"This agreement reinforces the strength of our partnership with the United States and underlines our shared commitment to developing highly capable medical personnel," Walton said. "By training and learning together, we improve our ability to operate together, ensuring we are ready to deliver world-class care wherever Defence requires."

She said the collaboration extends beyond the classroom into shared exercises and knowledge-building between the two nations' medical forces.

"Through academic engagement, professional development opportunities and joint training activity, our organisations will work together to advance professional knowledge, strengthen capability and develop future military medical leaders," she added.

UK personnel are expected to gain broader access to specialized clinical and academic expertise under the agreement, while both nations build on decades of shared operational and clinical experience. The MOU reinforces the long-standing defense relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States and gives allied medical forces on both sides of the Atlantic more ways to learn from one another.