Justin Weaver

4th Year Medschool Student | Loma Linda University

Justin Weaver is currently a 4th year medical student at Loma Linda University as part of a dual degree Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency program. He believes that physicians who have found creative ways to follow their passion will be the happiest and make the biggest impact in the world. Because of this, he has chosen to surround himself with, and learn from physicians who do just that.

His interests include medical innovation, entrepreneurship, and humanitarian work. In addition to being recognized for his leadership and research excellence, he has worked with various humanitarian organizations in countries like Honduras, Panama, Peru, Nicaragua, India, and Bangladesh.

The goal for his life is simple, “Look for ways to make a difference, every day.” Justin is married to the love of his life, Sarah and they will be adding a little girl to the family later this year. He feels that one of the best examples he can give to his daughter is a father who's living his dreams. Also, he is tall.

Jeremy Weaver

First Year Medschool Student | Loma Linda University

Jeremy Weaver is a first year medical student at Loma Linda University
and has taken the scenic route to get there. He took a year between his junior and senior year of undergraduate study at Southern Adventist University to live in Kafue, Zambia. While there he worked on various humanitarian aid and development projects with an independent development organization called Outpost Centers International. He has also been involved in humanitarian projects in India, Dominican Republic, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Ethiopia, and Thailand.

After graduating, Jeremy and a friend got the hairbrained idea that they should take a year and travel around the world, literally. They started in Ushuaia, Argentina - Cape Horn and traveled the longest route possible to the southwestern tip of Africa, The Cape of Good Hope. Using predominantly ground transportation was one of the stipulations. He used his blog to raise money for various humanitarian projects they encountered along the way.

Authentic travel remains one of his driving passions along with such other varied pursuits as rock Climbing, snowboarding, scuba Diving, triathlons, and craigslist. A philosophy he tries to live by is the idea that if you truly love what you do, you will do it well, and if you do something well, regardless of what it is, you will be happier for it. The rest (money, recognition, respect) doesn't matter as much, but will usually come anyway. This is a concept he is learning to incorporate into his path through medical school.

Matt Ward

4th Year | Medical College of Georgia

Matt is currently a senior medical student at the Medical College of Georgia. Prior to medical school, Matt studied Biomedical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, focusing in medical imaging and medical device design. Matt intends to train in Radiation Oncology after medical school and looks forward to a patient centered yet fast-paced, technology-driven career. He has presented original research at multiple conferences including the Design of Medical Devices conference and the American Society for Therapeutic Radiation Oncology. He has participated in international medical trips to the Caribbean and Africa and looks forward to continued international opportunities. In his free time, Matt enjoys music, whitewater kayaking and photography. He is excited to be a part of Uncommon Student MD and advocating for the development of a new generation of innovative physicians.

Gregory H. Bledsoe MD MPH

Freelance MD | Expedition Medicine | Medical Fusion

Dr. Bledsoe is a Board Certified Emergency Medicine physician and the founder and CEO of ExpedMed. After completing medical school and residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Dr. Bledsoe spent five years on faculty in the Johns Hopkins Department of Emergency Medicine completing a two-year fellowship in International Emergency Medicine and a Masters in Public Health (MPH) from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In 2005, he received the “Teacher of the Year” award from the Johns Hopkins Department of Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Bledsoe has extensive experience in international travel having visited over 40 countries. His international medical experience includes serving as a field physician in Honduras, teaching disaster preparedness in Tanzania, leading a nutritional survey among the Beja tribe in northeast Sudan, working as a medical consultant in Beijing, China, and acting as the medical officer for ships in both Antarctica and the Arctic.

In addition to his clinical duties, Dr. Bledsoe has been an instructor and medical consultant for the United States Secret Service. He was the personal physician to former President Bill Clinton during Clinton’s tour of Africa in September 2002, and served in Uganda and Senegal on the advance team of President George W. Bush when the President visited the African continent in July of 2003.

Dr. Bledsoe’s research has been published in many prestigious medical journals including the Journal of Trauma, Prehospital & Disaster Medicine, Southern Medical Journal, Journal of Emergency Medicine, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Care, and The Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. He is the chief editor of Expedition and Wilderness Medicine, published by Cambridge University Press in the spring of 2008.  He is a frequent public speaker and has been interviewed by numerous regional and national media outlets including The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, The Baltimore Sun, The Naperville Sun, Fort Worth Weekly, Austin-American Statesman, Cincinnati Magazine, El Mundo, ESPN the Magazine, USA Today, FOX 5 New York City, and 60 Minutes.

When not working overseas, Dr. Bledsoe lives and works on Saint Simons Island, Georgia.  In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Bledsoe is a private pilot, a scuba diver, a student in Brazilian jiu jitsu, and a member of The Explorers Club.

Richard (Dick) Gunnerson IV

Incredibly Gifted Future Physician Hero

I am Richard Gunnerson the 4th, but everyone refers to me as Dick… I am certainly, and without apparent effort, THE BEST medical student at THE BEST medical school in the universe. (I've been asked not to name it publicly) I applied to all 126 medical schools in the U.S. and was accepted at 127 of them. I’m planning on being a neurovascular plastic surgeon with a fellowship in pediatric radiology and I WILL SUCCEED.

You'll want to know more about me and I'm happy to indulge you. Here’s a little about the fam. My dad is a Physician, my mom is a Physician, all my aunts and uncles… Physician, the guy that cuts our lawn is actually board certified Internist (should have been a surgeon but we're cutting back). I try to associate as little as possible with people who aren’t either Physician or actively pursuing a career in medicine.

(You may notice that I use the word 'physician' since I find 'doctor' so... common.)

There are three things you should know about me ASAP.

1) I know EVERYTHING, and I never pass up the opportunity to demonstrate my endless knowledge in public settings. Don’t believe me? Ask anyone in the same classroom as me. They will tell you that I never shy away from a question, if it pops in my head…. you can bet my hand is going up. Class, Lab, showing up at the Professor’s door… no time is the wrong time for an awesome question like, “On page 21 paragraph 1, sentence 3, word 5 of the notes you said the Uvula was located at the posterior aspect of the soft palate… What is the origin of the word Uvula?” Everyone else in the amphitheater just wishes they had my mad skills for asking THE most pertinent questions… ALWAYS.

2) I have the stud techs figured out (that’s short for study techniques, can’t waste time with full words when you’re as friggin’ awesome at life as I am). I put an IV and catheter in during the afternoon study sesh, because my time is too awesome to waste on things like bodily functions. Can’t wait to school all newbs out there with my sweet study moves that save me time and allow me to be as awesome as I AM! You can’t even fathom what a mind like mine has thought up!

3) I have always and will continue to BEAT my opponents into submission with my awesome interpersonal skills and giant IQ. Oh, and I assure you, everyone is out to get my #1 rank in LIFE (not to mention class standings). Don’t even think about trying to knock me off my game… cause I will do ANYTHING. I will take you down and RIP YOUR HEART OUT … proverbially…with my intellect.

I have decided to post on this site to accomplish two very important things; First, to enlighten those of you who still have delusions of grandure and inform you about your position in life. Second, because this is yet another line on my CV and it will impress my aunt Tess. When I post… you WILL listen to what I have to say, because really, what else are you going to do that would be as benefical.