Resiliency and Transformation – A Soldier/Doctor’s Journey

 

Over 100 people attended the Military Health Institute’s Distinguished Lecture series co-sponsored by the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics. Dr. Kerstetter talked about his experience losing almost everything including his military and medical careers.  Dr. Kerstetter advised that when faced with what appear to be insurmountable adversities, think about ways to transform yourself and the situation at hand.  Dr. Kerstetter was faced with no longer being able to be a trauma surgeon, his life was upended – everything he trained for changed in an instant due to his stroke and PTSD.  When he thought about why he had gone into medicine it was to heal others.  By transforming his point of view he now remains a healer by sharing his stories of overcoming adversity and sharing the meaning of and ways to employ personal resiliency.   He is mentoring the next generation of health professionals as well as those who suffer from wounds in the service and anyone going through strife.

 

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