From the battlefield to the stage: Surgeon finds harmony in medicine and music
November 10, 2026By: Kim Shopper
Categories: We are NKC Health
In 2003, Trauma Surgeon Jun Elegino, DO, FACS, with NKC Health Trauma & Critical Care, enlisted in the military as an Army musician and 22 years later retired as a surgeon.
For Dr. Elegino, service and music go together. Both require discipline, teamwork and a commitment to something bigger than yourself.
Dr. Elegino grew up in Hawaii, where music is intertwined with family and community life. His military journey began after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He vividly remembers hearing the news on the radio that fateful day while stuck in traffic as military personnel rushed to report for duty. With 13 military bases across Hawaii, the impact of the attacks was felt throughout the islands.
“We were all shaken up,” Dr. Elegino recalled. “After Sept. 11, I felt called to serve as did my family.”
The next year, he told a military recruiter he didn’t have any skills, but he could play an instrument.
“He told me he had a job for me,” Dr. Elegino said.
A musical beginning
In 2003, Dr. Elegino began his military service as an oboe player in the Army National Guard Band in Hawaii.
His four years as a military musician became a meaningful chapter in his life. The band performed at parades, ceremonies, memorials and military burials throughout Hawaii, providing music for service members, their families and the community.
“It was the best job in the military,” he said. “We were there for every ceremony, and there were a lot of them.”
The experience also taught him about the unique role military musicians play in honoring service and sacrifice and supporting morale.
“I enjoyed belonging to a group brought together by a shared purpose,” he said. “We all believed in the power of music.”
A calling to care for others
While serving as a musician, Dr. Elegino explored other military careers. He became a registered nurse and by 2010, an Army physician assistant. In 2017, he began his training as a trauma surgeon in the National Guard and finished his career as a medical officer in the Army Reserve.
He helped train military personnel in Australia, Croatia and the Philippines on medical evacuation and treating traumatic injuries in challenging environments.
Dr. Elegino witnessed the evolution of military trauma care, from improvements in tourniquet use and bleeding-control techniques to advances in resuscitation and the renewed use of whole blood for severely injured patients on the battlefield.
Many military physicians and surgeons like Dr. Elegino work in civilian hospitals where their trauma training and experiences help their communities.
Finding his way back to music
By 2018, Dr. Elegino had completed his medical education and built a successful medical career but realized something was missing.
“I always promised myself I would go back to music,” he said.
After moving to Parkville, he discovered an opening for an oboe player with the Parkville Symphonic Band. The timing felt right, and he is now in his third season as a musician.
Music gives Dr. Elegino a chance to exercise a different part of his brain while returning to a childhood passion that still brings him joy.
“In trauma, we're a team. Playing music is a team sport, too,” he said. “I exercise a different part of my brain with music. That was missing for me, and I was able to recapture it.”
The symphonic band performs four seasonal concerts with weekly rehearsals. Its musicians are experienced performers who enjoy tackling challenging arrangements, from opera to Broadway selections. Dr. Elegino learns up to eight songs for each concert.
“Technically, it's more difficult than the military band,” he said. “I do enjoy spending time with the instrument, preparing and analyzing a piece of music.”
Balancing two kinds of teamwork
As a trauma surgeon, every minute counts. Music helps diffuse that stressful environment. Whether he’s listening to ‘80s pop music during surgery or playing after his shift, Dr. Elegino uses music to unwind.
“Music has always been what relaxes me,” he said.
After 22 years in military service and a career devoted to caring for patients, Dr. Elegino has found that returning to music isn't simply a hobby. It's a way to reconnect with an important part of himself — and a reminder that even those who spend their days caring for others need something that restores and inspires them.
