SCHOLAR DIRECTORY

Commander (CDR) Melissa Troncoso is a Ph.D. candidate at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. There, she focuses her studies on eating behaviors and culture of health. Her primary research goal is to identify the social and environmental factors that influence eating behaviors among junior enlisted service members, and how to facilitate a culture of health that promotes and supports individual efforts to maintain healthy eating habits. CDR Troncoso most recently held the position of Navy Nurse Corps Administrative Fellow at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, and served as the Navy medical representative on the Department of Defense Instruction 1308.3: Physical Fitness and Body Fat Program Procedures working group tasked with revising DoDI 1308.3. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner with extensive clinical experience working with active duty military personnel, military retirees, and their families. During a nine-month deployment, she served as the Officer in Charge of the Cooperative Medical Assistance Team, a joint operation responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing medical, veterinary, and entomology humanitarian civil-military operations across a Combined Joint area of Afghanistan. CDR Troncoso received her Master of Science in Nursing from the Uniformed Services University and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Michigan. She is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach with experience coaching individuals and groups in the areas of weight management and wellness. Her awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2) and the Army Achievement Medal.

Currently a PhD student interested in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patient population, and the affects of their symptoms and co-morbidities after attendance in a Pulmonary Rehabilitation program. I am also a research assistant under Dr. Ronald Hickman, I was apart of development of an avatar education tool to assist surrogate decision makers (SDMs), while making decisions for loved ones in an ICU setting. I have a bachelors of nursing and recently obtained board certification as a Adult Gerontology Primary Care nurse practitioner. I have previously worked as a bedside nurse in a medical surgical setting and additionally care for patients on mechanical ventilation. I have various amounts of previous research experience, including pharmaceutical trials, cardiovascular stem cell tissue replacement, pulmonary bronchoscopy, neurointensivist stroke assessment training.