Scaredycat, has it ever occurred to you that some of the people who chose a career in the military do so because they have otherwise limited options? I know, because I’m one of them. There is no question in my mind I would not be a physician had it not been for assistance from the Navy, both in undergrad and medical school. Why? Because I was born a poor kid, and was raised to believe that education was beyond my means. I remember when I was 25 I told my father my intentions to go to medical school he thought I was crazy, pipe-dreaming, and wouldn’t amount to anything besides a professional student. His tune changed dramatically after I got my HPSP scholarship and was accepted to Pitt. It was actually somewhat embarrassing to me how he’d swell with pride when he introduced me as “his son the doctor”.

Now you might say “but you could have gotten loans”. That may be true, but due to lousy credit at the time I’d be paying about 27% interest on that $250,000 education. Maybe that’s what you want to see me do. Or perhaps I should pump gas for a living, since I wasn’t born with a silver spoon up my ass. So I guess I did join the Navy for my own reasons and “WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME”, but you know what? I wouldn’t change it for anything. I could have gotten out 2 years ago, my obligation payed in full, and could probaly double my income as a civilian. But I don’t have to deal with malpractice insurance, I’m not a slave to medical bureaucracy, and I can focus on teaching residents, which is what I really enjoy doing. I love the Navy and what it offers me in a medical career, and intend to stay in until I retire or they kick me out, whichever comes first. I’ve fortunately not yet had to serve in a combat zone, but many of my friends and colleagues have. As a matter of fact, my department chairman at my next command is currently serving in Iraq. They can convert OB/GYNs to abdominal surgeons pretty quickly. As a matter of fact, men are quite a bit simpler inside.

I’ve legitimately saved the lives of at least a dozen women, and in the neighborhood of 100 babies with training made possible from the “military-industrial complex”. That’s what my service means to me. Call me indoctrinated. Oh, and I love Call of Duty.