Academics

Emergency Medicine Residency

About Us

The Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center's Department of Emergency Medicine provides emergency health care for military beneficiaries and the local civilian community. CRDAMC is located at Fort Hood, Texas, the largest military installation in the world, located approximately one hour north of Austin, Texas. CRDAMC's Emergency Department is among the busiest in the Army.

Our current, state-of-the-art department which opened April 2016 is the newest and one of the largest emergency departments in the DOD. Our new facility features a 60-bed department and dedicated office and academic space for our EM residency.

Our Residency Program

CRDAMC's Emergency Medicine Residency is a teaching program designed to provide the finest clinical education available anywhere to Emergency Medicine Residents, while providing superior and compassionate evidence-based medical care to its patients. The Residency is a three year, fully accredited program that began in 1980. The first class of residents graduated in 1982. Historically, our residents rank among the top 10 programs in the nation on the Emergency Medicine In–Training Examination (ITE). We consistently perform at the top of residencies nationwide on the ITE.

Our Program provides a well-balanced blend of supervised emergency patient care, extensive didactics, and superb non–emergency rotations designed to solidify our Residents' understanding of other specialties as they apply to Emergency Medicine. There are several unique aspects of this program. First and foremost, it is a nearly "unopposed" position in the hospital – there are no residencies at CRDAMC other than EM and Family medicine, and thus our Residents need not compete with residents from other services for procedures such as trauma management, airways, central lines, chest tubes, ultrasounds, and orthopedic reductions.

Our Residents primarily practice at CRDAMC, but also train in several premier civilian hospitals. The residency is designed to assist and promote the resident's development into a highly competent, mature Emergency Medicine Physician prepared not only for Emergency Medicine as practiced within the civilian sector, but also for the unique aspects of Emergency Medicine encountered in the military.

Our ED Ultrasound Program

Our ED ultrasound program is one of the oldest, most in depth, and well established in the nation. We are one of the most productive academic departments in the DOD and among all EM residencies with dozens of peer reviewed publications, and numerous regional and national conference presentations.

Trainee Friendly Environment

Finally, we are widely recognized by students, rotating residents, and our own Residents as one of the most trainee friendly and collegial training programs anywhere. Our faculty pride themselves on their desire to teach and on how they treat residents and students as colleagues.

Simulation Program and Curriculum

With a dedicated, in-house simulation center, our Simulation Program is also a highlight of our program and a cornerstone of our Resident’s education. Our Residents also enjoy a well-developed research curriculum which includes monthly Journal Clubs, focused research requirements, and dedicated resources with a dedicated Research Director.

Faculty

The Department of Emergency Medicine staff consists of board-certified emergency medicine physicians that provide twenty-four hour in–house coverage. The training backgrounds of these physicians are varied and include both civilian and military careers. Our diverse faculty has a broad depth of training and most have completed additional fellowships. Five of our faculty are fellowship trained ultrasonographers, two board–certified in Pediatric Emergency Medicine, two board certified in EMS, as well as a Toxicologist. We also have double board-certified physicians in Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine as well as Critical Care and Emergency Medicine.

Our Facility

Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center is the newest facility in the Department of Defense, opened in April 2016. Our workload is one of the highest in the Army. The Emergency Department has nearly 75,000 patient visits per year and remains one of the busiest in the Department of Defense. As a whole, the hospital completes approximately 900,000 outpatient visits annually.

Services Provided

Specialty services represented at CRDAMC include:

  • Allergy
  • Anesthesiology
  • Behavioral Health
  • Cardiology
  • Chiropractic
  • Dentistry
  • Dermatology
  • Endocrinology
  • Family Medicine
  • Gastroenterology
  • General Surgery
  • Infectious Disease
  • Internal Medicine
  • Neurology
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Ophthalmology
  • Optometry
  • Oral Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Orthopedic Spine Surgery
  • Otorhinolaryngology
  • Integrated Pain Management
  • Pediatrics
  • Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
  • Physical Therapy
  • Podiatry
  • Pulmonology
  • Radiology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Urology
CRDAMC is fully integrated into the civilian EMS community, assuring a steady flow of critically ill and injured patients. Ground and air EMS is provided through Fort Hood military and the civilian community agencies. Residents have many opportunities to participate in these and other activities.

Tricare Prime Remote

TRICARE Prime Remote (TPR) is a managed care option available in remote areas in the United States. By law, you can only use TPR if both your sponsor's home and work addresses are more than 50 miles (or one hour's drive time) from a military hospital or clinic.

CRDAMC Area of Responsibility:

The Carl R. Darnall Medical Center (CRDAMC) provides primary care to Active-Duty Service Members assigned to Fort Cavazos and Soldiers in the local area in transient status (Leave, TDY, etc) within CRDAMC’s Area of Responsibility.  Care extends to Tricare Prime Remote (TPR) Soldiers requiring specific assistance with military centric care and documentation that cannot be performed by their network civilian Primary Care Manager (PCM) such as physical examinations and physical profiles.

Soldier Responsibilities

TPR SMs must submit a profile packet before requesting services. A separate profile packet is required for each condition, and each packet must contain sufficient supporting medical documentation for the corresponding diagnosis. Additionally, the packet must be signed by the civilian medical provider rendering care. A Case Manager will organize a profile packet for provider review, and a decision will be made. The Case Manager may also schedule a face-to-face or virtual care appointment at the provider’s discretion. You can reach the Case Manager by email at: usarmy.cavazos.medcom-crdamc.mbx.tricare-prime-remote-program@health.mil, but please wait 48-72 hours before calling. Incorrect, incomplete, or unsigned profile packets will cause delays in care.

Physicals Commissioning, Retirement, and SHPE. (No PHAs) 

  1. Contact the Soldier Medical Readiness Clinic (SMRC) at 254-285-6232/6266 or send a message using the MHS Genesis Patient Portal to the SMRC inbox "USA Ft. Cavazos MIL Readiness Scheduling." 

Eligibility

Soldiers assigned to Tricare Prime Remote (TPR) who work in remote locations in any county within CRDAMC’s Area of Responsibility. If uncertain, refer to the Pick your MTF document to help you determine which MTF covers your assignment location. More information can be found at the AR Medical Management Center site: https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/ar-mmc.

TPR Services Provided

Medical Readiness Evaluations: Profiles and Convalescent Leave Extensions

  1. Packet must be completed and signed by your civilian medical provider.
  2. Obtain copies of your medical documentation related to your profiled condition only.
  3. Examples include, radiology, labs, progress notes, hospital discharge records and doctors’ notes.
  4. Submit packet and medical documentation following these instructions: MHS Genesis Patient Portal Walk Thru
  5. You will be contacted by the scheduling nurse for a virtual appointment with the Provider.

Fit for Duty Evaluations (Medical/Behavioral Health)

  1. Command Prepares a Fit for Duty Memo (Template)
  2. Submission by the Service Member are uploaded to MHSG MHS Genesis Patient Portal Walk Thru
  3. Command submissions to the following: usarmy.cavazos.medcom-crdamc.mbx.tricare-prime-remote-program@health.mil

PCS Documents

  1. DA 5118 – CONUS Reassignments or
  2. DA 4036 – OCONUS Medical and Dental
  3. Uploaded to MHSG MHS Genesis Patient Portal Walk Thru

Contacts

TRICARE East Region-Humana Military
1-800-444-5445
TRICARE East Region Website

TRICARE West Region-Health Net Federal Services
1-844-866-9378
TRICARE West Region Website