Is Your Career Worth Your Personal Life? Finding Balance in Military Medicine (Ft. Kaiti Walter, PA-C)

Can you build an incredible career without sacrificing your personal life? Is putting your profession first always worth it? And what does “having it all” actually look like when you’re serving in the military, working in emergency medicine, and trying to build a life you love outside of work? Remember: “The Navy owes you nothing, but it can give you everything.”Kellie sits down with Kaiti Walter, PA-C, Lieutenant Commander, Navy physician assistant, emergency medicine provider, educator, & military leader, for an honest conversation about ambition, burnout, relationships, and redefining success. From discovering the physician assistant profession in high school to serving in operational medicine, deploying overseas, and completing one of the Navy’s most competitive Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant Fellowships, Kaiti shares how embracing discomfort has shaped her career & how learning to prioritize her well-being has transformed her life beyond the uniform.Together, Kellie and Kaiti explore what it really means to find balance in a demanding profession, why self-care isn’t selfish, and how success evolves throughout different seasons of life. Kaiti also opens up about navigating divorce, rebuilding her life, finding a healthier relationship, and discovering that sometimes the bravest decision you can make is choosing yourself.In this episode, you’ll hear about:Finding balance as a Navy PA in emergency medicine while building a meaningful life outside of workWhether putting your career first is worth it & what happens when success comes at the expense of your personal lifePreventing burnout through intentional self-care, “dopamine days,” & setting healthy boundariesMilitary relationships, deployments, PCS moves, & navigating dual-career decisionsStarting over after divorce, building resilience, and embracing new chapters with confidence.Whether you’re in healthcare, the military, or simply navigating your own career journey, this conversation is a reminder that success isn’t about choosing between ambition and happiness, it’s about building a life where both can thrive.Enjoyed this episode? Connect with Kaiti? https://www.instagram.com/navy.pa/Visit kelliesbrocchi.com and follow Kellie ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠| ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠| ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ! Loved the show ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@doboth.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠? Leave a review and share what you learned—we love to hear from you! #DoBothDisclaimer: The views and opinions presented herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of DoD /DoW or its Components. Appearance of, or reference to, any commercial products or services does not constitute DoD endorsement of those products or services. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute DoD endorsement of the linked websites, or the information, products or services therein.