From the military to medicine: High veteran enrollment brings unique skillset to Washington

SPOKANE, Wash. - This Veteran's Day, the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine salutes students with military service who bring their diverse skills and experiences to the practice of medicine.

The WSU College of Medicine enrolls more than 10 times as many medical students with military experience as the national average. At WSU, 25 of 320 current medical students are veterans, or 7.8%. Nationally, only 0.72% of the more than 90,000 students who have matriculated into medical school in the past four years are veterans, according to Association of American Medical Colleges data.

Fourth-year medical student Todd Christensen brings 12 years of military experience to the MD program, including seven years of active duty in the Army and five years in the National Guard. His path to medicine had an unlikely start. After he joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) as an undergraduate, a paperwork error led to his assignment to the medical services branch. He stuck with it, pursuing a career as an optometrist at duty stations in the U.S. and Germany and as a detachment commander at a field hospital.

"I'm super thankful for the opportunity I had to serve because of the many amazing people I was able to be around," Christensen said. "One of the best things about the military is it's such a broad swath of America, so you learn how to work with people from a variety of backgrounds. Being able to work in a team is so important as a physician."

Christensen's interest in surgery spurred him to return to school and train as an ophthalmologist. After completing his training, he plans to practice in Washington at a Veterans Affairs center or private practice and will continue serving as a guardsman.

Fellow fourth-year Devin Peterson has a long family history of military service but will be the first in his family to pursue a career in medicine. His parents met at the naval air station at Whidbey Island near Seattle, and his brother and grandfather also served in the Navy. Peterson enlisted in the Marines after finishing high school and was exposed to medicine through a combat lifesaving course and voluntary EMT training.

"There's a surprising amount of crossover between a military team and a hospital ward, so that's an environment I'm comfortable in," he said. "You have to be able to communicate and follow protocol to make sure people don't get hurt."

Peterson chose to specialize in diagnostic radiology under the mentorship of the College of Medicine's Dr. Julie Kaczmark. He hopes to eventually give back by mentoring future WSU medical students as a practicing physician, drawing on his leadership experience as a squad and patrol leader.

Like Peterson, Alexander Pursel's military service spurred his interest in medicine. During his four and half years in the Army, he was deployed to Afghanistan and witnessed the challenges of treating injuries in the field.

"My military experience really afforded the ability to work under pressure," he said. "I know that no matter what happens in a medical situation, I've seen worse."

Pursel plans to pursue a career as a rural emergency medicine doctor to improve access to care in communities like the one where he grew up.

While many WSU medical students have previous military experience, others have committed to serve after graduation. Orin Faubion plans to serve as an emergency medicine physician in the Air Force once he completes his training.

"I've always had a sense of duty to the country," he said. "I've benefited a lot from what this country offers, and I always wanted to pay it back."

As a participant in the Health Professions Scholarship Program, the military covers the cost of Faubion's medical degree and provides specialized officer training in exchange for at least four years of service after he completes his medical education. When his service is complete, he plans to put his skills to use practicing in Washington.

Bradley Martin is a fellow participant in the Health Professions Scholarship Program following 15 years of military service. Inspired to enlist in the Navy following 9/11, he was deployed to a rural province of Iraq as a field medic for the First Marines and frequently interacted with locals who lacked access to basic health care. Seeing the immense impact of basic medical knowledge and supplies like antibiotics, he decided to return to school to learn how to have a greater impact in the areas with the most need.

He chose WSU for medical school because of the program's mission to train more doctors for rural and underserved communities.

"I'm very proud of how WSU encourages and treats its military members," Martin said. "Veterans are an asset to medicine."

Media Contacts

• Stephanie Engle, WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Communications and Marketing, 509-368-6937, [email protected]

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