By 2nd Lt. David Herndon
59th Medical Wing Public Affairs

Pediatric Imaging Element Chief Maj. (Dr.) Daniel Podberesky, 759th Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron, discusses the results of an X-ray with Capt. (Dr.) Susan Hobernicht, 859th Medical Operations Squadron, pediatric resident. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Kimberly Yearyean-Siers)

SAN ANTONIO -- The American Council of Graduate Medical Education awarded re-accreditation to a combined Army and Air Force radiology residency program Oct. 19.

The re-accreditation was awarded to the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, which combines Wilford Hall and Brooke Army Medical Center radiology residency graduate medical education.

The program received a five-year accreditation, which is the maximum allowed by the governing body of the ACGME and is granted based upon standards of excellence being met by residency programs.

"A five-year accreditation is the most that any residency can receive. It is a vote of confidence that the ACGME gives to excellent residency programs, having the full faith that the residency will continue to succeed during that period," said Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Liem Mansfield, Brooke Army Medical Center musculo-skeletal radiology specialist and Radiology Resident Program director.

The residency program houses 40 residents and 40 faculty members, making it the largest Department of Defense radiology residency training program. The training takes place at both WHMC and BAMC and is comprised of both Army and Air Force residents.

The program lasts four years and leads to a board certification from the American Board of Radiology for physicians successfully completing requirements. The training program merged with Brooke Army Medical Center in 1997.

"Six criteria or competencies are evaluated by ACGME to see how the program educates residents," said Col. (Dr.) Thomas Seay, Radiology Resident Program associate director.

Those include evaluators looking at medical knowledge about established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological and social-behavior sciences and checking the professionalism, as manifested through a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities, as well as adherence to ethical principles and sensitivity to a diverse patient population.

"Accreditation of a residency program is an important achievement," said Mansfield. "A physician cannot be board certified unless he or she graduates from an accredited residency. It is an achievement that all in the program should be proud of."

The program usually graduates 10 residents per year, and last year all 10 successfully passed the ABR oral examination for board certification.

"Re-accreditation will help with future recruitment of highly qualified physicians who want to enter the field of radiology, specifically to the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium," said Mansfield.