HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – National Doctor’s Day commemorates military and civilian physicians who devote their lives to keeping others healthy.
Former President George H. W. Bush signed the first presidential proclamation designating March 30 as National Doctor's Day almost 30 years ago to celebrate the sacrifice and contributions of physicians.
“At the Hanscom Medical Treatment Facility we have an incredible team of professionals dedicated to improving the health of every one of our patients,” said Col. Russell Pinard, 66 MDS commander. “We strive to provide the highest quality and safest care possible by using current evidence-based medicine.”
Lt. Col. (Dr.) Todd Schwartzlow, a 66 MDS pediatrician, sees more than 1,200 pediatric patients, which is approximately 95 percent of the children living on the installation.
“I absolutely love what I do and appreciate the chance to impact the lives of so many,” said Schwartzlow, who graduated in 2003 from Tulane Medical School in Louisiana.
Throughout his Air Force career, Hanscom’s only pediatrician has sought to establish a trusting relationship with his patients.
“The thing I enjoy most about medicine is teaching and educating those under my care,” Schwartzlow said. “I provide each family with the same pediatric approach I take with my own children.”
Schwartzlow has always wanted to be a pediatrician and that has not wavered.
“I remain locked in as a clinician and I hope that is obvious to my patients,” he said. “You might have five colds in a row, but every child and parent is different, so my interaction with them is different.”
Schwartzlow has had four assignments throughout his career. He also had the unique opportunity to deploy in 2008.
“The military had not previously deployed a pediatrician to Iraq at that time,” said Schwartzlow. “It was a great experience and a great opportunity to establish protocols where none had existed.”
He deployed to Iraq to treat Iraqi children.
After 16 years as an Air Force physician, he now appreciates the role of mentoring junior physicians within the clinic.
“I am a senior clinician in a smaller clinic, where often a lot of young captains and lieutenants come as providers,” said Schwartzlow. “Hopefully I’m able to offer them the guidance to help grow as a physician and remain in the Air Force.”
Hanscom’s team of military and civilian health care providers seeks to deliver prevention, wellness, acute and chronic care to approximately 125,000 beneficiaries throughout the region.
“Our entire medical team is focused on providing a place of care where patients are treated with respect, dignity and compassion,” said Schwartzlow.
The Hanscom clinic is part of Air Force Medical Service. The clinic recently earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation.
National Doctor’s Day began when Eudora Brown Almond, whose husband was a doctor, hoped to have a day to honor all physicians. Almond and others mailed greeting cards and placed flowers on the graves of deceased doctors in 1933.