Military healthcare professionals’ experience of transitioning into civilian employment: A heuristic inquiry

Background: Armed forces are reinventive institutions that shape the identity of their members. Leaving the military involves an adjustment to civilian employment that may be turbulent at times. Objective: The aim is to understand the experiences of self and other military healthcare professionals’ midlife career transitions. Methods: This qualitative study applied heuristic inquiry research methods. This included a thematic analysis of the researcher’s personal experience (diary and reflections) combined with data from interviews or communication with other veterans (n = 10) within a creative synthesis. Results: The themes identified within the study were: The tipping point for leaving; adjustment as a veteran; progression within a new workplace. We experienced a divergence in values away from military service leading to a tipping point for leaving that was followed by a triple whammy of uncertainty about leaving, insecurity in a new job, and loss of identity that impacted mental wellbeing and needed to be overcome. Conclusion: This study has revealed new insights about being a military veteran and transitioning to civilian employment. These insights could lead to changes in how veterans prepare for a midlife career change, retention of personnel within military forces, and how civilian employers support veterans.