Q&As; with VA investigators who served in the military about what inspired their military and research careers, and how their work today is helping their fellow Veterans
Dr. Edward Chan (12/26/18) "I think that being mindful, having perseverance, and above all, being kind to all, which is not always easy to do, are important keys to success." |
Dr. Jean-Pierre Raufman (11/2/18) "It's difficult to express the joy of true discovery–learning something that no one else knows." |
Matt Landis (10/18/18) "I can see the impact of thoughtful, well-designed technologies on disabled people...I can see directly how life-changing these innovations can be, and that everything we do can potentially increase a person's freedom." |
Dr. Philip Owens (10/18/18) "If one Veteran has a better life because of any of the things that I study, then to me my life is a success." |
Dr. Elizabeth Hill (08/24/18) "I found that being involved in research is what I love the most to do, whether it's doing research myself, mentoring others, or managing clinical trials." |
Dr. Peter M. Elias (07/27/18) "Much of my research has focused on the problems of aging skin, which is a growing problem within VA because of the changing demographics of our Veteran patient population." |
Dr. Gail Cresci (07/16/18) "As an active-duty dietitian in the Army, I was able to experience firsthand the exposures that service members and Veterans have to many nutritionally related digestive disorders." |
Dr. C. Scott Smith (06/21/18) "Service to country has been a tradition in my family. My father was a tank commander in the Korean War." |
Dr. Yani Leyva (06/11/18) "My military involvement has taught me a lot about my strengths, my capabilities, and my ability to work efficiently and effectively with people on and outside of my team." |
Dr. Jeffrey Jones (05/29/18) "I have always wanted to 'push the envelope' with patient care to improve the lives of our patients, especially those afflicted with the devastation of cancer." |
Dr. John Ney (05/25/18) "I learned how to conduct medicine in very austere conditions, without access to nursing, lab work, or blood in a very up-tempo combat environment." |
Dr. Jeff Smith (05/17/18) "I can honestly say that my military experience, albeit brief, is something that I cherish to this very day." |
Dr. Kenneth Heilman (04/10/18) "My first mentor [my high school geometry teacher] taught me the joyful reward of solving a problem." |
Dr. Matthew Bair (04/05/18) "I truly loved caring for military personnel and their families. Working and conducting research in VA feels like 'home.'" |
Dr. Michael Russell (04/04/18) "Without the right data, we weren't going to succeed. So I set out to be the Army's suicide expert." |
Dr. Justin Benzer (03/12/18) "I've seen that VA researchers, and in particular those in VA research centers, are really collaborative and supportive. They want to mentor junior researchers." |
Dr. Kiersten Downs (03/07/18) "As I set out on a path to become a VA researcher, I feverishly consumed the work of VA anthropologists like Erin Finley, Sarah Ono, and Ann Cheney. These incredible women made me realize that there is a place for the kind of work I want to do in VA." |
Dr. Gina McCaskill (03/07/18) "I'm especially interested in improving the quality of life and well-being of older Veterans who have multiple chronic conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, and osteoarthritis." |
Dr. Roy Bloebaum (02/28/18) "If it's easy, you're in the wrong job." |
Dr. Gabriel Gonzalez (02/27/18) "My research career was inspired [in part] by science-fiction literature and television programming that focused on science and technology, such as the Discovery Channel network." |
Dr. Racine Brown (02/14/18) "My military and Veteran experience amplifies in my mind the importance of health research to benefit Veterans." |
Dr. Jeff Pyne (01/18/18) "I asked one of my mentors how he chose problems to study. He said he chose problems that made him angry." |
Dr. Sol Solomon (01/12/18) "When the Air Force told me I'd be stationed at Ramstein outside of Munich, Germany, I declined because the entire Polish side of my family had perished in the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz." |
Dr. John Davis (12/27/17) "I've always felt that my military experience allows me to relate more directly to patients and staff at VA medical centers." |
Dr. Daniel Bikle (12/13/17) "It's very important to believe in yourself, strive to understand, respond positively to critiques, and to seek out others with whom you can collaborate to advance in your work." |
Dr. Joshua Lipschutz (11/28/17) "I had always wanted to serve, and 9-11 just propelled me to be in the military. It was something I had to do." |
Dr. Michael Simberkoff (11/16/17) "I enjoyed and continue to enjoy working with Veterans. They are the most deserving group of patients we can serve." |
Dr. Stuart Johnson (11/7/17) "My experience in the military, particularly at a time when it was unpopular and when no one was saying 'thank you for your service' after we came home, helps me bond with many Veterans disaffected by wars and society." |
Dr. Rory Cooper (10/2/17) "After my injury, I had to plot a new course in life. I don't think that it matters anymore. I've found my calling...." |
Dr. Ronald Riechers (8/25/17) "Whether it is simply having the shared experience of shining and wearing combat boots, carrying a rucksack, eating a ready-to-eat meal, or having seen the acute effects of an IED...all of these experiences provide familiarity to patients and can be key to establishing rapport." |
Dr. Dennis Stevens (8/24/17) "Being a Veteran has improved my compassion for other Veterans and has provided more insight into current and future needs for our Veterans." |
Dr. Arnold Postlethwaite (8/2/17) "Being a Vet myself creates a connection to Veterans that is different from the connections I have to patients who are not Veterans." |
Dr. Mary Jo Pugh (7/31/17) "Being a Veteran definitely fuels my passion to find answers." |
Dr. Paul Arthur (6/22/17) "It is an extraordinary task to pull Veterans from the military mindset of 'adapt and overcome.'" |
Dr. Frank Greco (6/6/17) "My research involves applying mathematical and physical methods to solve medical problems." |
April Ahrendt (5/25/17) "I feel that being a Vet gives me some insight into military-connected health conditions that need more research for prevention and treatment." |