The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced the appointment of Brett D. Rusch, MD, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Geisel School of Medicine, as the new director of the White River Junction VA Medical Center (WRJVAMC), where he will oversee the delivery of healthcare to approximately 26,000 veterans throughout Vermont and the four contiguous counties of New Hampshire.
In his role as the director of the WRJVAMC, Rusch will also serve as an ex officio member of Geisel’s Board of Advisors. He has been a member of the medical school faculty since June 2015.
From the VA Press Release:
“We are excited to have Dr. Rusch on board as the new director of White River Junction VA Medical Center,” said Ryan Lilly, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 1 Director. “His sound leadership qualities and proven experience will continue to be valuable assets for the network, the employees and volunteers, and most importantly, for the Veterans we are honored to serve. He is currently serving as White River Junction’s chief of staff, so our Veterans throughout the region will benefit from his experience.”
Dr. Rusch received a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin and completed medical school and a psychiatry residency at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (UWSMPH).
Dr. Rusch joined the VA in 2015 as the Chief of Mental Health and Behavioral Science Service and was appointed Chief of Staff in December 2016. Prior to joining White River Junction VA Medical Center in 2015, Dr. Rusch served as Director of Inpatient and Intensive Outpatient Mental Health Services at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, WI, and as an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the UWSMPH. He is an experienced educator and received the UWSMPH Department of Psychiatry's Award for Excellence in Resident Education for the three consecutive academic years bridging 2012-2015.
White River Junction VA Medical Center is located in the town of White River Junction, Vermont, and operates Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in five Vermont locations: Bennington, Brattleboro, Burlington, Newport, and Rutland; and two New Hampshire communities: Keene and Littleton.
