Christine Hunter, M.D. ’80 – 2010 Humanitarian Award

Christine Hunter is a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy and Deputy Director for TRICARE Management Activity, which coordinates health care for more than 9 million military beneficiaries worldwide.

As deputy director, Hunter serves as the principal advisor to the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) on the Department of Defense health policy and performance. She oversees the acquisition, operation and integration of the Department of Defense managed care program within the Military Health System.

She is a graduate of the combined BU six-year program where she earned dual Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Medicine degrees with honors in 1980. Following a tour aboard the USS HUNLEY as one of the first women to serve on a naval ship(AS-31), she reported to Naval Medical Center San Diego for her residency in internal medicine and fellowship in hematology/oncology. She is board certified in all three fields.
She has served as Director of Medical Services at Naval Medical Center San Diego, where she redesigned primary care services and developed the Medicare Subvention project which served as the model for TRICARE for Life. She also served as Executive Assistant to the Surgeon General focusing on best practices in primary care and enhancing Navy Medicine’s service to the fleet.

In 2000, Dr. Hunter assumed command of Naval Hospital Bremerton in the state of Washington. She served as Pacific Fleet Surgeon, where she developed the Concept of Operations for resuscitative surgery aboard small combatant ships which later served as the prototype for today’s Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical System.

She then served as Chief of Staff of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, where she ensured the ongoing deployment of medical personnel in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, as well as organized medical support for tsunami, earthquake, and hurricane relief missions. She led the development of Navy Medicine’s Pandemic Flu Response Plan, and implemented the reorganization of Navy Medicine to create an Echelon II Headquarters with four subordinate regional commands.

In 2007, Dr. Hunter assumed command of Navy Medicine West and Naval Medical Center San Diego, where she developed nationally-acclaimed programs for wounded warriors including amputee care, combat stress control, and traumatic brain injury; expanded health services across the Pacific; promoted medical research; and led the medical center to achieve the top ranking in Department of Defense for combined quality, population health, and business performance.

Her personal decorations include the Legion of Merit (six awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards).