Guam has a lack of specialists to fill the various missing roles on Guam in the medical field, according to Dr. Andrew Graves.

Dr. Graves is a radiologist who works for FHP medical care.

He served in the U.S. Navy after graduating from medical school. He was able to be one in seven people in his class to go straight into his specialty training. Usually, new graduates are expected to go into deployment as a general medical officer.

Graves had orders to move to Guam near the end of his time in the Navy. His plan was to serve the two years, then spend the last two years back in San Diego and settle there afterward. Much to his surprise, he and his family fell in love with Guam and chose to stay instead. “I’m very much connected to the ocean, I love surfing and fishing,” says Graves. “I love the community feeling Guam has.” Dr. Andrew Graves plans to stay on Guam and continuing work within the medical community. “I could see myself growing old here and still practicing medicine.”

While also loving the community of Guam, Dr. Graves saw opportunity on Guam. 

When he first arrived in 2014, Guam only had the Guam Memorial Hospital and the Naval Hospital. During this time various specialist roles were unfilled, due to the lack of recruitment for specialists. Dr. Graves says these roles are expected, and it is surprising that Guam does not have them. He describes Guam as a unique environment job-wise because of the lack of specialists on the island. This leads to a wide array of options and the need to recruit more specialists for these roles.

 “A lot of the medical facilities were trying to recruit me two years before I even left the navy.”

Because of several specialties that are not filled by any doctors on Guam, only temporary doctors come to the island for a short period of time, then leave. 

This is a problem that Dr. Graves that Guam is able to work on. Since his move to Guam, Guam Medical Regional City has opened as well. “[GMRC] was very aggressive about recruitment,’ He said, “It created a portal for physicians to come to Guam.” he says, “It really grew the medical community.”