While born and raised in Longmont, Dr. Donahue’s path to becoming a surgeon took him overseas while on assignment with the Navy.
It’s been said that our feet may leave home but not our hearts. For Dr. David Donahue, his feet took him around the world and led him back home where his heart is: Longmont, CO.
If you’d like to know about Dr. Donahue’s credentials, you can find them here. However, this a story about the experiences that shaped this Longmont native’s career and how he became a general surgeon.
He Calls Himself a Science Geek
“Medicine is the only field I ever considered,” Dr. Donahue said. “In high school I was a science geek. I enjoyed it and it came naturally to me.”
At the University of Colorado, he studied molecular biology. After getting his undergraduate degree, he became and EMT for emergency medical services in Weld County.
A Desire to Know More
EMTs are trained to assess patient conditions and manage things like respiratory, cardiac, and trauma emergencies. The work is challenging, exciting, and rewarding. For Dr. Donahue, it was also limiting.
“I felt constrained as an EMT,” he said. “I was always wondering why the doctors gave certain directives asking them about what they were doing.” This desire to know more led him to commit even more to medicine and become a doctor.
Medical School + Military Service
For Dr. Donahue, the best avenue to earning his D.O., was military service. By enlisting in the Navy and committing to several years of service, he was able to take advantage of a scholarship program that covered 100% of his medical school tuition. In addition to providing a way to become a doctor, this program was an opportunity for Dr. Donahue to serve the country.
Altogether, Dr. Donahue served nine years in the Navy after completing medical school. 5 years of residency and 4 years in active service as a surgeon. His assignments included overseas locations, including Okinawa where he worked with a Marine medical battalion, and a deployment to Afghanistan where he worked in a coalition trauma center.
A Return Home
For the last three months of Dr. Donahue’s service in 2016, he was deployed to Longmont. Home again!
A Forever Home
After completing his military service, Dr. Donahue never thought of moving any other place.
“I was born at Longmont United Hospital,” Dr. Donahue said. “It was gratifying to be back in the community where I’m taking care of friends and parents of friends.”
He and his wife, also a Longmont native, are raising two girls and he says this is their forever home.
Proud to Have Dr. Donahue on Staff
Centura Health is proud to have Dr. Donahue on staff and of the way he provides individualized care for each patient. Read more Centura General Surgery at Longmont United Hospital here.
