Clinical Investigation Department
Mission Statement
The Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Clinical Investigation Department (CID) provides clinical research expertise to support graduate medical education requirements, investigate novel methods to advance patient care, and develop innovative tools to treat combat related injuries.
Vision Statement
CID supports research endeavors from study inception to completion. |
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NMCP Research News and Updates
NMCP Clinical Investigation Department Welcomes Kersten Wheeler as New Department Director
Since 2015, Kersten Wheeler served as Deputy Department Head and Human Research Protections Director in the Clinical Investigation Department at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP). In this role, she ensured regulatory compliance for biomedical research being conducted at over 20 DHA medical commands.
As NMCP’s Research Director, Ms. Wheeler provides oversight for the Clinical Investigation Department’s 35 staff who provide clinical research expertise to support graduate medical education requirements, investigate novel methods to advance patient care, and develop innovative tools to treat combat related injuries. NMCP’s research protocol portfolio spans a wide variety of topics to include cancer treatment, pediatrics, suicide prevention, pain relief, orthopedics, and burn pits.
Ms. Wheeler is passionate about NMCP’s translational research initiatives that improve patient care and impact outcomes on the battlefield, affecting the lives of both active-duty members and military beneficiaries.
As a DHA scholarship recipient, Ms. Wheeler is currently pursuing her PhD in clinical research. She has previously been awarded Civilian of the Year, Civilian of the Quarter, and received several letters of Commendation for her contributions to military research.
Ms. Wheeler’s vision for CID is to provide continued excellent customer service and cutting-edge resources in support of innovative research conducted at NMCP.
NMCP Clinical Investigation Department Congratulates Winners of 40th Annual Academic Research Competition
CATEGORY 1: Approved CLINICAL RESEARCH conducted under the jurisdiction of the Clinical Investigation Department (CID), NMCP
1ST PlACE
LT Ashna Manhas, MC, USN; LT Kyle Melling, MC, USN; LCDR Peter A. Beale, MC, USN; LCDR Thomas A. Brooke, MC, USN); CDR Hyun J. Park, MC, USN; LCDR Aaron Tallant, MC, USN; Internal Medicine; TYPING & TAGS: ABO/RH AND ALLERGY ERRORS ON MILITARY IDENTIFICATION TAGS AND MEDICAL WARNING TAGS
2ND PLACE
ENS Avori K. Bastemeyer, MC, USN; LT Claudia Mondragon, MC, USN; LT Ethan McGann, MC, USN; LT Cameron B. Lindemann, MC, USN; CDR Michael Eliason, MC, USN; Otolaryngology; Eustachian Tube Dysfunction following LeFort I Orthognathic Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study
3RD PLACE
LT Daniel Armstrong, MC, USN; LT Paolo Rigo, MC, USN; LT Caitlin Cooley, MC, USN; LT Brian Vaught, MC, USN; CDR Chad Pusateri, MC, USN; Urology; A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Vasovasostomy Anastomosis Techniques
