Interview Series

Insights from a paratrooper who became a cardiologist.

Matt Viera
February 10, 2023

Africa 1995

Good morning and happy Friday!

I hope you had a productive week.

I started this newsletter with a focus on personal finance and building wealth.

However, I had the idea of creating an interview series.

I have many friends who are incredibly successful in their respective careers.

Each of these individuals can provide valuable insight into life and career success.

I emailed each individual a series of questions for them to answer.

My goal is to find key takeaways from their answers that I can apply to my life and career.

My hope is that their answers can do the same for you.

This week, I'd like to introduce my friend Dr. Keith Medeiros.

I first met Keith while stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Keith and I deployed to Haiti in 1994-95 as part of Operation Uphold Democracy. The soldiers from our unit were the first boots on the ground to remove the military regime installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état that overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and bring Aristide back into power.

We deployed again to Africa in 1995, spending a lot of time in Zimbabwe, Africa. This is where Keith and I really bonded. Zimbabwe, at the time, was a lot of fun. A lot of fun.

Keith transferred to a different unit as part of some drug interdiction efforts in Central and South America before leaving the Army and pursuing his educational and career aspirations.

Keith did visit me when I first moved to Miami. However, we lost touch after that for almost two decades.

Las Vegas changed everything. Keith was part of the inaugural group of veterans for our reunion in Las Vegas a few years ago (along with Brent Hallman. You can read my interview with Brent here: Interview Series: Insights from a soldier who served 28 years in the U.S. Army).

When we met in Vegas in 2019 and immediately picked up where we left off, as if time did not pass.

Since then, we keep in touch often. The pandemic stymied our plans for Miami in 2020. But we went to Vegas again in 2021 (legendary) and will do so again this year with more veterans from our unit at Bragg.

While Keith is a practicing cardiologist, he is still the same fun-loving person I enjoyed spending time with and having drinks with during our time in Bragg, Haiti, and Zimbabwe.

Here's my interview with Keith:

How long did you serve in the Army? What motivated you to join the Army?

Three years. I knew I needed to get out of my hometown. I was going nowhere. I chose the Army vs. other military branches because I wanted to jump out of planes (even though I had never been in one).

How did serving in the Army prepare you to achieve your professional goals?

It gave me structure while allowing me time to mature. I was not ready to be "independent" at 18; I needed accountability.

After your enlistment ended, you went on to pursue higher education - walk me through your educational accomplishments.

I was a very poor high school student who never took the SAT. I was lucky to find a small public 4-year college that gave me a shot, almost exclusively based on my military experience. I maintained a 4.0-grade point average and transferred to a larger, more prestigious school. My undergraduate accomplishments include Phi Beta Kappa, the Golden Key Honor Society, Summa Cum Laude, and a research fellowship.

What motivated you to ultimately become a cardiologist?

It's a long path. During undergrad, I realized I liked science and majored in biology. I graduated with good grades and an understanding that I enjoyed people more than research, so I applied to medical school. During my medical training, I ultimately decided on cardiology because it allows you to help many people (still the number one cause of death). There is a lot of diversity in your day-to-day activity. On a given day, I could see inpatients, outpatients, do procedures, read radiology studies, or read stress tests.

What are some highlights/accomplishments of your career?

I've published papers in prestigious journals, was named chief resident, and obtained a competitive cardiology fellowship.

How has failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?

A lot of failures early in life helped to give me perspective.

What's one lesson you learned in all your years of practicing cardiology?

The biggest one is to stay humble; once you think you have it all figured out, you realize you're going to get burned.

What obsessions do you explore in the evenings or on weekends?

Food, Food, Food, and good beverages! [I can attest to Keith's obsession with food. One morning, when we were in Vegas, I went to meet Keith at our hotel pool and he was on a lounge chair, drink in hand, listening to the Bon Appétit podcast].

I still enjoy exercising, a habit I really developed in the Army.

What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?

Enjoy the ride!

If you could have a billboard anywhere in the U.S., where would it be, and what would it say?

Times Square, baby! It would say: "Johnny Four Aces came and conquered!"

"Johnny Four Aces" is the nickname I bestowed upon Keith during and because of our time in Zimbabwe. The origin of the nickname will remain between Keith and me. When I bestowed the nickname on him, I presented him with the Four Aces from a deck of cards.

Keith carries these cards with him to this day.

Keith: Thank you for taking the time in answering these questions. The first round is on me when we get to Vegas.

My key takeaway from this interview is "stay humble."This is what my father told me every time I spoke with him.

What are your key takeaways?

Interesting reads:

Why your dream European vacation is already booked solid

Thanks for reading!

Please feel free to reply to this email with suggestions, questions, or comments.