Jan Sommerfelt-Pettersen is a medical doctor and a navy officer. He gained his MD from the University of Bergen in 1984. He was a general practitioner for 26 years and a Specialist in Public Health from 2013. He entered the Navy in 1986 and became Director of Naval Medicine in 2000. He was promoted to surgeon rear admiral and Surgeon General of the Norwegian Armed Forces in 2013. After retirement he became a part-time special advisor at Haukeland University Hospital. Jan is the president of the Norwegian Maritime Medical Association and editor of its magazine DoCumentum Navale. He is Chair of the governing board of the International Maritime Health Foundation. He is exploring the joy of medical history.