The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) have come together to announce a new focus on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) – two of the most common injuries suffered by disabled veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The new concentration on these two injuries and ailments was announced by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden at Virginia Commonwealth University as troops from nearby Fort Lee cheered on the announcement.
Over 135 medical schools and osteopathic medicine schools have pledged their commitment to this initiative, which strives to increase both training and research related to brain injuries and traumatic stress.
According to recent reports, as many as 360,000 returning veterans have suffered a serious head injury while on active duty. Of those, about 90,000 veterans will require ongoing treatment and care for their head injuries. As many as one out of two servicemen and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan has at least suffered a concussion. More serious injury victims struggle with headaches, mobility issues, memory problems, sleep disorders, and other issues.
Before the announcement, Michelle Obama visited patients at a nearby Veterans’ Administration hospital.