Why I Joined the Military
Hello Dr. Jiu Jitsu Community,
In this third edition, I want to share a huge life decision that I recently made: joining the military. For those of you who have been following my journey, you know that everything I do is rooted in pushing my limits and challenging myself to grow. This decision, just like my journey in jiu jitsu and orthopaedics, was not made lightly.
The Journey
After hiring my life coach, breaking up with my boyfriend, and going to Worlds I realized my story needed to be shared.
These decisions changed everything. It wasn’t just about breaking free from that relationship—it was about learning to face my own challenges and take responsibility for my own growth. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that journey of digging deep with my life coach would lead me to unexpected places.
A Call to Serve
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been driven by the desire to challenge myself and grow. But this decision wasn’t just about pushing my physical or mental limits—it was about serving something greater than myself. Throughout my life people often asked if I was in the military. I guess I gave off the military vibe (whatever that is). I considered joining many times but my family often advised against it with the fear of me dying (understandable). After my orthopaedic fellowship I was offered a tremendous position at Emory. This placed me close to Fort Benning in Columbus, GA. I trained jiu jitsu and treated many military personnel which helped reignite my desire to serve.
Aligning Personal and Professional Values
Martial Arts and Medicine have taught me about resilience, respect, and perseverance, and I saw an opportunity to translate those same values into service. As a sports trained orthopaedic surgeon, athletes are my target population. The civilian world was bringing in many patients who did not participate in athletics. I had about 50% athletes and 50% sedentary patients. I realized that I wanted the athletic patients to be as close to 100% as possible. Thus bringing the thought of joining the military back into focus.
The Next Chapter
Beginning in February of 2024, marks the start of a new chapter. But make no mistake—this decision isn’t an end to Dr. Jiu Jitsu. I look forward to applying the lessons I learn in the military to further serve this community and bring new insights into how we can all continue to push our limits—whether on the mats or in life.
What’s Next?
I’ll continue to share my journey with you as I take on this new challenge. It will shape the future of Dr. Jiu Jitsu, and I am eager to incorporate the treatment of military patients, who I consider to be collegiate and professional athletes, into the content and philosophy of this community.
