Military Veteran and MCW Student Finds Inspiration in his Parents' Journey and the Opportunity to Serve Others
A career in medicine wasn’t always the clear path for Geoffrey Carl Rodriguez, a third-year student at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). Raised in a low-income household in Los Angeles, Rodriguez is the son of Filipino immigrants who arrived in the U.S. in the 1990s, and faced numerous challenges as they navigated a new country.
“We grew up always struggling financially,” Rodriguez recalls. “I grew up mostly on federal aid like food stamps and welfare.”
His interest in healthcare began early on, influenced by his cousins who were nurses, the responsibility of caring for his disabled mother, and witnessing his grandmother’s battle with Alzheimer’s. These personal experiences laid the foundation for a deep awareness of how health impacts quality of life.
“I became very aware at a young age how much health matters,” Rodriguez says. “It sparked my interest in serving others, though I wasn’t sure in what capacity.”
However, growing up in LA wasn’t easy. Rodriguez admits he made some wrong choices and got caught up with the wrong crowd.
He eventually found his way, graduated high school, and followed his older brother’s footsteps to college – the second in his family to attend.
At 17, he moved out of his parents' home and worked two jobs to support himself. Determined to help alleviate his family’s financial burden, he followed his older brother’s advice and attended community college, eventually being accepted into the nursing program at the University of California, Los Angeles after two years. But financial constraints made him rethink his options.
“I had a strong inclination towards the military, especially after the events of 9-11. The decision to join was ultimately prompted by my desire to serve, with the added benefit of not wanting to accumulate over $50,000 in student loan debt,” Rodriguez says. “The military changed my life for the better in so many ways.”
Rodriguez enlisted and served as a medical laboratory specialist in the U.S. Army, an experience that continues to shape him.
“The military was the most significant experience of my young adult life. It taught me how to work with people from all walks of life—rich, poor, farmers, business professionals, from diverse races and sexual orientations—and ultimately how to lead a seemingly mismatched team of individuals toward a common goal or mission objective,” he says. “The Army instilled in me values like loyalty, duty, respect, integrity, and selfless service, which have been key pillars in my life and my success so far.”
After completing his military service, Rodriguez worked as a clinical laboratory scientist for Kaiser Permanente in North Hollywood, California. He eventually became an adjunct lecturer at his alma mater, California State University, Dominguez Hills, while pursuing business goals like real estate investment and earning his Master of Business Administration degree.
He was finding success in the investment sector when COVID-19 hit, which prompted him to reflect on his career choices.
“While I was on a path toward financial stability, I realized that I had been chasing financial success due to insecurities from growing up with very little,” says Rodriguez. “Being financially successful didn’t bring happiness and it made me realize I had been pursuing the wrong goals in life. I rediscovered that my true passion was serving people and helping them get better in any capacity, a realization that stemmed from my time in the military.”
This epiphany reignited his desire to play a greater role in healthcare.
“In the Army, my mission was to help take care of our injured or sick soldiers,” he says. “That, combined with the sense of fulfillment I found in service to our country, inspired me to pursue becoming a physician so I could practice medicine at the highest level.”
Rodriguez was accepted into MCW as a recipient of the Army’s Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), which covers tuition and provides a monthly living stipend in exchange for military service.
“Once I graduate, I’ll apply to the military match system and then I’ll serve a minimum of four years post-residency. Service has always been a big part of my life,” he says.
Serving Veterans Through Research and Advocacy
As a medical student, Rodriguez seeks ways to serve fellow veterans and raise awareness about their unique healthcare needs. A common misconception, he notes, is that all veterans receive care through the Veterans Affairs (VA) system. While 60% of U.S. veterans may be eligible for VA care, only about 30% actually use it due to geographical barriers, limited medical services, or having personal private insurance.
“At some point, all medical students will treat veterans. This is especially the case at MCW, where most med students will do clinical rotations at the local Zablocki Milwaukee VA,” says Rodriguez. “One of my goals when entering medical school was to help bridge that knowledge gap for my fellow medical students who have little to no experience with the unique demands of veteran-tailored care.”
Veterans often approach healthcare with a degree of mistrust and prefer direct communication from providers, Rodriguez says.
“Veterans appreciate simplified, straightforward information. Many of us veterans have been exposed to plenty of trauma in our lives and can handle good or bad news,” he explains.
Rodriguez’s work at MCW is supported by distinguished faculty members, including Kenneth Lee, MD, chief of the Spinal Cord Injury Division at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, former Wisconsin Army National Guard State Surgeon, and professor of physical medicine & rehabilitation, as well as Greg Burek, MD, a psychiatrist, professor, and medical director of the Building Resilience through Action in Veterans and First Responders Program (BRAVE) at Froedtert & MCW. Together with HPSP medical student Adam Plotkin, they revived the military academic enrichment course, which had been dormant since 2019, and revamped it for integration into MCW’s new Fusion Curriculum. The course educates students on the unique healthcare needs of veterans, including PTSD and trauma care, customs and courtesies, and communication within military culture.
Being involved in the course is among the many opportunities Rodriguez is thankful to have had at MCW, including the chance to be part of the larger community.
“The response from students has been great,” says Rodriguez, who currently serves as the school’s Student Assembly President. “We’ve presented our blueprint and curriculum from our course at three national conferences with great response and feedback.”
Rodriguez’s mentors have been highly impressed with his work ethic and potential as a care provider.
“From the first time I met Geoffrey, he has had the confidence of someone who has gone through several life experiences,” Dr. Lee says. “Geoffrey is someone who worked from the ground up to get to where he is now, and he will serve his patients well. He has the perseverance to accomplish something good for the society, especially as an Army physician.”
A Plan to Give Back
While Rodriguez is committed to a four-year service requirement after residency, he’s still exploring which specialty to pursue.
“I’ve loved every specialty I’ve experienced in my clinical rotations thus far, so I know I’ll be content with whatever I choose,” he says.
Family is also on his mind.
“I want to settle down and eventually start a family,” he says.
His parents, who made countless sacrifices to give him and his two brothers a better life, remain his biggest inspiration.
“My parents moved to the U.S. in their early 20s, barely speaking English. They made so many sacrifices for us and when times get tough, I think about all they’ve done,” he says. “I’m blessed to have had the opportunities I’ve had—from serving in the Army to becoming the first physician in our family.”
Rodriguez is deeply grateful for the challenges he’s overcome and the people who have supported him along the way.
“MCW has been one of the greatest things that has happened to me,” he says. “The community here has been incredibly welcoming and inspiring. It’s been the catalyst that pushed me to get more involved and give back, a mission I’m excited to continue in the future."
Read more:
Decades of Army Experience Shapes MCW Surgeon's Care for Veterans and Others
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