Navy's Top Doc Addresses 'the Future of Medicine' at Mt. San Antonio College

WALNUT, Calif. (NNS) -- Vice Adm. Matthew L. Nathan, U.S. Navy surgeon general, and chief, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, served as keynote speaker at Mt. San Antonio College's 7th Annual Health Professions Conference, April 26.

Building on the theme, "Planting the seed of global health; You are the future of medicine," Nathan asked if the students were ready to change the world.

"You are going to change the lives of people you don't know," said Nathan. "Somewhere out there, someone you have never met will thank you for saving him or her. That is the nature of what we do."

Nathan continued with how Navy medicine plays a part in changing lives around the world.

"The Navy's medical team operates on the water, underwater with our submarine forces, in the air with our aviation medicine, and on land supporting our Marines and our special forces," said Nathan. "This full-spectrum medical care anywhere at anytime is something the Navy is uniquely qualified to do, and we know it's your generation, that will move medical care to a whole new level."

Following the keynote address, recruiters from Navy Recruiting District Los Angeles were on hand to answer questions about Navy opportunities within the health care profession.

The recruiters answered questions on officer as well as enlisted career opportunities to the nearly 2,000 registered students.

"There were a lot of people who knew we had medical careers in the Navy," said Chief Avionics Ordnanceman Johann Aaron. "What they didn't know was how well their training here at school correlates to what we do in the Navy. The surgeon general's address sparked a lot of interest in Navy medicine today."

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