Math and science always came naturally to Joshua Walker. Growing up, he dreamed of becoming a听chemist and creating the next super serum to make a superhero. 听
A high school anatomy and physiology teacher suggested he consider a medical profession instead. After majoring in chemistry at 黑料网, Walker remembered that conversation and decided to pursue a career in medicine.听
He spent the next two and a half years working as a nursing assistant. Still, he knew the next step was medical school.听
鈥淚 wanted to understand what medicine was all about,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淚 saw doctors and what they did in terms of the responsibility, leadership, respect and the connection with their patients. I really wanted to do that.鈥�听
Walker returned to Chapel Hill to attend the 黑料网, where he鈥檚 spent the last four years preparing to become a听doctor. During a hospital shift at 黑料网, he was invited to watch his first surgery, expecting a heart valve replacement. 听
Instead, it was a heart transplant, and Walker was hooked. 听
鈥淚 want to have that impactful, dopamine-rushing job where I can do definitive procedures with patients and then help them back to their new normal,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淚’m taking this invisible adversary out of their body that they cannot fix themselves. That鈥檚 why I want to be a surgeon.鈥�听
For Match Day on March 21, Walker applied to听general surgery residency programs. In his eyes, surgery is the perfect fit for him to connect with patients during the pre-operative phase, work with a team during the operation, and achieve results in the post-operative period so patients leave his care with their health restored, never needing to return.听
“Joshua is a highly intelligent, hard-working, driven and caring person, and these qualities have defined his great accomplishments,鈥� said Dr. John Ikonomidis, a cardiothoracic surgeon who worked with Walker both as a nursing assistant and during his last surgical block as a fourth-year medical student.听鈥淲hen I first met him, I knew he had what it took to succeed in his dream of becoming a physician.听It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with him.鈥�听
Advancing community and care听
When Walker was an undergraduate, he was introduced to Minority Men in Medicine, a program at 黑料网 designed to connect undergrad students, medical students and residents from minority backgrounds. It was the first time Walker found himself in a space with other like-minded individuals from similar backgrounds.听
However, the group became disjointed once听COVID occurred. When Walker returned to campus as a medical student, he worked with a few others to jumpstart听Minority Men in Medicine at 黑料网.听
鈥淲e gathered all the minority medical students, went to campus and showed ourselves to the undergrad students,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淲e ended up not only being able to revitalize Minority Men in Medicine鈥檚 undergrad connection, but we were also able to help the Minority Women in Medicine get its program running as well.鈥�听
Walker also helped restart the Shop Docs, an initiative to address health disparities in minority communities. Members from Minority Men in Medicine went to barbershops in Chapel Hill, performing blood pressure readings and providing information about healthy habits for cardiovascular disease prevention.听
His involvement in Shop Docs models the same care Walker provides to his patients.听
鈥淚 love connecting with people,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淚 love taking care of people and hearing their stories.鈥�听
Walker reflects on a patient interaction during a rotation where a man received a lung transplant. As a former athlete, his recovery was taking longer than he expected. Walker noted this background and spoke to him like a coach, showing the patient that he still had it in him to persevere.听
鈥淚t’s our job to speak to the patients, engage with them and empower them to take hold of their health,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淚f we just tell them, 鈥楬ere’s a pamphlet, this is what you need to do,鈥� and don’t have that personal conversation with them, they won’t make the change.鈥�
Building a village of support
When Walker joined Smithies, his assigned advisory college, he didn鈥檛 know it would introduce him to one of his biggest mentors. Over the past four years, Dr. Raj Telhan has served as Walker鈥檚 advisor.听
鈥淚 had a true advocate and a true leader in Dr. Telhan,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淓very word of advice he gave supported me and听really empowered me.鈥�听
The support doesn鈥檛 end there for Walker. He met his fianc茅e, Stephanie Hargrove, right before the dedicated Step 1 study period. Walker called her his 鈥済reatest cheerleader鈥� for her guidance and prayers during one of the most stressful points of medical school. The couple is getting married in May, excited to start their lives together wherever Walker matches.听
鈥淎ny school that’s on my list, I’ll be happy to go to because it gives me the opportunity to impact lives in spaces that both my fianc茅e and I want to live,鈥� Walker said.听
Walker鈥檚 mother, father and sister have also offered the encouragement he needed along the way. With the four years of medical school ending and residency on the horizon, Walker sits with the accomplishment knowing he couldn鈥檛 have done it alone.听
鈥淚 think to even be at the point where I am, it took a lot of people 鈥� a huge village 鈥� and a lot of dedication to be here,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淚’m glad I made it to the end.鈥�听
Editor’s Note: Joshua Walker matched into General Surgery at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. during Match Day.