By Alice Manning Touchette
Ask any of the fourth-year military medical students at Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) at Old Dominion University what they most looked forward to about December and they’ll answer the same: Military Match Day.
The event marks their residency training assignment at military medical centers across the country where they will spend a year preparing to serve military personnel and their families, while getting a crash course in specialized healthcare responses within the military community, humanitarian efforts and myriad crises.
“I want you to know how proud I am of each of you,” said Judette Louis, MD, M.P.H., dean of EVMS at Old Dominion University. “You represent the very best of our mission — to improve the health of our communities, whether that’s right here at home or halfway around the world.”
Duty and Drive
Liam Spiers has been interested in family medicine since he wore a hockey jersey and stethoscope on career day in kindergarten. Now, he’s headed to Naval Hospital Jacksonville where he’ll specialize in family medicine as a physician in the U.S. Navy.
Born in Canada and a naturalized citizen, Liam’s call to service is one of the reasons he was drawn to medical school and joined the Navy through the Health Professions Scholarship Program, which offers medical school tuition, cost of living assistance and specialized training that will prepare participants to become an officer in the U.S. Military.
“Serving is personal to me. As a naturalized citizen, I feel it’s my duty to give back to my country,” he says. “I came here because of their focus on community service and connection to the military. We have the largest naval base in the world in Norfolk, so I was able to shadow a ton of Navy doctors during my medical training.”
Military Legacy
Jinho Dupont grew up in a military family and experienced first-hand the importance of military medicine on bases across the world.
“Every day growing up, I saw and felt what it meant for servicemen and women to serve their country,” he says. “I know it will be rewarding to give back and help them medically in the military’s healthcare system.”
Jinho knew he wanted to pursue medicine as a child after his twin fell extremely ill. That experience was a catalyst for his pursuit of a medical degree specializing in psychiatry.
“I want to help military members navigate those tough mental and emotional stressors they encounter in their service,” he says.
Now, headed to San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium as a physician in the U.S. Air Force, Jinho is most excited to learn with the other physicians on the base.
“The medical school has an amazing group of people that are really supportive and look out for you,” he says. “I know that the people I end up working with will have a huge impact on me, just like the EVMS community did.”
Competitive Spirit Turns to Surgery
Trevor DiGerolamo also grew up in a military family, as his father had a long career in the U.S. Air Force. A national champion gymnast while in college, he came to EVMS with his new competitive goal: surgery. This December, he matched with Naval Medical Center San Diego where he’ll spend a year in a general surgery rotation.
"I've heard from colleagues outside of EVMS that medical school can be very cutthroat, but I never felt that at EVMS,” Trevor says. “It’s such a positive and collaborative environment, I’d recommend EVMS to anyone looking to pursue medicine.”
He’s looking forward to his year of residency with the U.S. Navy where he will gain experience, while giving back to the community that raised him.
“I’ve had a great experience, met amazing people and had amazing opportunities. I’m nervous, but excited for the future,” Trevor says. “This next year is going to be a wild ride.”