ALUMNI AWARDS

Colonel Harry Warren, MD, has a long history of being committed to excellence. As a teenager, the native of Bellaire, Texas, was an Eagle Scout, a National Merit finalist and a member of his high school’s champion swim team.

His drive to excel increased when he enrolled at Texas A&M in 1975. By the time he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and MD, his list of accomplishments included Battalion Commander, instructor in Rudder’s Rangers, Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities, a Distinguished Military Graduate, and a member of the Fish Drill Team, Texas A&M Swim Team, and Texas A&M Water Polo Team.

After receiving his commission to the U.S. Army, Warren had a significant influence on military medical practice for more than four decades as he specialized in orthopedic trauma surgery and major reconstructive surgery of shoulders and knees. During the course of his career, Warren was an Army Ranger, master parachutist, expert field medic, and master flight surgeon.

“He treated thousands of soldiers and civilians through several deployments to Honduras, Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq for both Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom,” said Paul F. Ogden, MD, a clinical professor of internal medicine in the College of Medicine who nominated Warren for this honor.

Early in his Army career, Warren founded the 101^st Forward Surgical Team, which deployed on short notice to Operation Desert Storm. The team participated in the largest air assault operation ever conducted, flying at low level over 100 miles behind the lines with the 101^st Airbourne Division to provide critical surgical care to soldiers injured in the Euphrates region.

Warren later served as the first chief of the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation at Womack Army Medical Center. The department became the model for the U.S. Army when orthopedic services were realigned internationally. Additionally, Warren was responsible for training orthopedic surgery residents from Duke University and Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

One of Warren’s definitive military experiences involved commanding Med Task Force 86 during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“When no other hospital was able to cover the essential forward surgery mission, he split his 312-bed hospital into two units. He applied principles that he had developed back in the 101^st Surgical team and set up the first mobile surgical hospital in Iraq, which was immediately inundated with mass casualties,” said Lt. Col. (Ret.) Gordon Hsieh. “His team rose to the occasion. In reference to Med TF-96 performance, a senior general officer stated that ‘the 86^th was the medical plan.’ Dr Warren then pivoted to provide multiple humanitarian actions across Iraq to provide care to an already underserved civilian population now dealing with additional disruptions due to the war.”

Warren also has a strong interest in sports medicine. He served as the team physician for the Army’s Golden Knights and the Fort Campbell football team, as well as individual athletes who competed at the local, state, and elite international levels. He continues to serve U.S. troops as the chief of Sports Medicine at Fort Eustis, VA.

His outstanding service was duly noted. By the time he retired with the rank of colonel, Warren had been awarded the Legion of Merit six times, the Bronze Star twice, the Meritorious Service Medal six times, and the Air Medal and Combat Medical Badge. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Originally from Texas, Joseph Joo, MD, earned his degrees from both Texas’s flagship universities. After completing his bachelor’s degree at the University of Texas at Austin, he pursued post-baccalaureate studies in biomedical sciences at Texas A&M University before enrolling in the College of Medicine, where he earned his MD in 2019. Joo returned to the University of Texas at Austin to complete his internal medicine residency with Distinction in Care Transformation at Dell Medical School from 2019 to 2022.

As a board-certified physician, Joo joined the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington in 2022. As an early-career faculty member, Joo also received advanced training in policy and health services in the Department of Health Systems and Population Health.

Since 2023, Joo has led the Program on Policy Evaluation and Learning in the Pacific Northwest (PROPEL-PNW), which serves as the formal evaluation partner for the Washington Health Care Authority, the state’s largest purchaser of health care services. During Joo’s leadership, PROPEL-PNW has worked with state leaders to evaluate ground ambulance services, surgical volumes and primary care coordination.

Additionally, Joo conducts research with an emphasis on health systems topics, including population health interventions to improve care transitions. Joo has published his research in notable peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of General Internal Medicine, the Journal of Hospital Medicine, and Health Affairs. Furthermore, Joo has given regional and national presentations on his research studying the impact of technology, care delivery models and payment incentives on care delivery outcomes.

“Dr. Joo has distinguished himself by becoming a national expert in health system science,” said Rob Milman, MD, associate head of the college’s Department of Medical Education, who nominated Joo for the award. “His innovative research and practical applications have provided valuable insights into the intricate workings of health care systems.”

In 2024, Joo co-authored Reshaping Health Systems: What Drives Health Care and How You Can Change It. The book, based on Joo’s research on the systems factors that are currently driving health care, offers actionable strategies for any clinician to make positive changes in their own practice.

As his career progresses, Joo remains committed to embodying the Aggie Core Values.

“I have had the privilege of teaching and mentoring Dr. Joo, and I can attest to his dedication to the Aggie Core Values. As a show of loyalty, he recently participated in a session with our current students in the Health System Science distinction,” Milman said. “He is determined to help transform the health care system to be more just, efficient, and cost-effective.”