SPECIAL AWARD LINES OF EFFORT
INCREASE SAILOR AND MARINE DEPLOYABILITY
LT Skyler Walker, MC, USN, LT Vivek Abraham, MC, USN, Ileya Yancey, MC, USN, CDR George C Balazs, MC, USN, CDR Ashton H Goldman, MC, USN; Orthopaedics; YOUNGER AGE IS A RISK FACTOR FOR MEDICAL SEPARATION AFTER TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY
PROVIDE QUALITY HEALTHCARE AND PATIENT SAFETY PROGRAMS ACROSS THE NAVAL FORCE
LT Ashna Manhas, MC, USN; LT Kyle Melling, MC, USN; LCDR Peter A. Beale, MC, USN; LCDR Thomas A. Brooke, MC, USN); CDR Hyun J. Park, MC, USN; LCDR Aaron Tallant, MC, USN; Internal Medicine; TYPING & TAGS: ABO/RH AND ALLERGY ERRORS ON MILITARY IDENTIFICATION TAGS AND MEDICAL WARNING TAGS
RECRUIT AND RETAIN NAVY MEDICINE SHIPMATES
LT Cord Peters, MC, USN; LT Vaughn Land, MC. USN; LCDR Joshua Kotler, MC, USN; Julia Zuppke, PhD; Jennifer Sanville, MS; CDR Colin Crickard, MC, USN (ret.); CDR Shannon D. Lorimer, MC, USN; CDR Christopher Smith, MC, USN; Orthopaedics; ORTHOPAEDIC SURGICAL SKILLS SIMULATION: COMPARING TRAINING UTILITY OF CADAVERIC MODELS TO SAWBONES IN RESIDENT EDUCATION
CATEGORY 2 Approved BASIC SCIENCE under the jurisdiction of CID, NMCP
STAFF
1ST PlACE
LCDR Vanna J. Rocchi, MC, USN; LT Kevin A. Foley, MC, USN; George C. Balazs, MC, USN); Orthopaedics;
PAO ALLOWS 74% RETURN TO DUTY RATE AT MEAN 2 YEAR FOLLOW-UP
2ND PLACE
CDR Shawna Grover, NC, USN; CAPT Michael Franks, MC, USN; CAPT Melissa Troncoso, NC, USN; Sydney Campbell, BS; Marisa Dobson, BS; Robert Cramer, PhD; Nursing Research;
FIREARM OWNERSHIP, ENTRAPMENT, AND SUICIDAL THINKING AMONG MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS
SPECIAL AWARD LINES OF EFFORT
INCREASE SAILOR AND MARINE DEPLOYABILITY
LCDR Vanna J. Rocchi, MC, USN; LT Kevin A. Foley, MC, USN; George C. Balazs, MC, USN); Orthopaedics;
PAO ALLOWS 74% RETURN TO DUTY RATE AT MEAN 2 YEAR FOLLOW-UP
PROVIDE QUALITY HEALTHCARE AND PATIENT SAFETY PROGRAMS ACROSS THE NAVAL FORCE
CDR Shawna Grover, NC, USN; CAPT Michael Franks, MC, USN; CAPT Melissa Troncoso, NC, USN; Sydney Campbell, BS; Marisa Dobson, BS; Robert Cramer, PhD; Nursing Research;
FIREARM OWNERSHIP, ENTRAPMENT, AND SUICIDAL THINKING AMONG MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS
RECRUIT AND RETAIN NAVY MEDICINE SHIPMATES
LCDR Vanna J. Rocchi, MC, USN; LT Kevin A. Foley, MC, USN; George C. Balazs, MC, USN); Orthopaedics;
PAO ALLOWS 74% RETURN TO DUTY RATE AT MEAN 2 YEAR FOLLOW-UP
RESIDENT
1ST PlACE
LCDR Daniel Weinberg, MC, USN; LT Dominique Ferguson, MC, USN; LT Matthew Tovar, MC, USN; Mariah Jensen-Wachspress, BS; LCDR Daniel Weinberg, MC, USN; Alison Colao, BS; Lorie Gower MS; Brittany Lassiter; LCDR Christopher Treager, MC, USN; Brittany Dellinger MS; LCDR Eric Sulava, MC, USN; Emergency Medicine
; FLOW RATES IN PERIPHERAL CATHETER DEVICES: IMPLICATIONS FOR EMERGENCY FLUID RESUSCITATION
2ND PLACE
LT Samuel Todd, MC, USN; LT Thomas Berault, MC, USN;Rebecca Spooner; HM1 Emily Merritt; CDR George C. Balazs, MC, USN; CDR Ashton Goldman, MC, USN; LCDR Vanna Rocchi, MC, USN; Orthopaedics;
DOES PELVIC ROTATION CHANGE THE RELIABILITY OF KNOWN HORIZONTAL REFERENCE LINES?
