LT Rachel Burriss joined the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps in 2020, the same year that she began medical school at the Uniformed Services University (USU) of Health Sciences. Having recently graduated, she is now in medical residency training as a physician in internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. 

Prior to commissioning and beginning her medical career, she was in Atlanta, Georgia, working in global health - specifically in operational research focused on neglected tropical diseases. At the same time, she was completing a Master of Public Health degree at Emory University. Before beginning her medical career, she attended DePauw University and majored in Political Science and Spanish Language. While working and studying in Atlanta, she was fortunate to connect with many Public Health Service officers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One of her closest mentors helped her to identify the USU-USPHS Commissioned Corps pathway.

There are many reasons that LT Burriss wanted to join the USPHS Commissioned Corps. “I wanted to pursue a service driven career, specifically a medical career that would allow me to practice in underserved areas with vulnerable populations.” She adds “joining the USPHS Commissioned Corps and working for the Indian Health Service provided an avenue for me to serve vulnerable populations in underserved areas immediately following residency.”

“I was excited by the work Public Health Service officers were doing in the areas of public health, infectious disease, and emergency response. I envisioned how I might have an opportunity to respond to urgent public health crises if I was a Public Health Service officer. This was why I joined the USPHS Commissioned Corps.” LT Burriss remains eager for the opportunity to deploy toward those types of missions in the future.

“Another reason I joined the USPHS Commissioned Corps was because I have always enjoyed working on a team and working toward goals that are bigger than myself. Wearing the uniform calls Public Health Service officers to a higher purpose: to serve communities both at home and abroad. I knew I would be proud to work for an entity that embodies this type of service at its core and that made me confident in my decision to join.”

Being a Public Health Service officer means not only wearing the uniform but also exemplifying the USPHS Commissioned Corps core values of leadership, service, integrity, and excellence. LT Burriss further explains: “Putting aside personal interests to act in a way that represents something greater: a commitment to serve the health needs of our Nation.” Being a Public Health Service officer means that she is never alone; she is buoyed by a team of officers who have made the same commitments and who hold the same values.

While LT Burriss has yet to deploy, the pinnacle of her military medical training at USU occurred at Operation Bushmaster, a five-day simulated “deployment” environment. Both first-year and fourth-year medical students participate in Operation Bushmaster. LT Burriss and her classmates role-played as casualties, learned about the components of the military medical system, synthesized all that they had learned and applied their skills in the capstone exercise. This included organizing field medical stations, enacting field sanitation structures, responding to mass casualty events, practicing diplomacy, and coordinating evacuation platforms.

“During my time in the USPHS Commissioned Corps, I hope to do good work for the people I serve and build a community with my medical colleagues and patients.” LT Burriss aspires to acquire many new skills, take on responsibilities that allow her to expand her scope of practice. Additionally, she wishes to deploy and take on tasks that will push her beyond her comfort zone and provide an additional sense of purpose and adventure.

She looks forward to creating strong relationships with fellow Public Health Service officers. She wants to remain connected to her roots at USU and serve as a mentor to new officers. “Having a senior officer as a mentor will ease the transition from civilian life to uniformed services and allow you to identify future opportunities to pursue.” LT Burriss’ advice? “Enjoy the adventure because it’s a privilege to do this work!”