Selected as Naval Medical Center San Diego’s Junior Officer of the Quarter, fourth quarter, FY2023, Lt. Victoria Medved, NMCSD Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy assistant department head, exemplifies the significance of the award, 12 Mar.

Medved, a Lowell, Mass., native is the daughter of a nurse practitioner and granddaughter of a WWII Naval Aviator.



“From a young age I’ve had exposure to medicine with my mother being a nurse practitioner combined with a lineage of Naval service with my grandfather having flown the F-4U Corsair during WWII,” said Medved. “Both of these aspects of my family’s life always intrigued me.”

Even more pivotal for Medved was her upbringing as a lacrosse player.

“My true passion was playing lacrosse from an early age. As a result, I had the exposure to sport-related injuries that come with the game. Musculoskeletal injuries are prevalent in lacrosse as they are in any other sport,” explained Medved.

The athletic spirit that Medved possess along with an appreciation for the integrity of one’s musculoskeletal health led her to obtain a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Elon University, Elon, N.C.

No sooner Medved graduated with her doctorate, she went to work at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“While at the Olympic Training Center I had a chance notion come to me: The prospect of doing what I was doing for our amazing Olympic athletes -- but for our Navy,” recalled Medved. “It was a true honor to have the opportunity to work at an Olympic Training Center, but nothing compares being able to support our warfighters, their families and our veterans!”


Since arriving at NMCSD Medved quickly learned that physical therapists in the military have an entirely unique and broader set of responsibilities.

“One of the most drastic differences that I have found since joining the Navy is not only the career-enhancing opportunities, but also the involvement one can have in formulating great outcomes for many at such a junior stage of one’s career,” said Medved.

Illustrating Medved’s point is her role as the Chair for Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) Neuromusculoskeletal Sub-Community Board, Female Force Readiness Navy Medicine Operational Clinical Community (FFRNMOCC), where she guides evidence-based neuromusculoskeletal care by promoting Navy-wide collaboration and process improvement between Fleet, Marine, and medical assets to improve health outcomes, operational mission readiness, and retention rates for all active-duty females.

“Prior to joining the Navy I would not have had a clue as to what any of the committee’s significance meant, but now I see first-hand what it represents,” described Medved. “In the most elementary manner, it means allowing our passion for our job to be elevated to levels that actually have an impact on helping ensure battlefield dominance — simply put.”

Another more localized recognition of Medved is her role as the Co-Chair of the Commanding Officer’s Suggestion Box. In this capacity Medved advocates for the needs of the command’s beneficiaries and staff while adopting a customer service stance aligned with the commander’s priorities, capabilities, and authority.

“If there is anything that I would want to share with everyone about the CO’s Suggestion Box is that when people bring up their concerns, the command not only listens, but we take appropriate action wherever, however we’re able to do so,” emphasized Medved.

Medved’s pending change of duty location will soon take her to Bahrain, but not without having left her mark at NMCSD.

“I am grateful to everyone from our Corpsmen, peers, and superiors for recognizing me with this honor as I would not be here today if it weren’t for the support of so many,” said Medved.

NMCSD continuously seeks professional civilian talent, not just limited to health care providers and administrative support. For anyone seeking a federal job, visit USAJobs at usajobs.gov - the Federal Government's official employment site.
 
The mission of NMCSD is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality health care services, and shape the future of military medicine through education, training, and research. NMCSD employs more than 5,000 active-duty military personnel, civilians and contractors in southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere.

Story originally posted on DVIDS: NMCSD physical therapist awarded JOQ