My Journey Into Coming Out in Medicine and the Military
My journey into military medicine began almost 18 years ago, when I walked into a recruiting center in my home state of Massachusetts. I was screened and found to be a good candidate for the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) in the Navy. I went through several interviews, security screening, and finally got the stamp of approval in Boston, Massachusetts. On the day of my commissioning, I remember signing many sheets of paper, but one document in particular stuck out. I had to initial and sign a document clearly stating that I had never and would never engage in intimate relationships with someone of the same gender. I actually asked the recruiters if this needed to be signed, and the answer was a resounding yes. I am an honest person, so signing this document felt wrong, but I desired to be a Navy physician, and so I did. At that time, I had a fairly good idea that I was bisexual, but I figured I just wouldn’t find a female partner while I was in the military. I was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy, and headed off to Medical School at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in the summer of 2004.
By Janelle Marra, DO '08, FAAFP/CAQSM, FAMWA
About the author:
Janelle Marra D.O. graduated from UNE COM in 2008. She was commissioned into the United States Navy that same year and is currently stationed on Camp Pendleton.
She is board certified in Family Medicine and has a certificate of added qualifications in Primary Care Sports Medicine. She completed both her residency training and fellowship training at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton.
Her interest areas include LGBTQ+ healthcare, Sports Medicine, and Women’s health.