Class of 2021

Hometown: San Angelo, TX
Undergraduate: Kettering University - Flint, MI
Medical School: UNT Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine – Fort Worth, TX
Stats: Married to the most supportive, encouraging man and animal-mom to Bandit, Mac, and Boog.
Hobbies: Crafting, getting outside, Reading, Traveling
What I did before medical school: I was an engineer for Ethicon, Inc.
Why I chose UT-Jackson: I was so impressed by the faculty and residents at Jackson for their kindness and their passion for quality medical care for the community. I felt this was a program that has the opportunities available to help me develop into the well-rounded, full-spectrum doctor that I want to be while serving a community of need. Jackson offers heavy inpatient, pediatrics, emergency, and obstetrics experiences in an unopposed program, which were things I was looking for.

Hometown: O'Fallon, IL
Undergraduate: Union University-Jackson, TN
Medical School: Southern Illinois University School of Medicine-Springfield, IL
Stats: I am married to my wonderful wife, Brittney, who is patiently waiting for me to surprise her with a dog.
Hobbies: I enjoy golfing, playing guitar, and following football/St. Louis sports.
What I did before medical school: I started medical school right out of undergrad, where I majored in Cell & Molecular Biology and minored in Mathematics.
Why I chose UT-Jackson: I chose UT-Jackson because there are opportunities for me to explore my broad interests in Emergency Medicine, Obstetrics, and procedures. As an unopposed program, I'm confident the experiences I will gain over my time here will unquestionably prepare me for my future practice. The fun, positive atmosphere within the program also makes for an exciting learning/work environment. As an added bonus, my wife and I are excited to be back in her hometown close to family and friends!

Hometown: Greenfield, TN (aka Greenvegas)
Undergraduate: Union University, Jackson TN
Medical School: Lincoln Memorial University - DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
Stats: I have a twin. I am married to my amazing and beautiful wife, India. We have a pooch named Harley, cat named moose.
Hobbies: Building/restoring cars and trucks, hunting, fishing, kayaking, all sports and going to the lake.
What I did before medical school: I had three jobs. I worked in the Emergency Room at Jackson General, worked as a clinical manager in Greenfield and also worked as a valet in Memphis TN.
Why I chose UT-Jackson: Going to UT-Jackson is my dream job. It has been a life goal of mine for as long as I can remember. Being the son of a physician, I practically grew up in this hospital. When I did my Junior Internship here, I felt like I was returning home. I love this residency because it is an unopposed program. As such, they are unique in the procedural and inpatient training that they offer. They also offer the Emergency Medicine Fellowship which also played a large role in wanting to stay in Jackson. I intend to have a full scope family practice after my training here. This program provides its residents with the experience and procedural skill set that allow them to feel comfortable caring for any patient population they choose.

Hometown: Rochester Hills, MI
Undergraduate: Michigan State University
Medical School: Tulane University School of Medicine
Stats: Single with a 5-year-old cat named Athena
Hobbies: Cooking!
What I did before medical school: I spent 2 years working for a network of FQHCs in Chico, CA, first as an AmeriCorps member and then as a full time employee. I helped to establish and expand the telemedicine program for the clinics and also did some work with the Ryan White HIV program. This is what really got me interested in public health and the non-profit sector of healthcare, and I ultimately decided to enroll in Tulane’s dual MD/MPH degree.
Why I chose UT-Jackson: I was ultimately looking for a community-based, unopposed program that really put an emphasis on full-spectrum family medicine. Jackson fit the bill perfectly! Everyone was so friendly and welcoming both during my interview day, and at the second look weekend, and it was easy to imagine myself living and working in Jackson! I’m so excited to be joining the UT Jackson family!

