Jonathan Chadwick, MD, a surgeon in our Paducah market, spent 28 years with the U.S. Navy. Dr. Chadwick enlisted in 1988 and began at the U.S. Naval Academy in 1989. He graduated in 1993 with a degree in oceanography and earned his wings as a naval aviator in 1995.
It was this time of his military life that would inform his decision to pursue health care.
“I served as a pilot for nine years, deploying to the Persian Gulf twice and Korea once,” Dr. Chadwick shares.
He spent his final flying tour as a primary fixed wing flight instructor.
“During this tour, I stopped at the scene of a horrible accident to help,” he recalls. “I had an intense desire to do more as I watched the professionals calmly take control of the situation. The next day, I had an epiphany that I wanted to be a physician.”
That epiphany led him to attend medical school at Penn State College of Medicine on a naval scholarship. Upon graduation, Dr. Chadwick began his residency training in otolaryngology at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center.
“However, after my first year of residency, I was pulled out of training and was assigned to serve as the general medical officer on an amphibious assault ship for two years, returning to the Persian Gulf and Africa,” Dr. Chadwick says. “Once that tour was complete, I returned back to my residency and completed the last four years of training.”
Following his residency training, Dr. Chadwick was assigned to the Naval Hospital Guam, where he served as the hospital’s only ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician. It was on the island of Guam where Dr. Chadwick spent his final four years in the Navy, retiring after 28 years.
Dr. Chadwick now serves his community through his work at Mercy Health – Paducah Ear, Nose and Throat. He patients rely on his reassuring presence and skill, traits that can be attributed to his time in the Navy.
“During my military career, I frequently worked in very stressful situations,” Dr. Chadwick notes. “I learned to remain calm no matter what happens.”
Dr. Chadwick also said the military taught him to respect all individuals, which he said is easy to do as a surgeon working in our ministry.
“I cannot do my job if everyone who works here doesn’t do theirs,” he explains. “I rely on everyone to best serve our patients. We all have a role to play and all are equally important. The team here is amazing and I am very grateful to be part of this ministry.”
Thank you to Dr. Chadwick as well as all our other veteran team members for your service to our country. Read more stories about our veteran team members.
Also, learn more about the health care services we offer at Mercy Health.
