United in commitment

In January 2012, the Indiana University School of Medicine united with first lady Michelle Obama's Joining Forces initiative in committing to train physicians to meet the unique health care needs of veterans and their families, including treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

The IU School of Medicine, the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine have pledged to commit their integrated mission of education, research and clinical care in training the next generation of physicians and researchers to provide the quality of care warranted by our veterans' sacrifices while serving their country.

The Joining Forces initiative lays the groundwork for medical schools and their associations to enrich medical education to ensure that physicians are aware of the unique clinical challenges and best practices associated with caring for military service members, veterans and their families. The goal is to develop new research and clinical trials on PTSD and traumatic brain injury so they can be better understood and treated; share information and best practices with other institutions through a collaborative Web forum created by the Association of American Medical Colleges; and expand the body of knowledge leading to improvements in health care and wellness for military service members, veterans and their families.

Obama and Dr. Jill Biden created Joining Forces to bring Americans together to recognize, honor and take action to support veterans and military families as they serve our country and throughout their lives. The initiative aims to educate, challenge and spark action from all sectors of society to ensure veterans and military families have the support they have earned. The initiative focuses on key priority areas -- employment, education and wellness -- while raising awareness about the service, sacrifice and needs of America's veterans and military families.