2022 Tillman Scholar

Nate Cross

Navy
University of Oklahoma
Doctorate of Medicine

“I know how important authentic human connection is. As a physician, I hope to establish and maintain authentic relationships to better health outcomes, increase access to care, and lower healthcare costs.”

As a freshman in high school, Nate’s family evacuated from New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina’s arrival. Stuck watching the devastation on television, he felt helpless. It was from these feelings a desire to be of service to others was born. Growing up in a family filled with military service, Nate always knew he would enlist in the military. After high school, he enlisted in the US Navy Reserve as a Fleet Marine Corpsman. For Nate, the most rewarding aspect of being a Marine Corpsman was the deeper relationships it allowed him to form with his Marines. He saw firsthand how big of a difference these relationships could make in their overall health.

After suffering a back injury, Nate’s dream of a long military career ended. Still wanting to be of service, he began his education at the University of Oklahoma with hopes of attending medical school.   With much love and support from his wife and three kids, Nate began medical school at the University of Oklahoma in 2020 with plans to specialize in family medicine. Currently, he is the president of the Family Medicine Interest Group and Veterans and Military Alliance organization on campus.

As a physician, Nate hopes to create and maintain meaningful relationships with all of his patients so they can feel empowered, feel heard, and cared for. Additionally, Nate wants to apply the lessons he learned while studying entrepreneurship and innovation to help drive down medical costs and improve health outcomes in his community.