Two School of Medicine Class of 2022 Graduates Reflect on Their USU Experiences

By Vivian Mason

This past May, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) celebrated the commencement of the Class of 2022. As the graduates embark on the next chapter of their lives, The Pulse asked Army Capt. Theodore McLean and Navy Lt. Derrick Knox—two members of the USU School of Medicine Class of 2022 with vastly different experiences—to reflect on their time at USU.

Capt. (Dr.) Theodore McLean

“I was really excited to graduate this year,” says McLean. “It was an extremely meaningful time for me.”

Commencement was a great opportunity for him to have all his family, friends, and relatives come together to celebrate his accomplishments. However, McLean recalls that, a few days before commencement, he realized he had been more nervous about getting into medical school than about the actual graduation ceremony. By graduation time, McLean’s resolve about his future was firm.

“I chose this path for a reason,” he insists, “and know that I’m headed in the right direction.”

Continuing, McLean acknowledges those who helped him get to his graduation day. “Over the past four years, I’ve had a lot of help. From traveling all over, to living at different relatives’ homes, to having family come spend time with my wife while I was gone, it’s been quite a lot. It’s taken a team effort to get through medical school, and I feel as if my graduation is a celebration for them, too!”

2nd Lt. McLean (pictured right) on graduation day with his Fire Team. "We had quite
the eventful four years starting with anatomy lab dissection, pathology lab, COVID, etc.
Now we're ready for residency," he says. (Photo credit: 2nd Lt. Theodore McLean)

McLean was a geology major in college, but ultimately decided that working with rocks and the environment on a daily basis didn’t inspire him enough.

“I’ve always been fascinated with how things worked from a scientific perspective,” McLean says, “[but] I just wasn’t passionate about [geology].”

So, McLean rethought what he wanted to do, and, deciding to pursue a medical route, became an emergency medical technician to great success. When he realized he loved the medical field, he applied to USU. 

“What I liked about USU,” he recalls, “is the unique variety of people who come here, all with different backgrounds and experiences. I was really happy to get in.”

Over the past several years at USU, McLean notes that one of the most “unique experiences” he participated in was Operation Bushmaster. This field practicum exercise provides students with the opportunity to practice tactical combat casualty care under realistic conditions in an austere environment. While challenging the students’ medical knowledge and skills, the underlying lesson is in leadership and teamwork.

“In the timeline of things, it comes right after everyone’s done with their interview rotations for residency,” McLean explains. “You haven’t seen any of your friends in over a year because of COVID. You’re studying for the USMLE Step 1 exam. Everyone’s already selected their specialty. Then, for four days, you’re thrown into a simulated deployment environment setting, sleeping a mere four hours per night, but working as a team.”

McLean praises Operation Bushmaster as the “culmination of everything [students have] learned about medicine and military leadership skills.” 

“The entire operation is run extremely well by USU. It was so much fun. I had a great time during Bushmaster. To see all the faculty who came from around the world to help us with this exercise was impressive. I was really taken aback by how much I had learned in the previous three years.”

Acknowledging the challenges that the Class of 2022 had to endure, McLean recalls that the COVID-19 pandemic struck during his clerkship year. It presented a huge challenge for everyone. For McLean specifically, he notes that it created a lot of big last minute changes. 

At Match Day 2022, 2nd Lt. McLean (left) was matched to
Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord,
WA, to start the next phase of his journey alongside his wife.
(Photo credit: 2nd Lt. Theodore McLean) 

“Because spots were limited at certain military treatment facilities, I got moved last minute from my rotation in Washington, D.C., to San Antonio, Texas.” McLean and his wife decided that it would be best if she went along with him rather than stay in Washington.

“There are definitely times where you’re at your limit and don’t know if life is going to pan out like you want it to.” Combined with COVID-19, McLean notes that “the biggest stressors and challenges were the board exams: Step 1 and Step 2.” 

“We were given six weeks,” he continues. “You just hoped that every single day that you studied was really going to help you or at least get you a competitive score. That was a very difficult time in my life.” 

McLean reflects on the past four years as a time of massive changes and plenty of challenges, each one rewarding in the end.

“So much has transpired over four years. At the beginning of medical school, I saw myself doing something surgical. But, now I’m happy that I chose emergency medicine as my path. I’ve loved working in the Emergency department since my time in EMS. I enjoy the undifferentiated patient, the acute complaints, and the stories that come with them. It’s a great opportunity to function as the safety net and to be there for patients and families in their time of need.”

In the end, McLean emphasizes the community that USU provides as one of its greatest offerings.

“What really got to me was how many relationships I had made that were strong and will continue to be so throughout my career in military medicine. It has been the privilege of a lifetime to be here at USU.”

