Merging the Military and Medicine
Four members of the Miller School of Medicine’s Class of 2025 will partake in the military match, a residency matching process for medical students who are part of a military scholarship program and committed to serve their country.
The son of two engineers and military personnel, Mitchell Moore didn’t initially envision a career in medicine. Instead, his early aspirations were shaped by his father’s work with the U.S. Army and his mother’s 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force.
Today, Moore is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and is blending his passion for medicine with a commitment to military service by matching into an internal medicine residency in the U.S. Navy.
We spoke with Mitchell about his path, military match and future plans.
Where did your spark for medicine originate?
In a way, public service was always instilled in me through my parent’s military careers. During my undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University, I majored in biomedical engineering, since I liked human biology and working with my hands but also wanted to follow in my parent’s engineering footsteps.
I started considering medical school halfway through undergrad while studying abroad in Germany. There, I ended up shadowing a few physicians and became intrigued with the direct human care aspect of clinical medicine. Spending time in the hospital determined my path in medicine from that moment.
Why did you choose the Miller School for your medical education?
My younger sister was already attending the University of Miami for her undergraduate degree and I spent time visiting her on campus. I got to enjoy the city of Miami and, by that point, knowing I wanted to go to medical school, I took a tour of the Miller School. I was intrigued by their NextGenMD curriculum and how students get clinical practice early in their medical school journey.
In addition, the city provides a rich, diverse outlook on patients and health care workers, which intrigued me. Miami’s great weather is an added bonus!
Talk a bit about your time at the Miller School.
I was nervous at the beginning due to the non-traditional curriculum, but I learned to trust the process and felt extremely prepared going into rotations in my second year. Being a part of the Mitchell Wolfson Sr. Department of Community Service (DOCS) was a main highlight for me during medical school.
It was also one of the reasons that drew me to the Miller School. I helped start a new clinic my first year and, as a third year, I served as the DOCS clinical director. Aside from DOCS, I was on staff at the Miami Rescue Mission and was involved in tutoring.
What led you to choose internal medicine as a specialty?
What drew me to medicine also drew me to internal medicine. I love building long-term relationships with patients and following them through multiple aspects of their care through different stages in life. I have also always enjoyed problem-solving. Since internal medicine is so broad, it is like solving a puzzle to understand what’s going on with the patient’s needs.
In addition, internal medicine provides a collaborative environment with other health care workers, especially on the inpatient side. My end goal is to possibly pursue a subspeciality in pulmonology/critical care.
How do you feel about your military career?
I am excited about the unique opportunities the Navy offers, not just during residency but also in terms of geographic mobility, operational experience and professional growth. A Navy medical career provides much more than caring for troops. It also plays a significant role in humanitarian missions and serves as a diplomatic face of the military, especially from a medical perspective.
One of my aspirations is to serve on a hospital ship, like those stationed on the east and west coasts, and participate in missions such as providing earthquake relief in Haiti or assisting other countries in need during global crises.
How was your military match?
I am proud to say I got my top choice and will be going home to Maryland for a three-year internal medicine residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. I knew no matter what pathway I got selected for, I would be excited, as there are many interesting opportunities I could possibly get involved with, such as flight surgery or underwater medicine.
What kind of physician do you envision yourself being?
As of now, I want to get as much medical experience as possible and grow as a leader within the military. Looking ahead to life after the military, I envision myself working with underserved populations, a passion that has deeply resonated with me throughout my medical journey.
Even during residency, I hope to stay involved with underserved communities, such as volunteering at free clinics, which I found incredibly grounding during medical school. In the future, I would love to establish a startup clinic focused on providing care to those who often fall through the cracks, ensuring access to essential health care outside the traditional hospital system.
Tags: medical education, military match, residency