Thomas E. Beam

Fellow

Dr. Thomas E. Beam retired from the U. S. Army in 2001 after 30 years of service as a general surgeon. While he was on active duty, he directed the Borden Institute, Office of the Surgeon General, producing the Textbook of Military Medicine series and other special projects for the Army Surgeon General. He is completing a 2 volume Textbook of Military Medical Ethics for that series. He was the Consultant to the Army Surgeon General in medical ethics. He represented the Army on the Tri-Service Ethics Consultants Board and continues to serve with this group. Dr. Beam was also the Chairman, Hospital Ethics Committee for the Walter Reed Army Medical Center for almost ten years and remains active with this committee. He continues to be active in ethics education, ethics consultation, and policy formation in military medical ethics. He is a Fellow of The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity and member of the Christian Medical and Dental Associations, currently serving on their Ethics Commission. He is the immediate past chairman of this commission, having served for 5 years in that capacity. His bioethical interests include the physician-patient relationship, end-of-life issues, personhood, and military medical ethics.

Dr. Beam received his B.A. summa cum laude in biology, chemistry, and premedical studies from Western Maryland College and then received his M.D. from the University of Virginia. He served a residency in general surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, graduating as the center's outstanding resident for 1980. He is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Uniformed Services University for the Health Sciences. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Surgery and is a fellow in the American College of Surgery.

Dr. Beam is involved in his local church, Forcey Memorial in Silver Spring, Maryland, serving as elder of worship. His wife and two grown sons are also active in the church and in its music ministries.