This week on Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Colonel (Ret.) Joshua D. Hartzell, MD, MS-HPEd, FACP, FIDSA, a nationally recognized leader in military medicine, medical education, and compassionate healthcare leadership.

Dr. Hartzell brings more than 25 years of Army service, including deployments with the 82nd Airborne Division, and a distinguished career as an infectious disease physician and educator. From leading the Internal Medicine Residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to shaping the future of graduate medical education through innovative leadership training, he has become a transformative voice in how we train, mentor, and care for those who serve.

Now a faculty member at the Uniformed Services University, author, speaker, and coach, Dr. Hartzell continues to champion a culture of excellence grounded in empathy, service, and human connection.

In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Hartzell and Dr. Meek explore:

• How military experiences shaped his philosophy of leadership and resilience

• Lessons learned from caring for service members in challenging environments

• Why compassionate leadership is critical in both medicine and the military

• His work developing next-generation medical education and leadership programs

• The power of mentorship, purpose, and service in building stronger teams and communities

Whether you're a healthcare professional, a veteran, an aspiring leader, or someone seeking motivation to take your next step forward, this episode offers wisdom you won't want to miss.

About Col Josh Hartzell: Colonel (retired) Joshua D. Hartzell, MD, MS-HPEd currently serves as faculty within the Center for Health Professions Education. He served 25 years in the Army before retiring in 2023. His final role in the Army was the Program Director for the National Capital Consortium Internal Medicine Residency Program at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC). His previous roles included being the Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency, Assistant Chief of Graduate Medical Education (GME), and Army Intern Director at WRNMMC and the Assistant Dean for Faculty Development and Director of Internal Medicine Selectives at the Uniformed Services University. He is a board certified Internist and Infectious Diseases Physician.

Dr. Hartzell has a variety of research and scholarly interests. He has conducted research on infectious diseases to include pertussis, multidrug resistant organisms, leishmaniasis and Q fever. He was the lead author for the Armed Forces Practice Guidelines for the Management of Q fever and was a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention working group on Q fever that published similar recommendations. Dr. Hartzell's primary interests, however, are medical education, mentoring, and leadership development. In particular, Dr. Hartzell has an interest in developing the leadership and teaching skills of residents and faculty. Dr. Hartzell attended the Stanford Faculty Development Clinical Teaching Course in October 2013 and has avidly been conducting faculty development since that time. Dr. Hartzell developed a military-wide leadership curriculum for Graduate Medical Education that began in 2017.