From Marine Corps to Medicine: A Passion for Service and Dedication
He has been married to his wife, Michelle, for 14 years, and they have three daughters: Charlotte (12), Emma (9) and Lucy (1). But if you had asked him 20 years ago if this was what his life would eventually look like – all the twists and turns that would eventually lead him to medical school with plans to practice family medicine and a house full of girls – he would not have believed you.
After graduating from Washington High School in 2004, Keyser moved to Los Angeles, California, where he worked as a server on Ventura Boulevard for several years and attended a community college. His initial plan was to stay in California for only a few years before returning home to finish his undergraduate degree, but this is where his path took its first turn.
“During that time, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were going very poorly. The 9/11 terrorist attacks happened when I was in ninth grade, and since then I had always felt called to serve my country in some way,” Keyser said. “So in 2007, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps infantry, where I served for four years.”
Keyser said his time in the Marine Corps shaped him in many ways, but above all, the discipline he gained was a key factor in his ultimate pursuit of medicine. Influenced by his grandfather, family physician Dr. Jerry Walton, Keyser said that medicine was always in the back of his mind, but doubted if he had the discipline to tackle medical school right out of high school.
“I don’t think I could have succeeded in my pursuit of medicine had I undertaken it straight out of high school or even in my early 20s before serving in the Marine Corps,” Keyser said. “But after serving, it gave me that sense of discipline and confidence I felt I was lacking.”
After several years serving in the Marine Corps, he enrolled at the University of Sioux Falls. During his time there, he was a full-time student during the day and continued to work full-time as a server in the evenings and on weekends to support his wife and daughters.
“It was hard to manage school, work and family life as I had two young daughters at the time,” Keyser explained. Maintaining this balance came at the cost of pursuing certain extracurricular clubs and activities. Still, with excellent grades and a good deal of tenacity, as well as a few application cycles, Keyser achieved the dream he once doubted was possible: attending medical school and becoming a family physician.
After he began medical school, his grandfather continued to impact his education. In his clinical rotations, he often encounters patients his grandfather had treated and they speak with so much respect and admiration toward him.
“His patients would often tell me how wonderful of a physician he was and how lucky they felt to have him as their doctor,” Keyser said. “Seeing the positive impact he had on people gives me a strong desire to do the same.”
He admits that the work of medical school, compounded with late nights and long weeks, and then coming home to a busy house, can take a toll on a person. Despite the challenges, he believes his non-traditional route has given him a different mindset when approaching difficult times.
“I think the amount of sacrifice and hard work required to pursue medicine as a non-traditional student can easily cause you to have second thoughts when things get tough. If you are in it for the money or the prestigious title, you will struggle when things get hard,” Keyser said. “The thing that has kept me going is remembering the reason I wanted to become a physician in the first place, which is the impact you get to have on your patients. To me there has been no better motivator than that wonderful feeling you get from helping people during their time of greatest need.”
Keyser plans to apply for family medicine residencies with the hopes of practicing in a rural setting, not unlike his grandfather. With a busy schedule and a house full, Keyser will have his hands full over the next several years. Whether it’s as a Marine or primary care physician, it’s clear that Keyser’s passion for service will always shine through.
This story was written by Rebecca Hofer and Cole Tessendorf, students in the USD Sanford School of Medicine News Group.
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