Lt. (Dr.) Derrick Knox

Like McLean, Knox also had the experience of a lifetime, but for him, that experience took place over four weeks in Naples, Italy. 

“I always wanted to go to Italy,” Knox laughs. “It was a four-week family medicine operational rotation, but I learned so much outside of that.”

The trip overseas was one of the many educational highlights during his time at USU, but it was the one that left the greatest impact. At USU, students are encouraged to participate in the intercultural experiences the university offers, so they can see how healthcare is performed in other parts of the world.

Navy Lt. Derrick Knox relaxing on a day off in Ponte Vecchio. (Photo credit: Navy Lt. Derrick Knox)

Knox’s specialty, family medicine, is about providing comprehensive health services to the entire family (patients of all ages) in the areas of medicine, general pediatrics, psychiatry, obstetrics, gynecology, geriatrics, orthopedics, outpatient surgery, and others. 

“Family practice is really about patient/provider relationships and caring for entire families across generations,” Knox adds.

Reflecting on his career, Knox notes that family medicine was actually his very first rotation.

“So looking back on that experience,” he muses, “I was a bit overwhelmed because there was so much information to learn.”

In Italy, he got the opportunity to practice family medicine at U.S. Naval Hospital Naples, a community hospital that provides healthcare services and support to American service members and their families. 

“This time,” Knox says, “I returned to family medicine… a bit older and wiser. It was great to see how much I had progressed and how much more comfortable I felt. I’m so appreciative of the fact that I got to see a lot at the hospital and became more comfortable practicing family medicine.”

He continues on to talk about how easy it was to adapt to a hospital in another country, noting that, because it was a U.S. naval hospital, the base was “quite Americanized,” but that his experience in his specialty was “diverse and interesting” all the same.

Navy Lt. Knox on Match Day, where he was matched to a psychiatry residency in San Diego, CA. (Photo credit: Navy Lt. Derrick Knox)

From Monday through Friday, Knox saw a wide range of patients. However, on the weekends, and occasionally after work, he took advantage of the opportunity to take in the sights of Italy.

“You forget just how small the United States is,” Knox says. “I’ve only been out of the country two other times, and you always forget how big the world is outside our bubble. We weren’t able to see and do everything that we wanted to do—with COVID and all—but it was still nice to be living among the locals.” 

He concludes that the opportunity afforded by USU to experience a rotation in Italy provided him with “the importance of educational intrigue, an appropriate work/life balance, and cultural humility.”

“The experience taught me about adaptability,” Knox adds. “There may come a day that I could be placed in a military environment that’s different from any I’ve ever experienced. So having that skill will be important in the future.”

Post-Graduation Reflections

“The Class of 2022 has been a remarkable group,” McLean remarks. “Throughout these challenging times, we have shown everyone our resiliency, strength, grace, and commitment. The global pandemic made it clear that we are desperately needed in communities and in the world.” He was in awe of how his classmates continued their education and rotations throughout a very difficult time, but believes they’re all better doctors because of it.  

“One of the reasons why I think I gravitated toward the university,” Knox adds, “is because of that sense of community. I was in a fraternity in college and really liked the camaraderie and brotherhood. I feel the same about USU.” 

McLean’s next assignment will be at Madigan Army Medical Center for a three-year emergency medicine residency. 

“There are a couple of things I’m thinking about,” McLean admits. “I’m considering getting involved in military operational medicine after residency. Last year I went to the U.S. Army Air Assault School and got a little taste of the ‘operations’ stuff.” He’s also considering a fellowship in either emergency medical services and disaster medicine or in ultrasound. 

Post-Operation Bushmaster, McLean stands amongst Alpha Company 2nd Platoon, the "Bandaids." (Photo credit: 2nd Lt. Theodore McLean)

“So, who knows?” McLean concludes. “I guess I’ll really find out what I’m passionate about within emergency medicine while at Madigan. I’ll just go from there. I look forward to the adventure of it all.”

For his post-graduation ventures, Knox is headed to San Diego to do a psychiatry residency, and finds himself eager to see all of the opportunities that await.

“Time just flies by,” Knox says. “I’m excited to see the growth that will occur as I go through internship, residency, attending, etc. I’ve found a career that brings me joy as I continue my adventures in medicine.” 

Echoing the same sentiment as McLean had earlier, Knox concludes his reflection on USU with one of the most important things he’s gained from his time at the university: some really good friends. 

“I’ll miss them,” he says. “As we spread across the United States for our different residencies in different services. It’s been a fulfilling journey and a once in a lifetime experience being at the School of Medicine.”