The Military Medical Officer’s Current-Day Professional Identity: An Enhanced Model

Background: As the landscapes of war have evolved, so too has the role of the military medical officer (MMO). Colonel (Retired) Barry Wolcott developed a “vector” model in the 1990s, illustrating the dual professional role of the MMO. Since then, propelled by the War on Terror, MMOs have adapted to treating patients in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous operational environments. This study, therefore, aimed to explore modern-day aspects of the MMO’s role in order to enhance Wolcott’s depiction of the MMO’s professional identity in contemporary operational environments. Materials and Methods: We used the qualitative phenomenological tradition to design our study. We interviewed military physicians from a variety of specialties in order to explore their experiences and professional identity as MMOs. Our research team then coded each of these interview transcripts. We organized these codes into categories, which served as the themes of our study. Results: The following themes emerged from our data regarding the role of the MMO in the operational environment: Primary roles (officer, physician, educator, and diplomat) and aptitudes (innovation, advocacy, cultural competency, and leadership). The MMO’s roles as officer and physician often intersect, with dual foci on the mission and the patient. The MMO also serves as an educator to medics and line officers. In addition, they act as diplomats both outside and within the military. Within each of these primary roles, the MMO innovatively prepares for future landscapes of war and advocates for both the individual warfighter and the unit/command. Finally, the MMO navigates both foreign and internal cultural differences and demonstrates leadership in enabling the military’s mission. Conclusions: The role of the MMO is complex and multifaceted. The recognition of the contemporary MMO’s unique skill set is essential for the effective education and training of future military health care leaders. The value of capitalizing on this unique skill set has been demonstrated in recent civ-mil responses. Because their intricate skill set is specialized for the operational environment, long-term retention of MMOs is key to force readiness.