WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:02.583 (upbeat music) 00:08.600 --> 00:11.870 - So, I joined the Navy a little bit by accident, 00:11.870 --> 00:13.570 as a lot of things happen in life. 00:13.570 --> 00:17.200 My father had been enlisted in the Air Force. 00:17.200 --> 00:18.033 So, growing up, 00:18.033 --> 00:19.430 we heard a lot about what that had done for him 00:19.430 --> 00:21.590 in his life and the value of service, 00:21.590 --> 00:22.883 so it was on my mind. 00:24.020 --> 00:27.330 I got a flyer for Navy ROTC going to college 00:27.330 --> 00:30.160 and filled it out and sent it back, 00:30.160 --> 00:31.600 and one thing led to another. 00:31.600 --> 00:34.450 So, my decision to go into pediatrics 00:34.450 --> 00:36.420 was a little late in medical school. 00:36.420 --> 00:37.380 Somewhere early on, 00:37.380 --> 00:39.750 I decided I should probably be an orthopedic surgeon, 00:39.750 --> 00:42.160 but I found myself late in the game 00:42.160 --> 00:43.810 in fourth year medical school thinking, 00:43.810 --> 00:45.410 you know, it's a little limited. 00:45.410 --> 00:46.780 It's just the bones. 00:46.780 --> 00:48.970 I had to look back at what I had really enjoyed 00:48.970 --> 00:50.290 in medical school and thought, you know, 00:50.290 --> 00:52.790 my favorite rotation was pediatrics. 00:52.790 --> 00:53.623 But I thought, you know, 00:53.623 --> 00:54.670 I really think I like that medicine. 00:54.670 --> 00:55.790 That's who I like to take care of. 00:55.790 --> 00:59.110 So, in fourth year I decided to switch and quickly go 00:59.110 --> 01:00.960 and interview with the pediatric programs, 01:00.960 --> 01:02.520 and 19 years later, 01:02.520 --> 01:03.370 I've never looked back. 01:03.370 --> 01:05.770 I've had a great career as a Navy pediatrician. 01:05.770 --> 01:09.380 The things you can do in Navy medicine are certainly unique. 01:09.380 --> 01:12.270 You'll get to do all the things that you can do 01:12.270 --> 01:14.470 in civilian medicine plus more. 01:14.470 --> 01:15.632 After my internship, 01:15.632 --> 01:19.145 I took a general medical officer tour in Japan 01:19.145 --> 01:20.760 with the Marine Corps. 01:20.760 --> 01:21.700 And so, you know, 01:21.700 --> 01:25.060 you're on a LCAC hovercraft, 01:25.060 --> 01:27.800 you're on back of a helicopter, 01:27.800 --> 01:28.950 just doin' really cool things. 01:28.950 --> 01:31.500 I learned to scuba dive in Okinawa. 01:31.500 --> 01:32.880 So, great opportunities, 01:32.880 --> 01:33.910 and then later in my career, 01:33.910 --> 01:34.743 I finished residency. 01:34.743 --> 01:36.480 I got to go to Italy for two years, 01:36.480 --> 01:39.310 the general pediatrician at a very small clinic, 01:39.310 --> 01:41.900 and which had its stresses and rewards. 01:41.900 --> 01:46.370 So, the number of things you can do is just unparalleled. 01:46.370 --> 01:49.170 Navy medicine has been certainly the best choice for me. 01:50.170 --> 01:53.180 The rewarding part about being a Navy pediatrician 01:53.180 --> 01:55.540 is the people you work for, 01:55.540 --> 01:57.020 the patients that we have, 01:57.020 --> 01:58.760 and also the people you work with. 01:58.760 --> 02:00.910 I've enjoyed both throughout my whole career 02:00.910 --> 02:02.710 and no matter where I've been stationed, 02:02.710 --> 02:05.460 the taking care of a war fighter's family 02:05.460 --> 02:07.250 is extremely rewarding. 02:07.250 --> 02:09.410 Things we can do for them to make sure 02:09.410 --> 02:11.260 that the whole family is as healthy 02:11.260 --> 02:13.263 and whole as they can be. 02:14.210 --> 02:15.510 It really has meaning. 02:15.510 --> 02:16.490 It helps you go home feeling 02:16.490 --> 02:18.330 like you did something important every day. 02:18.330 --> 02:19.163 In the Navy, 02:19.163 --> 02:20.760 we're all one team, and people, 02:20.760 --> 02:22.530 when we're training somebody to be a pediatrician, 02:22.530 --> 02:24.726 they're gonna take care of my kids. 02:24.726 --> 02:28.720 So, it really builds this tight knit community 02:28.720 --> 02:29.980 that's fun to work in 02:29.980 --> 02:31.903 where everybody cares about each other.