Read on Twitter
Veterans day was yesterday, and I must honor my greatest hero. He spent the greater part of his adult life serving our country. Not only this, but he served those that were considered enemies. He taught me something about medicine from his Iraq tours I will not forget (thread):
My dad served as a field surgeon in Iraq, and in his 2003 deployment, the combat trauma which he had to manage was intense. Interestingly, he said that only about half of his patients were US soldiers.
Some of the other half of his patients were civilians and children tragically injured in IED explosions or crossfire. And, yes, many of his patients were Iraqi insurgents who were injured on the battlefield and brought to the US base for urgent trauma care.
He said operating to save the lives of those who were shooting at US troops hours prior was the hardest thing he has ever done; it was one of the greatest tests of his Christian faith to put aside any antipathy towards "the enemy" and just treat the patient with love and service.
I am just starting to dip my toe into patient care in medical school. What did he teach me about medicine from these stories? He taught me that no matter who comes through your doors, onto your OR table, or into your office, you exist as a physician to serve the patient.
That the background, attitudes, beliefs, race, religion, gender, and even the status as an outright "enemy" or one who despises you and wishes you harm, is completely irrelevant to how much service you pour out for that patient.
I learned if he can manage enemy combatants as patients who would rather see him and US troops dead, then you truly can treat any patient. There is no limit to what the radical ethic of love and service can help accomplish in medicine.
And, perhaps, showing such radical love to patients, even those who hate you, will ultimately soften their hearts, and bring about peace and a shared sense of humanity. I hope I am half the doctor and man my dad was. Happy (late) Veteran's Day, Col. Preston!