Hometown: Saint Paul, VA
Undergraduate: University of Virginia's College a t Wise
Medical School: Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine
Stats: Engaged to my beautiful fiancé, Lauren. No pets just yet but a Golden Doodle may be in our future once in Jackson.
Hobbies: Working Out, Golf, Tennis, Racquetball, Watch Collecting
What I did before medical school: I lived in Virginia and worked at a hometown pizza shop for a year after I finished my undergraduate degree. Prior to that, I worked in a credit card call center during the entirety of my undergraduate career.
Why I chose UT-Jackson: An unopposed Family Medicine program is exactly what I was searching for since it is the best route to becoming a well-rounded family physician. The Emergency Medicine Fellowship holds quite a bit of interest to me as well. Since I am originally from Southwest Virginia, I knew that I wanted to stay in the Virginia/Tennessee/Kentucky region so I could be an easy drive away from my family. My Fiancé is from Western Kentucky and she also loved the idea of living so close to her family. Jackson was actually my very first interview and as I look back on it now, in addition to the EM Fellowship and unopposed style of the program, the hospitality of the residents and staff won me over and became a major factor in my decision to want to live and work in Jackson.

Hometown: Sterlington, LA
Undergraduate: University of Louisiana at Monroe
Medical School: LSU Health Science Center-Shreveport
Stats: Married to my wife Sara.
Hobbies: Hunting and fishing, LSU and New Orleans Saints football, cooking and weight lifting
What I did before medical school: I worked in the construction field while I attended undergrad.
Why I chose UT-Jackson: I was looking for an unopposed program that offered excellent training, saw a very wide variety of pathology, high volume, and a place where I would fit well. This program checked all the boxes and then some.

Hometown: Nashville, TN
Undergraduate: Lipscomb University
Medical School: Meharry Medical College
Stats: My wife Mallory and I are both Nashville natives glad to stay close to home. US Navy Officer and HPSP graduate.
Hobbies: Running, intramural sports, anything outdoors.
What I did before medical school: I feel like a professional student having recently completed 20th grade. Before medical school, I tried my hand at pharmacy school for a year, but chose to pursue medical school instead. During my gap year, I worked as both a medical assistant/phlebotomist and a high school math/science tutor.
Why I chose UT-Jackson: I plan to practice the full scope of Family Medicine with my military career and interest in global health. Some Family Medicine residencies are beginning to cater more towards outpatient primary care settings, but UT Jackson provides a wide scope of training. The American Board of Family Medicine also shows that examination performance has been 65 points higher on average at UT Jackson than national averages from 2013-2017. This metric shows the academic strength of the UT Jackson Family Medicine Residency Program.

Hometown: Sand Springs, OK
Undergraduate: Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Medical School: Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tulsa, OK
Stats: I’m not married, but I hope to be married someday and have a family. (Hence, my choice to do FAMILY medicine.) For now, I have a cat named Blinker. How she got that name is an interesting story. Ask me about it sometime!
Hobbies: Playing video games, watching films made before 1970, riding horses, traveling, playing trivia with friends, and listening to 80s and 90s music
What I did before medical school: In undergrad, I studied neuroscience and economics. I actually did a research project where I preformed brain surgery on rats! After graduation, I worked as a secretary for a year before starting medical school.
Why I chose UT-Jackson: I chose UT-Jackson because it hit almost every check on my personal checklist. The program offered a chance for an osteopathic rotation, rotations outside of the US, fellowships after residency, and an unopposed program that would allow me to be as hands-on as possible. The location was also ideal since Jackson is halfway between the cities of Memphis and Nashville. However, the most important reason why I chose UT-Jackson is because of the faculty. The faculty at UT-Jackson were genuinely kind, honest, and fun-loving people that wanted to invest in me because they saw a potential that I haven’t even discovered yet. I felt like family as soon as I arrived.

Hometown: Savannah, TN
Undergrad: Cumberland University
Medical School: University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Stats: Soon to be married to my amazing fiancé, Amie. Will have a step-son, Maddox. We also have a dachshund named Callie Jo.
Hobbies: Golf, Tennis, being outside, watching sports (St. Louis Cardinals and UT Vol fan), and spending time with family
What I did before medical school: I worked at Lifespan Health in my hometown as a medical assistant and traveled as much as possible!
Why I chose UT-Jackson: I spent a lot of time at UT Jackson beginning the summer after my first year when I did research. I came back for my third year family medicine rotation as well as fourth year. I got to know the faculty and residents very well, and they made me feel like a part of the family. It just honestly felt like home to me. I liked that it was an unopposed program. It was also an added bonus to be able to be closer to home.