WESTWOOD : 2 Lucky Breaks Led Him to Medical School

Doctors come to the medical field by a variety of paths, but Bret Batchelor literally fell into the profession.

Working as a roofer in 1989, Batchelor took a tumble off a two-story residence and broke both wrists.

Fascinated by how his orthopedic surgeon treated his injuries, Batchelor became friends with his doctor, who encouraged him to return to college to fulfill the science requirements needed for medical school.

Batchelor, 30, will graduate from UCLA on Tuesday as a doctor.

“At the time of my accident I had no aspiration to be anything in particular,” said Batchelor, a former bodybuilder and football player from Orange County. “If it wasn’t for the fall, I’d probably still be goofing off.”

In addition to the costs and pressures of medical school, Batchelor labored with another burden: four young children.

His wife had a daughter from a previous marriage, and during final exams his first year, the couple had fraternal twins. Two years later, another boy was born.

Many medical students wait until their later years to have children--after the rigors of school, residencies and internships have passed--but not Batchelor.

“Having a family was more of a motivation than being single,” he said.

However, Batchelor’s wife, Erin, who works as a paralegal, said there were some hectic moments during the last few years.

“It seemed like at every birth he had some big test,” she said. “And during one rotation he was on call for two months--he’d come home for five (or) six hours of sleep and then be gone for two days. But once he sets his mind to something, he gets it done.”

At the end of the month, Batchelor will begin a five-year residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in the orthopedic surgery department. After that he owes four years to the Navy, which provided money for his schooling.

After short stints as a bartender, waiter and roofer, Batchelor remains gratified that his initial misfortune caused a career switch.

“I’m thankful I’ve got this new job,” he said. “I need it to pay for all these kids.”