The Letterman Institute

The Institute draws on the lessons of the past to create better leaders in the present. Participants hone their leadership skills by examining the challenges, problem solving, and innovations of Civil War medical leaders.

“It was a great day and I learned a lot about what true leadership can be. The fact that our classroom was a battlefield made the lessons even more vivid to those of us in a military organization. Now the challenge is take what I’ve learned and start to seriously think about my leadership style and how I can be a more effective leader.” –A Letterman Institute Alumni

The Inspiration

Letterman (seated left) sits with members of his staff in Warrenton, VA in November 1862. Photograph by Alexander Gardner, Courtesy of the Library of Congress

The Letterman Institute is inspired by the work and legacy of Major Jonathan Letterman and his colleagues. Letterman, known as the Father of Battlefield Medicine, revolutionized trauma care in America by introducing systems for triage, evacuation, hospital organization, and data collection during the chaos of the Civil War.

The Letterman Institute does not value easy answers. Instead, the Institute teaches strategic thinking to improve the lives of others.

 

What We Do

Letterman Institute participants discuss battlefield leadership by a monumentThe Letterman Institute offers customized programs for military and medical professionals. Additionally, the Institute honors those who are continuing Letterman’s legacy by making great strides in helping wounded warriors.

 

 

Who We Work With

  • Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
  • Joint Medical Executive Skills Institute