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Dr. Stephanie Sexton, Major, U.S. Army Medical Corps
UNC Urology is excited to announce that Dr. Stephanie Sexton, Major, U.S. Army Medical Corps, will be joining our team as part of the Carolina Military Education Immersion Center (M.Ed.I.C.) program. Dr. Sexton brings a wealth of experience and expertise in urologic surgery, and her addition further strengthens the collaboration between UNC Health and the U.S. Army’s Forward Resuscitative Surgical Teams (FRST).

Meet Dr. Stephanie Sexton

Dr. Sexton earned her medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (Class of 2014). She completed her Surgical Internship at the National Capital Consortium in Bethesda, MD, before pursuing a Urology residency at Duke University Hospital (Class of 2020). Currently, she serves as the Chief of Urologic Surgery and Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) and is stationed at Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Liberty, NC. Starting in 2025, Dr. Sexton will be transitioning to the Army Reserves and joining UNC Health’s North Carolina Urology. Dr. Sexton’s role in UNC Urology through the M.Ed.I.C. program represents the continued efforts to bridge military and civilian medical expertise, creating a dynamic platform for the advancement of trauma and surgical skills.

“A recent JAMA Surgery publication1 highlighted the opportunity for military-civilian partnerships, such as M.Ed.I.C., to provide military surgeons exposure to a greater volume of high complexity conditions than are available in most military medical treatment facilities. UNC Urology is proud to participate in this program to support Dr. Sexton and the patients she serves.”

Matthew Nielsen, MD, MS, FACS
Professor and Chair of Urology

 

About The Carolina M.Ed.I.C. Program

Established in 2019 through a Military Training Agreement (MTA) with the U.S. Army Surgeon General’s Office, the Carolina Military Education Immersion Center (M.Ed.I.C.) is one of the nation’s first military-civilian partnerships. This program allows Army medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and advanced practice providers, to rotate through UNC Medical Center, gaining hands-on experience in trauma care and surgical skills sustainment. In addition, UNC Hospitals is the first civilian medical center to host an embedded Army Forward Resuscitative Surgical Team (FRST), allowing military providers to work side by side with their civilian counterparts in departments like Surgery, Neurosurgery, Anesthesia, and Emergency Medicine.

Through embedded and rotational programs, military providers integrate fully into UNC’s clinical workforce, gaining critical skills in a high-volume, civilian medical setting. These programs ensure that Army personnel remain battlefield-ready, prepared to manage complex trauma cases with speed and precision. The rotational training is structured to match the operational cadence of the armed forces, offering military professionals the ability to refresh and refine their skills.

For more on the formal partnership between UNC Health and the U.S. Army, please refer to the official announcements [here] and [here].

Why This Partnership Matters

The M.Ed.I.C. program is more than just an educational initiative. It is a strategic military-civilian partnership designed to enhance medical readiness and save lives, both on and off the battlefield. The program represents UNC Health’s commitment to supporting our nation’s armed forces by sharing best practices and innovative approaches to trauma care. By allowing Army surgeons and medical personnel to practice in a high-volume civilian setting, the program provides essential training in managing complex medical cases, including gunshot wounds, burns, and other traumatic injuries. The collaboration also fosters mutual learning, as UNC physicians benefit from the military’s unique experiences and approaches to trauma care.

“The UNC MEdIC program has been a tremendous asset for our active duty medics, trauma surgeons, and critical care physicians. It is increasingly important to expand our exposure to patient complexity, surgical volume, and new techniques. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from the UNC Urology team, and bring new skills back to Ft. Liberty for the benefit of the soldiers, veterans, and their family members.”

Dr. Stephanie Sexton, MAJ USA MC; Chief, Urologic Surgery; Assistant Professor of Surgery, USUHS; Womack Army Medical Center

Citation

1 – Dalton MK, Remick KN, Mathias M, et al. Analysis of Surgical Volume in Military Medical Treatment Facilities and Clinical Combat Readiness of US Military Surgeons. JAMA Surg. 2022;157(1):43–50. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2021.5331