Semin Reprod Med 2018; 36(06): 311-312
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1683914
Introduction
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Alicia Y. Christy, MD, MHSCR, FACOG and Richard Burney, MD, MSc

James H. Segars
1   Division of Reproductive Sciences and Women's Health Research, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
19 April 2019 (online)

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James H. Segars, MD

It is truly an honor to introduce the guest editors for this issue: Drs. Alicia Y. Christy MD, MHSCR, Colonel (retired) U.S. Army, and Dr. Richard (Rick) Burney, MD, MSc, Colonel U.S. Army. Both guest editors have extensive experience in the reproductive needs of active duty and veterans, and they have both had extremely productive and influential military careers. Together, they have assembled an issue that will provide readers with an up-to-date understanding of the special needs of this patient population.

Dr. Burney is similarly highly qualified to serve as guest editor. He is chief, Department of Clinical Investigation, and served as program director for the Reproductive Endocrinology Fellowship program at Madigan Army Medical Center. While at Madigan, Dr. Burney assembled a robust program of research that included establishing a research core and biospecimen repository for endometriosis and reproductive specimens. Dr. Burney conducted his master's research on the immunogenetics of human leukocyte antigen at the Weatherall Institute for Molecular Medicine in Oxford, England. From there, he attended medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), graduating AOA. Dr. Burney completed his obstetrics/gynecology (Ob/Gyn) residency at Madigan Army Medical Center and then his Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellowship at Stanford working with Dr. Linda Giudice on projects focused on endometriosis. He is a CREST Scholar. Dr. Burney's research has helped to clarify understanding of endometriosis, especially the role of genetics and biomarkers for the condition, in addition to mechanisms involved in disease. While at Madigan, he made a major impact on graduate medical education by establishing a highly successful research core which stimulated research in the department and across the medical center. His CV is replete with honors and awards, too numerous to enumerate. Dr. Burney is an exceptional leader and a gifted physician and translational science investigator who brings a unique perspective to this issue.

Dr. Christy completed her undergraduate training at Princeton and her MD at Northwestern where she was AOA. From there, she completed her Ob/Gyn residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellowship at USUHS-NIH program. She earned her master's degree from Duke. Dr. Christy is acting director, Reproductive Health Women's Health Services, in the Office of Patient Care Services of the Veteran Health Administration and Professor, USUHS. While on active duty, Dr. Christy served as both the Department Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the Consultant to the Army Surgeon General for Women's Health Issues. During her tenure in the latter position, she coordinated and developed new initiatives under the leadership of the Army Surgeon General. Her responsibilities as Consultant and Department Chair required analysis of complex women's health issues and the preparation of reports for the executive leadership. After military retirement, she served as a Medical Officer at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and has been involved in educating women's health care providers as Associate Fellowship Director as well as conducting women's health research. She also served in the Contraceptive Discovery and Development Branch at NIH and was lead author on the revision of the Health Care for Women in the Military and Women Veterans committee opinion. Her CV lists too many honors and papers to mention. In the interest of full disclosure, I have worked closely with Dr. Christy for almost 20 years, and we even shared an office at NIH for 5 years. She is an amazing physician, sprinkling patient care, administrative challenges, and woes with humor, wit, and her gifts as an artist. Several of her paintings hang in my office and my laboratory.