Tamara Worlton

Captain Tamara Worlton is the Director of the Division of Global Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), and Director of Surgical Operations at the Center for Global Health Engagement as well as an Associate Professor of Surgery. She is stationed at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Tamara is also a co-PI for the IMPACT (Integrated Military Partnerships and Civilian Trauma systems) Study with Harvard's Program for Global Surgery and Social Change. As a Fulbright Scholar to Sri Lanka, she conducted global trauma system research. Through her Fulbright at University of Peradeniya, she learned about the Sri Lankan trauma system outside of Colombo, and helped launch their trauma registry. With this information, she developed a registry for Teaching Hospital Anuradhapura to focus on outcomes and longer term follow up of injured patients.  

In her role in the U.S. military, she is often called upon to develop engagements with other countries surrounding their trauma capability. Her Fulbright experience has given her a deeper understanding of nuanced cultural impact on trauma system development, and she has brought this insight to her global surgery teaching. She presented her project in the annual Trauma Day symposium and has used the perspective of constrained resource trauma care to highlight lessons for future military surgeons as well as guide discussions of cultural and ethical considerations. Through the professional connections she made in Sri Lanka, she is championing a collaboration with her institution’s sister military medical school, the Kotelawala Defense University. 

Ask Me About: