As with any form of communication, particularly in medicine, critical thinking, experience, education, natural curiosity and compassion go a long way towards the delivery of great health care.

That is why at Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD), 24 senior clinicians received the Master Clinician Award and 39 additional clinicians were recognized as Associate Master Clinicians at the auditorium on Aug. 10 for being outstanding in their profession.

“While it may seem as if we are honoring a large number, when you account for the more than 700 NMCSD clinicians, we are honoring a small, but significant group of clinicians,” said, Cmdr. Christine DeForest, emergency medicine physician and NMCSD’s Medical Executive Committee vice chair. “The focus is less on the number and more on the impact that these clinicians are having not just on patient interaction through high clinical volume and its ensuing medical readiness, but also on medical force generation through trainee education and clinical research.”

One clinician who embodies NMCSD’s ideals of a clinician, and who was also recognized at the gathering, is Dr. Laura Marrone, NMCSD Psychiatric Transition Program division officer, and Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS) assistant professor.

“I believe that the motivation behind those of us honored today comes down to caring so deeply for patients and for valuing our inclusion in a team with a greater vision,” said Marrone.

Perhaps there is no better illustration of the caliber that these celebrated clinicians represent as when they can see the broader picture of their medical care.

“As a medical community we are trying to support all facets of someone’s life and wellness,” said Marrone. “It’s not that we just love medicine, which we do, but we truly care deeply for our patients and want to see them living their best lives.”

Adding to the significance of the occasion, the Master and Associate Master Clinician Award Program is peer-acknowledged.

“Our clinicians who are nominated and receive these awards should take great pride in the fact that it’s their peers who are effectively recognizing them,” said Cmdr Vi Song Tring, NMCS Medical Executive Committee chair. “There is hardly no higher honor as when it’s from peer recognition.”

While Navy Medicine's Clinical Award Program originates from NMCSD, perhaps there is no better time for its applicability based on the demands currently placed on the greater enterprise.

“As we strive to get real, get better within the Navy, one can’t possibly get any better without mastering the absolute fundamentals. That is truly the foundation of the Clinician Award Program at NMCSD for all who are involved in patient care,” stated Tring.

NMCSD's mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality healthcare services and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research. NMCSD employs more than 6,000 active duty military personnel, civilians and contractors in Southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere.