HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Hanscom is recognizing the achievements and continuing efforts of the men and women who comprise the Biomedical Sciences Corps by observing Jan. 25 through 29 as BSC Appreciation Week.
This year’s theme is “BSCs at the forefront of Air Force Medical Service Readiness, delivering global health engagement and enhancing world-wide medical response.”
The BSC is the most diverse corps within the Air Force Medical Service, consisting of 17 distinct Air Force specialty codes. Civilian, officer and enlisted careers represented at the 66th Medical Squadron include optometry, physician assistant, clinical psychology, clinical social work, bioenvironmental engineering, public health, pharmacy and biomedical laboratory.
Throughout 2020, Hanscom BSCs have led efforts to support COVID-19 operations while continuing to deliver medical treatment.
Laboratory personnel have validated equipment and opened up networks to test patients for COVID-19; public health officials have performed contact tracing and continually educate the community on COVID-19 guidelines; bioenvironmental engineering personnel supported a 501 percent increase in fit-testing for their medical colleagues that had to wear N95s this year, and pharmacists and their technicians have led the plans for COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
Though most of these teams work behind the scenes, 66 MDS patients may have also seen the excellence of our BSCs first-hand.
Physician assistants have honed their telemedicine skills to ensure patients received routine medical care and schedule COVID-19 testing, and optometry installed additional barriers to continue necessary eye exams, even running out to patients’ cars to perform adjustments on eye glasses.
The Mental Health team transitioned to virtual appointments and came together as a team to support each other and their patients, despite an increase in the rate and complexity of referrals.
The BSC’s historical footprints date back to 1917, when the Army Sanitary Corps was established to combat infectious diseases, followed by the Army Medical Administrative Corps three years later. The Air Force Medical Service was officially established in 1949, and then in 1965, the BSC was created and has continued to play an important role in healthcare delivery.
Their continuing efforts help improve the organization, bring innovation, provide trusted medical care, and support our most vital asset: the Airmen.