In this episode of Picking Your Brain, we conclude the two-part series exploring the "Improving Healthcare Engagement and Access to Optimize Long-Term Outcomes" (I-HEAL) study led by Dr. Risa Richardson at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The episode sheds light on the barriers to high-quality care for TBI patients and includes insights from a caregiver who has a personal understanding of the study's impacts. Finally, the episode details innovative solutions developed with the Department of Defense to improve healthcare engagement and long-term outcomes for service members and veterans with TBI.

Picking Your Brain episodes interview TBI subject matter experts about everything from the latest clinical recommendations, the effects sustaining a TBI has on service members and veterans, and the loved ones who support their recovery process. For more about TBI, including clinical tools, go to www.health.mil/TBICoE or email us at [email protected].

The views, opinions, and/or findings contained in this podcast are those of the host and subject matter experts. They should not be construed as an official Department of Defense position, policy, or decision unless designated by other official documentation. The hosts and guests of Picking Your Brain may be defense contract personnel who support TBICoE. The status of all hosts and guests will be identified during introductions to the podcast.

In this episode of Picking Your Brain, Department of Veterans Affairs researchers and TBICoE clinical experts discuss the “Improving Health care Engagement and Access to Optimize Long-Term Outcomes” study, or I-HEAL. The study, run by Dr. Risa Richardson at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, addresses the barriers that individuals with TBI face when accessing high-quality, evidence-based health care, highlighting the importance of collaboration between the DOD and VA.

Picking Your Brain episodes interview TBI subject matter experts about everything from the latest clinical recommendations, the effects sustaining a TBI has on service members and veterans, and the loved ones who support their recovery process. For more about TBI, including clinical tools, go to www.health.mil/TBICoE or email us at [email protected]. 



The views, opinions, and/or findings contained in this podcast are those of the host and subject matter experts. They should not be construed as an official Department of Defense position, policy, or decision unless designated by other official documentation. The hosts and guests of Picking Your Brain may be defense contract personnel who support TBICoE. The status of all hosts and guests will be identified during introductions to the podcast.

In this episode of Picking Your Brain, TBICoE Branch Chief, Capt. Scott Cota and clinical moderator Amanda Gano interview the 19th Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps, Sergeant Major Troy Black. The interview covers topics such as the DOD's Warfighter Brain Health Initiative, the commandant of the Marine Corps' Force Design 2030 efforts, and how warfighter brain health is a key factor in the human performance of Marines.

In this episode of Picking Your Brain, TBICoE Branch Chief, Capt. Scott Cota and clinical moderator Amanda Gano interview the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC), Ramón Colón-López. The discussion covered the health impacts of TBI and blast-related concussion stemming from the demands of combat and training. The SEAC also addresses the importance of maintaining medical readiness through education and military leadership.

For more information about the SEAC and the Joint Staff, visit JCS.mil.

Picking Your Brain episodes interview TBI subject matter experts about everything from the latest clinical recommendations, the effects sustaining a TBI has on service members and veterans, and the loved ones who support their recovery process. For more information about TBICoE, visit our website at Health.mil/TBICoE.

The views, opinions, and/or findings contained in this podcast are those of the host and subject matter experts. They should not be construed as an official Department of Defense position, policy, or decision unless designated by other official documentation. Our theme song is "Medical Corporate' by TimTaj, available at jamendo.com and was used according to the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 license.

The Military Health System recognized May as Mental Health Awareness month. This year's theme is "In This Together," which focuses on identifying, preventing, and recovering from burnout in our military medical providers and service member populations. In this episode, we talk to mental health experts about the symptom crossovers between mild TBI and burnout and how these symptoms can disguise underlying problems.

In addition, this episode features interviews with TBICoE's Capt. Tricia Booker, a Licensed Certified Social Worker and TBI subject matter expert, and Dr. Nancy Skopp, a clinical psychologist from the Psychological Health Centers of Excellence.

Picking Your Brain episodes interview TBI subject matter experts about everything from the latest clinical recommendations, the effects sustaining a TBI has on service members and veterans, and the loved ones who support their recovery process. For more information about TBICoE, visit our website at Health.mil/TBICoE.

For more information about the Psychological Health Centers of Excellence, visit health.mil/PHCoE

The views, opinions, and/or findings contained in this podcast are those of the host and subject matter experts. They should not be construed as an official Department of Defense position, policy, or decision unless designated by other official documentation. Our theme song is "Medical Corporate' by TimTaj, available at jamendo.com and was used according to the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 license.

The Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence (TBICoE) recently revised its Progressive Return to Activity (PRA) clinical recommendation. The PRA is a step-by-step approach for primary care providers to evaluate service members who sustained a concussion, also known as a mild TBI. Health care providers can use these steps to monitor service members during recovery and guide them as they gradually return to pre-injury activities.

In this episode, we feature interviews from TBICoE subject matter experts Dr. Keith Stuessi, Amanda Gano, and Dr. Adam Susmarski, team physician in the Orthopedic Sports Medicine department and medical director of the Concussion Center of Excellence at the United States Naval Academy.

Picking Your Brain episodes interview TBI subject matter experts about everything from the latest clinical recommendations, the effects sustaining a TBI has on service members and veterans, and the loved ones who support their recovery process. For more information about TBICoE, visit our website at Health.mil/TBICoE.

The views, opinions, and/or findings contained in this podcast are those of the host and subject matter experts. They should not be construed as an official Department of Defense position, policy, or decision unless designated by other official documentation. Our theme song is "Medical Corporate' by TimTaj, available at jamendo.com and was used according to Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 licensing.

This Brain Injury Awareness Month, Picking Your Brain, introduces the revised Dizziness and Vision Clinical Recommendation and discusses how it helps medical providers treat overlapping symptoms associated with traumatic brain injury or TBI. In addition, this episode features special guests from both the Vision and Hearing Centers of Excellence, the Deputy Assistant Director of Research & Engineering, Brig. Gen. Katherine Simonson, and others.

For more information on the Defense Health Agency's Centers of Excellence, visit www.health.mil/Military-Health-T…ers-of-Excellence.

Picking Your Brain episodes interview TBI subject matter experts about everything from the latest clinical recommendations, the effects sustaining a TBI has on service members and veterans, and the loved ones who support their recovery process.

For more information about TBICoE, visit our website at Health.mil/TBICoE.

This Brain Injury Awareness Month, Picking Your Brain introduces the revised Dizziness and Vision Clinical Recommendation and discusses how it helps medical providers treat overlapping symptoms associated with traumatic brain injury or TBI. In addition, this episode features special guests from both the Vision and Hearing Centers of Excellence, the Deputy Assistant Director of Research & Engineering, Brig. Gen. Katherine Simonson, and others.

For more information on the Defense Health Agency's Centers of Excellence, visit https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Centers-of-Excellence.

Picking Your Brain episodes interview TBI subject matter experts about everything from the latest clinical recommendations, the effects sustaining a TBI has on service members and veterans, and the loved ones who support their recovery process. For more information about TBICoE, visit our website at Health.mil/TBICoE.

This Brain Injury Awareness Month, TBICoE Branch Chief, Capt. Scott Cota speaks with Command Chief Master Sgt. Greg Smith and Sgt. Maj. Matt Parrish, hosts of SOFcast, the official podcast of U.S. Special Operations Command, about the health impacts of TBI and blast-related concussion stemming from the demands of special operations combat and training.

For more information about SOFcast and the U.S. Special Operations Command, visit Socom.mil.

Picking Your Brain episodes interview TBI subject matter experts about everything from the latest clinical recommendations, the effects sustaining a TBI has on service members and veterans, and the loved ones who support their recovery process. For more information about TBICoE, visit our website at Health.mil/TBICoE.

In this episode, the Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence (TBICoE) encourages medical providers and others in the military community to 'Be TBI Ready.' This year's Brain Injury Awareness Month theme highlights the importance of being up-to-date with TBICoE's latest research, educational training, and clinical resources to assess and treat service members and veterans who have sustained a TBI.

We feature interviews with Dr. Emma Gregory, TBICoE's Research section chief, Dr. Mark Ettenhofer, senior research neuropsychologist, and Regional Educational Coordinators Casey Becker (Landstuhl Germany), Chris Lewandoski (Fort Carson, CO.), and Kristen Benson (Fort Belvoir, VA.).


Episodes of Picking Your Brain focus on military and civilian medical providers, active-duty service members, and veterans who have sustained a TBI, as well as the loved ones who support their recovery process. For more information visit TBICoE’s website.

Website: Health.mil/TBICoE

The views, opinions, and/or findings contained in this podcast are those of the host and subject matter experts. They should not be construed as an official Department of Defense position, policy, or decision unless so designated by other official documentation. Our theme song is “Medical Corporate” by TimTaj available at jamendo.com and was used according to Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0.