I am a 100% disabled veteran with 33 years of honorable military service and a Georgetown…read moreUniversity graduate school alumnus. Since 2017, I have received outstanding care at the Washington, DC VA Medical Center. During my nearly two-year battle with prostate cancer, the VA provided exceptional treatment, and I am grateful to now be in remission. The physicians, nurses, and staff who cared for me demonstrated professionalism, compassion, and genuine concern, and I will always be thankful for them.
Unfortunately, my recent experience with Dr. Jonah D. Murdock, Chief of Urology, was completely different.
As Chief of Urology, Dr. Murdock is responsible not only for treating patients but also for setting the standard for professionalism, communication, compassion, and patient-centered care within the department. Veterans deserve to know that when they are in severe pain, the leader of the department will listen, treat them with respect, and ensure they receive appropriate specialty care.
On June 19, 2026, I went to an urgent care center because I was experiencing severe urinary and pelvic pain. After an examination, I was diagnosed with a prostate infection, prescribed antibiotics, and strongly advised to follow up with my urologist if my symptoms did not improve.
When the antibiotics failed, I contacted the VA Urology Department on June 23. The nurse who answered my call was outstanding. She listened carefully, showed genuine compassion, and explained that the earliest appointment was in September. Recognizing the urgency of my condition, she arranged for Dr. Murdock to call me.
Although he returned the call, I felt rushed throughout the conversation. Each time I tried to explain that my pain was worsening and that the urgent care provider specifically recommended follow-up with my urologist, I felt I was interrupted before I could finish. Rather than discussing my symptoms in detail, I was told that my primary care physician could manage the issue. A different antibiotic was prescribed, and the call ended.
Unfortunately, my condition continued to worsen.
On July 2, I contacted the Urology Department again because I was experiencing excruciating pain. Once again, the nursing staff treated me with kindness and urgency. They informed Dr. Murdock, and I was told he would return my call.
I did not receive that call until July 6. By then, because I had not received timely specialty care, I had sought treatment from another provider who was not a urologist. That provider prescribed another antibiotic but also advised that I still needed to be evaluated by a urologist.
When I explained this to Dr. Murdock, I again felt I was interrupted before I could fully explain my situation. I also expressed that veterans deserve empathy, respect, and professional communication, especially when they are experiencing severe pain. The conversation ended without addressing my concerns or discussing a plan for further evaluation.
This review is not meant to diminish the outstanding work of the many dedicated professionals at the Washington, DC VA Medical Center. In fact, the nurses and staff I spoke with during this experience were compassionate, respectful, and genuinely tried to help me.
I am sharing my experience because I believe every veteran deserves to be heard, treated with dignity, and receive timely specialty care. My hope is that the leadership of the Urology Department reflects the same professionalism, compassion, responsiveness, and respect demonstrated every day by so many other VA healthcare professionals.