ENS John Isaac Young

The Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (Corps) Surgeon General Award is presented to a graduating senior medical student in the Corps whose university career has been characterized by academic achievement, military medical professionalism, commitment to fellow students and creative sensible leadership. This person’s contributions have been strongly identified with the mission of the Corps.

The recipient of the USPHS Surgeon General Award for 2011 is Ensign John Isaac Young, a 4th year medical student at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), School of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland. He is a junior Corps officer and sponsored by the Indian Health Service.

ENS Young was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, the oldest of five siblings. From a young age, Isaac had a strong interest in medical illustration and anatomical drawing which he pursued in his art classes in school.

He attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he studied studio art and biology. During this time, he was also in the pre-med program at Calvin and served as a leader for the International Health and Development Club, a student organization designed to engage students with a career interest in global public health with opportunities for service and activism. Prior to graduation from Calvin College in May 2007, he participated in a number of international health-related service projects and mission trips including trips to Nicaragua and Kenya.

In August 2007, Isaac entered medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) and was commissioned as an ensign in the Corps. He excelled in medical school, earning a number of awards and honors. He was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society in his junior year and in 2011, he was also elected to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Isaac graduated from the USUHS medical school on May 21, 2011 will begin a residency in general surgery at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. After residency, he plans to repay his service commitment as a practicing rural surgeon in the Indian Health Service. Isaac currently lives in Washington, DC with his wife Mary. He enjoys running, hiking and cooking in his free time.