Former flight surgeon and healthcare administrator Pachavit Kasemsap, MD, previously served as a physician in the United States Air Force. Dr. Pachavit Kasemsap also performed a tour of duty in Iraq, where he served as a combat physician.
A need for physicians still exists in the Middle East. As recently as two years ago (2018), military physicians serving in the Middle East were busy, some seeing patients every day. With existing tensions in the Middle East, the shortage of military physicians is a crucial factor in military defense. Even with this shortage, the Pentagon has reduced the number of physicians and other healthcare professionals by 18,000.
The need for combat physicians is integral, especially with the state of political affairs in the Middle East. Combat physicians are trained in trauma life support care. In war zones, uniformed physicians meet that need. Moreover, military physicians are soldiers trained in combat.
From working with patients in war zones to jumping out of airplanes, physicians trained in these areas engender the trust of their troops. More importantly, they are one of the most significant factors in fortifying troops and playing a critical role in defense.
Pachavit Kasemsap 