2023 Tillman Scholar
Adam attended the University of Utah and studied political science, where he had the opportunity to intern with the NGO Floating Doctors. While volunteering with Floating Doctors in rural Panama, Adam helped to deliver care to isolated coastal communities and found a passion for medicine.
Realizing that the best physicians were both academically gifted and practically experienced, Adam decided to enlist and learn more. Wanting to serve, Adam joined the Air Force. As a survival evasion resistance and escape (SERE) specialist, Adam learned to not just survive but to thrive in any environment and gained valuable experience leading teams in challenging situations.
Now prepared to operate anywhere it was time to return to medicine. Adam earned a master’s degree in public health from the University of South Florida to learn to fight infectious and tropical diseases. Selected to attend the Enlisted to Medical School Preparatory Program (EMDP2), he and his family moved to Washington, D.C. to prepare for medical school.
While on active duty and applying to medical school, Adam earned an MBA from the University of Illinois, with the goal of better organizing typically chaotic non-profits. Next, Adam enrolled at the University of Washington School of Medicine to become a physician equipped to practice in remote areas.
After medical school, Adam plans to continue serving in the Air Force with the goal of returning to international relief medicine. Born and raised in Chicago, Adam is now married to his high school sweetheart Valentina, with whom he has identical twin boys.