Campbell Medicine is proud to have a strong military medicine legacy. The Class of 2020 boasts eight soon to be Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine graduates who will continue their medical training through the United States Military’s Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) bringing the school’s participant total to thirty-seven.
“Our inaugural class had ten HPSP graduates and two Tillman Scholars,” said interim dean Jim Powers. “We continue to average ten HPSP scholars per class, and we are so thankful and honored for their service to our country and their commitment to caring for the women and men of our armed forces,their families, and our veterans across the globe.”
The eight members of the Class of 2020 will join Campbell Medicine alumni training and providing medical care from Tripler Army Medicine Center in Hawaii to flight surgeons stationed with aircraft carriers in Virginia Beach in specialties ranging from dermatology to psychiatry.
Zachary Brooks matched into psychiatry and will join nine other Campbell Medicine alumni at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in July.
“Having grown up in an environment where I saw the dramatic difference that quality mental health care can make, I not only know what patients and their families are going through, but I also believe in their ability to recover,” said Brooks. “My background, volunteer experiences, research, and prior employment have all guided my interest in Psychiatry – I want to both improve access to quality mental healthcare and decrease the stigma for those seeking help. There is no group of people more deserving of high-quality health care than the men and women in our military. Being able to provide excellent care for those who protect us is the noblest calling I can imagine.”
“I want to extend my congratulations to the members of the Class of 2020 who matched with the military,” said Jacob Gilbertson, president of Campbell’s Student Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (SAMOPS). “They have voluntarily taken the responsibility to support our sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines who sacrifice everything so that the citizens of this great nation can pursue their dreams. It is important that we have students who wish to be military physicians, so that the forces defending our freedom have skillful and reliable care to continue to respond to their duties in a timely fashion. Given the conditions many of our fighting forces operate in, our military needs exceptional medical attention, and that is what my fellow Camels will surely provide.”
“SAMOPS serves as a body to aid every HPSP member at CUSOM in the process of becoming a military physician,” continued Gilbertson. “We lean on each other and discuss topics that only another student in the military would understand. I am very proud of the 8 who have matched from Campbell this year, and I appreciate their commitment to excellence and the sacrifices they themselves will make in their careers. One team one fight.”
The military match participants will report to their respective military medical centers in July to continue their training upon graduating from Campbell University in May.
Top photo: Robert Nallenweg and Kaiser Lahm with classmate Miles Campbell at Commissioned Officer Training in 2017
Class of 2020 United States Military Health Professions Scholars
Teea Bunker, 2LT, U.S. Army
Internal Medicine
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
Zachary D. Brooks, 2LT, U.S. Army
Psychiatry
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD
R. Dillon Hill, 2d Lt, U.S. Air Force
Family Medicine
Travis Air Force Base, California/University of California
“I am so grateful for the opportunities and advantages that have been afforded to me because I am an American. I consider it one of the greatest honors of my life that I now get to further my medical career in service to my country and fellow countrymen.”
Robert Nallenweg, 2d Lt, U.S. Air Force
Family Medicine
National Capital Consortium, Fort Belvoir, VA
“I am proud to have the opportunity to care for our nation’s military members, both active and retired, and their families. My grandfather served in the Navy, my father served in the Army, and now I am excited to begin my career in the Air Force.”
Kaiser Lahm, 2d Lt U.S. Air Force
Transitional Year Internal Medicine
San Antonio, TX.
“I have always been a big supporter of our armed forces – I volunteered at different organizations such as the USO, the American Red Cross, and the Civil Air Patrol. When the opportunity to provide care, support, and to be a part of the military arose, I immediately signed up for it.”
Kiefer Mespelt, Ensign, U.S. Navy
Internal Medicine
Navy Medical Center Portsmouth; Portsmouth, VA
“I chose to pursue military medicine to continue my family’s tradition of military service as well as for the unique training and opportunities provided through the military. I will have the privilege not only to serve our nations defenders, but also participate in humanitarian missions around the globe.”
Joshua B. Seidel, 2LT, U.S. Army
Emergency Medicine
Darnall Army Medical Center, Fort Hood, TX
“I am inspired by the sacrifices made by the armed service members and feel called to serve them as an emergency medicine physician.”
Benjamin Tan, 2LT, U.S. Army
Pediatrics
Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, WA