VCOM 2023 Annual Report

W hile it is common for VCOM alumni to go on to military service following graduation—366 VCOM alumni have—it is less common for them to have a career in the military both before and after coming to VCOM. But that’s exactly what Shawn Johnson, DO, VCOM-Virginia Class of 2016, did. He spent 22 years as a Navy SEAL before arriving at VCOM-Virginia in 2012. Dr. Johnson’s journey wasn’t always easy. He describes himself as a troubled kid who got into fights. A school run by the Catholic Church helped put him on a more disciplined track, and by 10th grade, he was set on becoming a SEAL. After serving during Desert Shield/Desert Storm, he successfully fought A Career Focused on Service “During my visit to VCOM, I fell in love with the surrounding mountains, the small-town feel and the family environment within the student body and faculty. I felt VCOM cared about me and my success.” for a chance to become a SEAL. His first assignment was SEAL Team Two and he eventually rose to become a Master Chief. As he entered military service, he had a plan to get an undergraduate degree and to go to medical school after about 10 years. He was on track for that plan until two planes hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. When it was time to get back on track toward pursuing his medical degree, Dr. Johnson cast a small geographic net, so he could be near his family. VCOM-Virginia was inside that net. “During my visit to VCOM, I fell in love with the surrounding mountains, the small-town feel and the family environment within the student body and faculty. I felt VCOM cared about me and my success. VCOM became #1 on my list. Plus, OMM was something I was interested

in because the techniques and principles were key in my recovery from multiple injuries during my SEAL career, therapies that made me bigger, stronger and faster without pills or surgery.” He says that his discipline and perseverance were part of his success at VCOM-Virginia. “Part of becoming a Navy SEAL was to prove to myself that I could do anything,” he says. “I simply needed desire, faith in God and a plan. Bottom line, discipline and persistence were the driving mechanisms for my success.” One particular clinical experience during his time at VCOM-Virginia stands out. After taking a medical history and performing a physical exam on an elderly patient during his emergency medical rotation, the patient remarked, “You’re the best doctor I've ever had in my life. No one has ever done for me what you did.” The attending physician said Dr. Johnson would pass with honors, but that was less important than the way the patient felt. “What mattered was how I made the patient feel and that I could make a difference to him by having empathy and the power of touch,” he says. “VCOM taught me this. Even as a medical student, you can bring great value to patient care.” Following graduation, Dr. Johnson spent time at an operational command at a submarine squadron at Kings Bay, Georgia, before beginning his residency in radiology at Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. These days, one of the things he enjoys about his job is mentoring medical students. “I think it's a critical component of being a doctor. I see their enthusiasm and anxiousness, and I want to help them channel those emotions and have a good experience,” Dr. Johnson says. “If I set the conditions for a good experience, they will remember this when they're in my position in the future.”

VCOM ALUMNI 199