Veteran’s military experience translates to civilian family medicine leadership

“There’s often a noticeable shift in my patients' demeanor once they learn that I’m a veteran,” said Beauparlant, a family physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Clinic in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. “A sense of connection forms immediately. It opens the lines of communication—you can see them begin to relax, their shoulders drop. They recognize that I can appreciate their experiences.”

Beauparlant, whose family has a history of service, was a major when she was discharged from the U.S. Army Medical Corps in 2015. Her grandfather was a warrant officer during World War II. Two of her uncles rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel during the Vietnam War, and her brother served in the Marines.

“My uncles were so proud when I commissioned” said Beauparlant, who trained at the Martin Army Community Hospital Family Medicine Residency at Fort Benning, Georgia, after graduating from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. “I jokingly say my brother got out of the Marines before he had to salute me.”

Full-scope family medicine prepared her for deployment

Beauparlant spent three years in Fairbanks, Alaska, where her duties included medical director of the Bassett Army Community Hospital’s Emergency Department. Bassett didn’t have an intensive care unit, so she also was credentialed at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in case her patients needed to be taken to that facility.

“Nothing ever seemed to happen in good weather,” she said. “If conditions prevented an air evacuation, that was inevitably the night something would go wrong. We treated everything from severe lacerations and heart attacks to car crashes, snowmobile accidents and plenty of fishhooks embedded in fingers.”

She said her experience in the Alaskan ER and ICU helped prepare her for deployment to Afghanistan in 2014.

“We have trauma-based training,” she said, “but we don’t see that in a typical primary care clinic.”

Beauparlant was deployed to southern Afghanistan for nine months and earned a Bronze Star during her service.

“That experience was unlike anything I had ever encountered,” she said. “The challenges we often consider significant in our society are minimal compared to the hardships faced in the region of Afghanistan where we served.”

After her deployment, she rejoined her family in Alaska.

“We loved it there,” she said. “The people are very friendly. It was full-scope family medicine. My husband is an ice hockey coach, so it was a good fit.”

Military experience prepared her to lead

Beauparlant’s military experience gave her a solid foundation in leadership, and now she’s pursuing leadership opportunities in civilian organizations.

“The military places you in leadership roles whether you feel prepared or not,” said Beauparlant, who served on several hospital committees during her time in Fairbanks. “You’re forced to discover your own leadership style. I learned to become a better listener, to advocate effectively and to speak my mind with confidence.”

After her military service ended, Beauparlant moved back to Pennsylvania in 2016 to be closer to relatives. She dove into leadership in the Pennsylvania AFP, serving on the chapter’s Governance and Leadership Committee for two years before joining its Board of Directors in 2022. This year she is serving as the PAFP’s president.

 “It’s exposed me to many different aspects of medicine,” Beauparlant said during an interview at the AAFP’s Congress of Delegates in Anaheim, California, last month. “You gain insight into other perspectives and the experiences of your colleagues. It’s also strengthened my connections and communication with students and residents, allowing me to better understand what they’re going through. I’ve been fortunate to have mentors who supported me, and I believe it’s essential to do the same for those just beginning their careers.”

Beauparlant earned a Master of Business Administration degree with a focus on health care administration in 2017. When her teenage sons, both aspiring hockey players, move out of the house, she hopes that additional training will help lead to her next adventure.

“I’m always seeking new leadership opportunities,” she said. “I wanted to gain a better understanding of the business side of medicine. Once we have our children settled in college, I plan to pursue additional opportunities to grow and contribute.”