European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 7, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Ears nose Throat a is amps Dav Didio or. Gwendolyn Knuckles at Laken Halh a we have been seeing too Many people than we feel we should  military hospitals in Europe Knuckles bears Down but ready to take flight Hen maj. Gwendolyn Knuckles was a teen Ager she was torn Between be coming a fighter Pilot an astronaut and a doctor. Quot i could t make up my mind so the system made it up for me Quot Knuckles said. She explained that at 5 feet 5 inches tall she was too Short to be a fighter Pilot. And astronaut training seemed unrealistic. So she made doctoring her goal and has been glad for that. A for the most part i think the people who do Obyn obstetrics gynaecology like what they do a Knuckles said. Knuckles 34, has been an obstetrician gynaecologist at Raf Lakenheath Hospital in England since 1990. For two years prior she practice at Shaw fab in South Carolina. She still has a 2vi-Ycar commitment to the air Force under the health professional scholarship program that put her through school and then she plans to open a private practice in the states. Quot that a private practice attractive to me because of the autonomy Quot Knuckles said. A it really honestly is not the financial  initially Knuckles planned to remain in the air Force throughout her career she grew up around the military because her father made his career in the air Force and she thought she would follow suit. She has since changed her mind. A the lure of being More in control is just too Strong a Knuckles said. There have been benefits to practising Medicine in the air Force such As having an established group of patients Knuckles said. She also likes the fact that although military personnel come first dependents and retirees have Access to the same level of medical care. A a you re Able to do the Best for All of your patients a Knuckles said. A what s done with them is totally  however too much paperwork and too Little control Over scheduling of patients hamper her work As a doctor she said. A one of the biggest frustrations that 1 have is not having As much help As i need i spend a lot of time on very Small things. It makes me less efficient As a provider a Knuckles said. Every patient needs different care which  Lakenheath Raf upper Heyford due to close in late 1994 Germany Berlin Pitburg a Frankfurt Heidelberg Lan Stuhl Nurnberg Wurzburg Italy  closing this summer Turkey in Ciurlik Crete Iraklion a amps varied lengths of appointments yet Knuckles has Little control Over scheduling. She also said her efficiency As a doctor is rated by the number of patients she sees without consideration for the complexity of her cases whereas her primary concern As a doctor is whether patients get the time and treatment they need. A we have been seeing too Many people than we feel we should see a Knuckles said. A i think i go out of my Way to accommodate people in this environment Quot to compensate for this a i think i am More tolerant. You just try to be As patient with people As you  there also is loads of paperwork involved when ordering supplies As Well As delays in getting approval for new medical supplies Knuckles said. For instance it took More than a year to get permission to Stock norplant a birth control method that is inserted into a woman s upper Arm and lasts for about five years. Then again there Are rewards on the Job. At the top of Knuckles list is a having someone who had a problem that i have fixed for them a Knuckles graduated from the air Force Academy in 1980 with a Bachelor of science degree in biology. She earned a medical degree from Tulane University in new Orleans in 1984 and did her residency in obstetrics and gynaecology at Kessler and miss., from 19s4 to 1988. Nancy to Rne might not cough up service maj. Jim  has had a Long standing fascination for science and the human body. He also has an inherent desire to help people. So it seemed logical to him while he was Stilt in High school that he should become a doctor. A i enjoy working with kids and adults a Troulakis said Troulakis 32, specializes in surge to and Medicine related to the cars nose and Throat at the Raf upper Heyford Hospital in England. He is in his third year of a four year commitment to the air Force for putting him through medical school. At this Point he is Uncertain whether he Wilt extend with the air Force of go into private practice. A it extending depends on How the air Force treats me Quot Troulakis said. Part of his decision will by based on where he is assigned next. Upper Heyford is in the process of drawing Down and  Wilt be reassigned this summer. He Hopes to relocate to the Travis fab Hospital in California.  also would like to be assured of staying in one location for a while. He and his wife want to Start a family but they want to be in a stable environment first he said. At the same time he must consider the difficulty of opening a private practice in the states. A there s so much flux in the private health care system right now Quot Demetroulako said. A there is less financial pressure in the  Demetroulako said he likes the attention the military gives to Quality health care. However there Are frustrations the biggest being the time Between ordering and receiving supplies. A it teaches you to be Vicy adaptable to be creative Quot Troulakis said. What  likes Best about his practice at upper Heyford is performing surgeries a i enjoy surgery because it s an action you can do that can give immediate results. So it s Gratifying Quot  Long term goal is to teach at a medical school or air Force Hospital where he also will be Able to maintain a hands on Contact with patients. A a in a like to Combine both Quot  said. �?�1 enjoy the patients and taking care of them and id love to be Able to influence medical students Quot  a native of Lowell n.h., entered a seven year medical program at Brown University in Rhode Island in 1979 that assured acceptance to the University s medical school. He graduated from the medical school in 1985. He did an internship at Washington Hospital in Washington d.c., prior to completing his residency at Georgetown University Hospital in Massachusetts in 1990, Nancy Torner. A amps do a a Didio upper Leyford s or. Jim Demetroulako a there is less financial pressure in the  a March 7. 1533 sunday a. Page 5