“Biochem examination. You?”

“OPP [Osteopathic Principles and Practices] Practical.”

Both laughed. Time now 03:45.

Dedication to Service

Medical students are known for their ambition, involvement in extracurricular activities, and eagerness to contribute to society. For many, a desire to fulfill medical school application requirements for club and organizational involvement turns to a means of fulfilling their desire to contribute and grow as individuals prior to matriculation. Through hours of high school volunteer service and club organizations to 5K runs and fund-raising dance marathons for pediatric cancer at their undergraduate education, medical students are aware long before they receive their acceptance letters that they are committing to a life of going above and beyond the call of duty. This real world service experience allows them to develop problem-solving skills, working as a team and developing relationships with key players to accomplish the goals they have set out to achieve in their various associations. Resolving obstacles and providing solutions for health in communities creates skills that further individual growth and maturity.^1,2 These activities begin to define them, just as much as their grade point average and MCAT scores, and allow them to start answering the infamous question, why do you want to be a doctor?³ The summation of their experience and academic performance is what grants them entrance into their medical institutions that match their goals and the type and scope of medical practitioners that medical institutions aim to produce.

LMU-DCOM in rural east Tennessee offers medical students an exemplary opportunity to serve the poverty-stricken communities at the heart of Appalachia. The university was founded to serve the region of rural Appalachia with primary care and emergency medical practitioners that the area desperately needs. As a native to eastern Tennessee, the president and foremost financial contributor to the school, Pete DeBusk, is both a figurehead on campus as well as a service member who has no qualms about riding the tractor to assist with new campus construction projects. As such, his generosity and commitment to service have exemplified the type of service and commitment to community that the institution seeks from its future medical doctors in attendance.

The historic town of Cumberland Gap has greatly benefited from its proximity to Lincoln Memorial University and DCOM, in particular. The small town was historically one of the three gaps in the mountains that allowed for safe and easy passage to the West for pioneers. Though you would expect it to be a busy tourist attraction, it still remains a small town of 483 residents. One of the greatest needs in the town is the need for emergency services. With many older residences, poor health and safety codes, fires, and flooding, emergency response needs remain constant.