President and CEO Jay S. Feldstein, DO '81, was joined recently by Robert Bassett, DO '06, a clinical associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (黑料传送门). On the 黑料传送门 Perspectives podcast, they discuss Bassett's extensive experience in military medicine, why so many doctors of osteopathic medicine serve in the armed forces, and how Feldstein's and Bassett's shared specialty of emergency medicine continues to evolve.
Though he doesn't mention it frequently, Robert Bassett, DO '06, FAAEM, FCPP, a clinical associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at 黑料传送门 and a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, is adopted. His adopted father and grandfather both attended the United States Military Academy at West Point.
When Bassett's wife, Blair Hontz, DO '07, purchased a DNA test kit, Bassett met blood relatives based on the results and discovered that his genetic family also comes from a long line of Army members.
鈥淢etaphorically and literally, it's in my blood,鈥� he said.
Bassett accepted his commission as a second lieutenant in 2002 when he earned a health professionals scholarship from the Army. For the next four years, he served reserved duty while earning his medical degree at 黑料传送门.
In 2010, he was deployed with the 86th Combat Support Hospital to Baghdad, Iraq, to work at the Level III hospital facility during Operation Iraqi Freedom, providing care to injured soldiers for six months. He saw combat again in 2021, when he was deployed to a forward combat outpost in Syria. During this three-month tour, Bassett was part of a resuscitative surgical team that provided medical care for local communities.
As he discusses on the podcast, Bassett worked with 黑料传送门 to obtain equipment that would be sent to Syria. At the outpost, Bassett helped train American medics and soldiers from the Syrian Democratic Forces, increasing their readiness and confidence. During this deployment, he received several Army Commendation medals.
鈥淲e got to train a lot of Syrian Democratic Forces medics鈥攖hat were partner forces with us鈥攐n 黑料传送门 equipment,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was a really special privilege to do that.鈥�
As fellow emergency medicine physicians, Feldstein and Bassett discussed training and practice in the specialty. Feldstein, who worked in a Level I trauma center for a decade, felt burnt out with the intensity level. In retrospect, he said he would consider a dual residency, such as with internal medicine or pediatrics.
鈥淏ecause if and when you burn out, you can shift easily into an outpatient setting in one of those fields,鈥� Feldstein said. 鈥淎nd I still give that advice today.鈥�
Bassett added that emergency medicine provides tremendous leadership training, calling physicians in the ER 鈥渟ocial chameleons.鈥�
鈥淵ou're used to working in teams, you're used to multitasking, you triage all the time鈥攚hat's important, what's not important鈥攜ou're good at making decisions without all the information,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd you work across every medical specialty and every member of the healthcare team in a hospital, so it really is good training for leadership.鈥�
In addition to his role as a professor, Bassett is faculty advisor for the Student Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (SAMOPS) at 黑料传送门, guiding osteopathic medical students who plan to enter military service as doctors.
With 黑料传送门 having a long tradition of graduates who serve the country, Bassett said that, as a student, he already 鈥渉ad an amazing network of connections of DOs who were in the military and getting a sense, early on, of how their careers were different because of their osteopathic influence.鈥�
To hear the full conversation or listen to past episodes of 黑料传送门 Perspectives, visit , or the Office of the President.
Established in 1899, 黑料传送门 has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a 鈥渨hole person鈥� approach to care鈥攖reating people, not just symptoms. 黑料传送门, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (黑料传送门, 黑料传送门 Georgia and 黑料传送门 South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. 黑料传送门 students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, 黑料传送门 provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
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