An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Recognizing AFMS women physicians

  • Published
  • Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs
FALLS CHURCH, Va. --  The Air Force Medical Service recognizes the achievements of all Medical Airmen and the important role each holds in supporting today’s warfighter. Today, we honor all women physicians who help make a difference in patients’ lives and continue to pave the path for future medical professionals.

MAJOR BROOKE SCIUTO

Maj. Brooke Sciuto is the chief of aerospace medicine for the 55th Medical Group, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

Q. Why did you choose to become a doctor and join the Air Force?
A. I was recruited to play basketball at the U.S. Air Force Academy and I went there with the intention of going to medical school. However, my plan didn’t work out initially so I did three years as an Air Force Acquisitions Officer before attending the Uniformed Services University.

Q. What is your role in delivering care to patients and putting forth medically ready Airmen?
A. Providing clinical care to those on flying status and those part of the Personal Reliability Assurance Program while serving as an advisor on all operational medicine matters relating to the wing’s mission are my primary responsibilities as the Chief of Aerospace Medicine at Offutt AFB. I’m also responsible for ensuring all Airmen are medically ready to deploy through medical oversight of the wing’s occupational medicine functions as well as the Periodic Health Assessment Programs.

Q. What does National Women Physicians day mean to you? Why is it important to recognize the contributions and path of women physicians?
A. For me, National Women Physicians Day is about honoring those who have paved the way and come together as a group to encourage more women to pursue physician leadership opportunities while balancing other priorities. It is important to recognize the contributions and path of women physicians because there are unique challenges we face, especially those us serving in the Armed Forces. I hope women physicians use this as a day to bond and reflect on all we have accomplished as individuals and as a group.

Q. At the end of your career, what do you hope to have accomplished?
A. I hope that I made a positive impact on my patients and the organizations and people I worked with while balancing the challenges of having a family.

LT. COL KENISHA HEATH

Lt. Col. Kenisha Heath has served in a variety of roles such as Family Medicine physician, Director of Medical Evaluation, and Chief of Medical Staff throughout her career. She is currently working on attaining a dual master’s degree in Health and Business Administration from Army-Baylor University.

Q. Why did you choose to become a doctor and join the Air Force?
A. Like many in medicine, I wanted to become a physician to help ease the burden of pain, illness, and disease in our society. I chose to join the Air Force for two reasons; first, my father served in the Air Force and I wanted to continue our families’ contribution of service to our country. Admittedly, the full scholarship I was awarded through the Reserves Officer Training Program was also a very strong motivation, yet at the time I did not fully realize the magnitude of impact the Air Force would have on both my personal and professional growth. While I joined the Air Force largely for a selfish reason, I’ve remained in the Air Force for nearly 15 years because of the people I get to serve. I’ve loved my teams, my patients, my work, and the awesome Air Force family that I get to become a member. I believe there is no other work that affords the unique opportunities, experiences, challenges and lifetime friends and family than being a service member.

Q. What is your role in delivering care to patients and putting forth medically ready Airmen?
A. I have had the tremendous blessing of being able to help heal patients by more than one mechanism in having served as both a Family Medicine physician and in an administrative role of chief of the medical staff throughout the past several years. In my individual clinic, I treat patients and contribute to ensuring that we have medically ready Airman. As chief of the medical staff, I also help heal patients by leading, mentoring, and teaching other providers, as well as implementing local policies to ensure they are unencumbered from delivering their best care and services to our beneficiaries. I value these roles immensely as it allows me to serve both patients and my fellow medics to my highest ability.

Q. What does National Women Physicians day mean to you? Why is it important to recognize the contributions and path of women physicians?
A. For me, National Women Physicians day provides an opportunity to raise the visibility of female physicians and acknowledge those who have paved the way for women in medicine. This is important because women are still facing gender inequity in the medical field despite having made so many accomplishments. Often the task of balancing family life, while advancing professionally, is difficult and it is important to establish a community that recognizes the sacrifices and obstacles women physicians must overcome. Furthermore, it’s important for those with aspirations to enter a career in medicine to have visible role models who show them that it is possible. I believe that the very establishment of National Women Physicians day helps to inspire and empower women to choose medical careers while also recognizing the progress we still must make to support the development and equality of women in medicine.

Q. At the end of your career, what do you hope to have accomplished?
A. I hope to have contributed positively to the health of my patients, learned from those who came before me, and poured into those behind me with compassionate mentorship and guidance by the end of my career.

Q. Is there anything else you would like to add?
A. I am honored to be an Airman and a part of the Air Force Medical Service. I can’t think of a better way to serve my country and community than by using my professional skills to care for our nation’s heroes and their families. Thank you for taking the time to highlight Women Physicians today!

LT COL ELIZABETH BEAL

Lt. Col. Elizabeth Beal currently serves as the commander of the 19th Medical Operations Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. She has served in a variety of roles within the Air Force Medical Service since 2004.

Q. Why did you choose to become a doctor and join the Air Force?
A. Since the age of four, I knew that I wanted to be a doctor. I wanted to help people and feel like I made a difference every day. The Air Force is something that I initially considered primarily to pay for medical school. I did not want to have to deal with a couple hundred thousand dollars of loans. My father was in the Navy and suggested that the Air Force was the best branch for me to join. I applied for the scholarship and was picked up. Since that time, I have realized that I love serving my country and fighting in my own way for freedom.

Q. What is your role in delivering care to patients and putting forth medically ready Airmen?
A. I am currently serving as a squadron commander. I serve all of the people in my squadron and across the installation by enabling my team to care for their patients and ensuring that my team is medically ready. I still see patients but not nearly as many as when I was full-time in patient care. Regrettably, I gave up my inpatient OB/GYN privileges, as I have been at outpatient facilities for the past four years and did not find adequate amounts of time to keep up those skills to the standards that I would desire. I realized that I was keeping the privileges for me, and it was not really serving my patients.

Q. What does National Women Physicians day mean to you? Why is it important to recognize the contributions and path of women physicians?
A. Being a physician was my dream, as it has been the dream of many other women. All of us that serve in healthcare and in the military should be recognized, including men and those that are not physicians. It is important to recognize everyone and the contributions made to help us feel that the benefits of our service outweigh the risks and to motivate others to chart the course to their dreams.

Q. At the end of your career, what do you hope to have accomplished?
A. I have found that I strongly dislike the status quo. I want to think outside-the-box and to find new paths. I hope to know that the Air Force Medical Service is a better place with less burnt-out physicians and that it is a happier place to serve our nation. Every day of my career and my life, I want to be able to look back and say that I made someone's day better, helped them to be better, and to reach their goals and dreams.

Q. Is there anything else you would like to add?
A. There are many reasons to stay in the Air Force, and for many, there are reasons to transition to the civilian sector. Carefully consider all of your options and remember that the "grass is not always greener on the other side.” Medicine itself is an amazing and rewarding calling. Once it stops becoming a calling to you, then take a serious look at your life and consider how you could make it better! We should all love our lives, and as Wingmen, it is our job to help those that are struggling with finding the love at that moment!