3RD PLACE
LT Kyle Wieschhaus, MC, USN; LT Melissa Odeomene, MC, USN; LCDR Vanna Rocchi, MC, USN Orthopaedics;
BIOMECHANICAL EVALUATION OF FEMORAL STRENGTH FOLLOWING VARUS DEROTATIONAL OSTEOTOMY WITH ONE-CUT VERSUS TWO-CUT PROXIMAL PLATING TECHNIQUES
SPECIAL AWARD LINES OF EFFORT
DELIVER EXPEDITIONARY MEDICINE SYSTEMS
LCDR Daniel Weinberg, MC, USN; LT Dominique Ferguson, MC, USN; LT Matthew Tovar, MC, USN; Mariah Jensen-Wachspress, BS; LCDR Daniel Weinberg, MC, USN; Alison Colao, BS; Lorie Gower MS; Brittany Lassiter; LCDR Christopher Treager, MC, USN; Brittany Dellinger MS; LCDR Eric Sulava, MC, USN; Emergency Medicine;
FLOW RATES IN PERIPHERAL CATHETER DEVICES: IMPLICATIONS FOR EMERGENCY FLUID RESUSCITATION
PROVIDE QUALITY HEALTHCARE AND PATIENT SAFETY PROGRAMS ACROSS THE NAVAL FORCE
LT Kyle Wieschhaus, MC, USN; LT Melissa Odeomene, MC, USN; LCDR Vanna Rocchi, MC, USN Orthopaedics;
BIOMECHANICAL EVALUATION OF FEMORAL STRENGTH FOLLOWING VARUS DEROTATIONAL OSTEOTOMY WITH ONE-CUT VERSUS TWO-CUT PROXIMAL PLATING TECHNIQUES
RECRUIT AND RETAIN NAVY MEDICINE SHIPMATES
LT Samuel Todd, MC, USN; LT Karolina A. Serhan, MC, USN; LCDR Josef Schroeder, MC, USN; Rebecca Spooner; HM1 Emily Merritt; CDR George C. Balazs, MC, USN; CDR Ashton Goldman, MC, USN; Orthopaedics;
RADIOGRAPHIC PROJECTION INFLUENCE UPON SPINOPELVIC PARAMETERS ON LATERAL LUMBAR RADIOGRAPHS
CATEGORY 3 – CASE STUDIES
1ST PlACE
LT Isaiah Jackson, MC, USN; LT Cord Peters, MC, USN; LCDR H. Corey Manson, MC, USN; Orthopaedics; MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC SIMPLE PROXIMAL INTERPHALANGEAL JOINT DISLOCATION WITH OPEN REDUCTION AND DYNAMIC EXTERNAL FIXATION: A CASE REPORT
2ND PLACE
LT Timothy A. Utz, MC, USN; LCDR Scott M. Goodwin, MC, USN; LCDR Donald Engle, MC, USN; Emergency Medicine; POINT-OF-CARE ULTRASOUND IN OCCULAR EMERGENCIES; A CASE OF VITREOUS HEMORRHAGE DIAGNOSED BY ULTRASOUND IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
3RD PLACE
LT Jessica Prock, MC, USN; CAPT Taylor Banks, MC, USN; Pediatrics; ANTIBODIES GONE AWOL: A CASE OF AGAMMAGLOBULINEMIA
SPECIAL AWARD LINES OF EFFORT
DELIVER EXPEDITIONARY MEDICINE SYSTEMS
LT Seth Williams, MC, USN; LT Daniel Ludema, MC, USN, ED; CAPT Bettina Sauter, MC, USN; Emergency Medicine;
MORE THAN A LITTLE REDNESS: WHEN AN ORDINARY EMERGENCY COMPLAINT ISN’T SO ORDINARY
INCREASE SAILOR AND MARINE DEPLOYABILITY
LT Jessica Prock, MC, USN; CAPT Taylor Banks, MC, USN; Pediatrics;
ANTIBODIES GONE AWOL: A CASE OF AGAMMAGLOBULINEMIA
PROVIDE QUALITY HEALTHCARE AND PATIENT SAFETY PROGRAMS ACROSS THE NAVAL FORCE
LCDR John Curnes, MC, USN; LCDR Cameron Lindeman, MC, USN; LCDR Lindsay Jayne, MC, USN; LCDR Charles Meyer, MC, USN; Otolaryngology
; NON HEAD AND NECK METASTASIS TO CERVICAL LYMPH NODES: A CHALLENGING CLINICAL PROBLEM FOR PATIENTS AND CLINICIANS
The 41st Annual Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Academic Research Competition (ARC) will be held in April 2026.
Winners in Categories 1 and 2 will advance to the Navy-wide ARC hosted by NMCP in May 2026. More information will be provided this fall.
Competition is only open to general schedule (GS) and active duty (AD) personnel, in staff or training billets, from commands throughout Naval Medical Forces Atlantic.