In the late 1960s, The United States was at war in Vietnam. Having graduated from Albany Medical College in 1965, Dr. Melvin Silverstein was faced with a decision. All graduating physicians were required to serve in one of the military branches. Your choices were to be drafted, OR apply for the Berry Program, which allowed him to voluntarily join the US Army and ask for a deferment to complete training. Through a lottery program, he was given 5 years to complete his training as a general surgeon. He then entered the Army as a Major and was guaranteed that they would use him as a surgeon and not a generalist. Major Silverstein served in the medical corps from 1970 to 1972 at Walter Reed, Army Institute of Research and then DeWitt Army Hospital, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Since graduation from Medical College in 1965, Dr. Silverstein has accumulated 60 years of experience in the medical field that includes service to his country and his community. Dr. Silverstein came to Hoag after serving as Professor of Surgery and Director of the Breast Program at the Keck School of Medicine, USC. Dr. Silverstein is currently the Medical Director of the Hoag Breast Center and the Gross Family Foundation Endowed Chair in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery.