R. Thomas VanHook, MD

CDR, MC, USN, FACEP

I am honored to be nominated for GSACEP Councillor, where I think can make a real difference for federal emergency departments and their patients. My diverse, 21+ year Navy career offers me multiple ground-level perspectives, having spanned a smaller "community" Military Treatment Facility, academic staff in a residency program, years of full-time service with the U.S. Marine Corps, including multiple combat deployments, and several years as a submarine line officer with a nuclear-engineering background. I also have significant top-level perspective, having spent several years in and around ACEP and the AMA at both the national and chapter levels.  More unique, I seem to have unusual insight into the effects that actions from above may have at the ground level-a true gift where I clearly and simultaneously see the forest, the trees, and their interdependence. I believe I can apply these perspectives and this gift to help steer organized medicine-in its attempts to address "big picture" issues-to make things easier for "front line" emergency physicians in both federal and private practice.

As one of your Councillors, I feel I can well represent the interests of federal emergency physicians and our patients before the ACEP Council.  As ACEP's policy-making body, the Council needs GSACEP input.  Not only does GSACEP provide a unique and valued perspective on both the good and not-so-good aspects of a large, integrated health care system, but GSACEP also frequently provides much needed education on the unintended consequences of otherwise well-meaning policy changes.  As an Alternate Councillor, my knack for quickly recognizing those consequences was quite useful, and it would help even more as a Councillor. Additionally, I am no different than most federal emergency physicians in that I am very involved in processes beyond my emergency department.  That insight into our non-emergency colleagues, coupled with my years of representing my state medical society at the American Medical Association, has also been useful in understanding implications of ACEP policy on "the big picture". Our nation's health care "system" is clearly broken and only getting worse. As emergency physicians-where we not only work on the front lines every day, but also excel and revel in solving critical problems in the midst of chaos-ACEP can and should take the lead in fixing it. As that is perhaps the primary mission of the ACEP Council, and I offer my talents and energy to represent GSACEP in that body.

Credentials:ACEP and GSACEP Member since 2003; 2007 ABEM Diplomate; Current Professional Position (2009 - Present):  Head, Emergency Medicine Department, Naval Hospital Bremerton, WA. 
   Education: MD:  University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, 1996-2000.  Transitional Internship: Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia, 2000-2001.  Emergency Medicine Residency (PGY 2-4), Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia, 2003-2006. 

   ACEP Activities:  Board of Directors, Virginia Chapter, 2007-2009. Councillor, Virginia Chapter, 2008.  Alternate Councillor, Government Services Chapter, 2007.  AMA Activities: Regional Chair, Resident Fellow Section, 2005-2006.  Foundation Leadership Award, 2006.  Medical Society of Virginia Activities:  Governing Council Member, Resident and Fellow Section:  2005 - 2006.  Delegate to AMA Resident Fellow Section:  2005-2006.  Delegate to AMA Young Physicians Section: 2006-2008.  Arkansas Medical Society Activities:  Delegate to AMA Medical Student Section:  1999-2000.  Governmental Affairs Council:  1998-1999