Every year, Veterans Day is a time to honor those who have served in the US Armed Forces. We are recognizing some members of the Stanford Medicine Children’s Health team who reflect on their time in the military and how it applies to their roles in health care today. Click on the links to learn more about their individual stories.
Marcie Atchison, JD – SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer
“I joined the US Air Force right out of high school and I served during Operation Desert Storm. A large part of my work was sending airmen and women to their next assignment and deploying them off to the battlefield. To be in that role was really humbling very quickly for me to appreciate the service that people put forward.
Having a bigger calling I think is really important and at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, we’re here for something way bigger than us. Being able to connect the dots and draw the connection for the rest of the organization to see that is an honor and a privilege. It’s certainly something I learned in the military.”
Cedric Wilson, MBA, RT – Executive Director of Diagnostic Imaging
“I’ve been in health care for more than three decades. It’s a passion and privilege of mine that I get to work in every day. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some of the best senior leaders, physicians, technologists, and nurses in the world. I started out my career in the US Air Force where I spent over 21 years as an executive health care leader and a medic in the Air Force. I was exposed to, trained in, and taught advanced technology innovation and the servant leadership I still exercise today. I am as excited today about my role as I was more than 30 years ago.”
Rich Ramos RN, MS, CNS, PNP, CPON – Pediatric Oncology Nurse
“The military provided me with a profound sense of service. Additionally, the experience showed me how to perform thoughtfully under extreme circumstances. Organization, leadership, critical thinking, responding to situations clearly with a sense of urgency, and risk management are a few examples that the military instilled in me. These skills generalized well in my career as a nurse.
In 1990, I did one of my clinical rotations at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. The experience granted me clarity on so many levels. For one thing, I found that the patients, families, and staff were at their best when life had thrown the worst at them. That moved me. It was a banner under which to fight—caring for kids facing a life-threatening illness.”
