USU Medical Students, EMDP2 Graduates Secure Competitive Specialties in 2025 Match

For three USU EMDP2 graduates-turned-medical-students, the road to becoming a military doctor has been paved with deployments, rejection letters, and family challenges, culminating in a life-changing Match Day.

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Uniformed Services University (USU) medical students celebrate their future residency placements during the annual Match Day ceremony. (USU photo)

January 15, 2025 by Zachary Willis

For Army 2nd Lt. Daniel Hutchinson, the dream of becoming a doctor once felt like a mathematical impossibility.

He was an older enlisted soldier. He was deployed to Afghanistan. Perhaps most significantly, he needed to ensure unwavering stability for his family, particularly for his child with cerebral palsy. The logistical and financial barriers to medical school seemed insurmountable.

"There was, financially or logistically, no practical path to medical school," Hutchinson recalls.

Yet, at the Uniformed Services University's (USU) Match Day ceremony in December, the former combat medic stood tall as a soon-to-graduate medical student, securing a spot in one of the military's most selective programs: general surgery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

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Army 2nd Lt. Daniel Hutchinson's path to medical school came through USU's EMDP2 program. Now, he has secured a spot in general surgery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, one of the military's most selective programs. (Courtesy photo)

Hutchinson began his trek to medical school as a student in USU's Enlisted to Medical Degree Preparatory Program (EMDP2). This partnership between USU and the services allows high-performing enlisted personnel to remain on active duty while completing medical school prerequisites at George Mason University over a two-year period, ensuring they are competitive applicants for medical school at USU or with civilian programs through the military's Health Professions Scholarship Program.

Hutchinson's path led to USU, where he is now in his final months of study before earning his M.D. degree in May 2026. The EMDP2 program provided the bridge Hutchinson needed to cross the chasm between his potential and his reality. Applying from a deployment in Afghanistan, he took a chance on a program that promised to remove the barriers holding him back.

Despite serving as a medic in an infantry unit, Hutchinson didn't initially see himself as a surgeon. It wasn't until his medical school clinical rotations at USU that the pieces fell into place. Standing in the operating room, he didn't just see a medical procedure; he saw a familiar military structure.

"I was really drawn to the teamwork in the OR," Hutchinson says. "It felt like being back in a platoon. Everyone has their job, everyone commits to mastering their craft, and they all use their skills together to complete the mission."

Now, he prepares to bring that "platoon mentality" to Walter Reed, ensuring that the next generation of combat surgeons is forged with the discipline of a former non-commissioned officer.

A Dream Deferred, Then Realized

For Navy Ensign Timothy Bleigh, the path to becoming a physician was shaped by both challenge and resilience. Growing up in California, he spent his winters working on a ski patrol, where he first developed an interest in emergency care and helping others.

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A photo of Navy Ensign Timothy Bleigh as an incoming EMDP2 student. (Photo credit: Tom Balfour, USU)

Bleigh joined the Navy to pursue that interest, eventually serving as a Hospital Corpsman 1st Class and later as an Independent Duty Corpsman (IDC). During deployment with the Marines in Afghanistan, he suffered a significant injury. The experience of being a patient himself-and navigating his own recovery-deepened his understanding of patient care and solidified his desire to become a doctor.

Bleigh's path took a pivotal turn with the EMDP2 program. Watching the first EMDP2 class in 2014, which included Army and Air Force enlisted members, he hoped the Navy would eventually open slots for its sailors. The opportunity finally arrived for Bleigh to apply several years later, with the good news arriving first by his Navy network. "I only found out I was selected when the NAVADMIN message was released," Bleigh recalls. "Someone from work called me and told me they saw my name."

Bleigh found that EMDP2 was more than academic preparation-it was a lesson in leadership and professional rigor. "The dedication of all of the staff set the bar pretty high, and is something I want to emulate," he says. The program reinforced his commitment to patient-centered care and prepared him for the challenges of medical school.

Following EMDP2, Bleigh entered USUs School of Medicine, where he continued to cultivate the skills and mindset that would guide his career. His training emphasized continuity of care, leadership, and working within the operational realities of military medicine-all essential elements that informed his choice of specialty.

Bleigh has now matched into family medicine at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, a role that aligns with his desire to build meaningful, ongoing relationships with patients. "I love having some continuity with my patients," he explains. From ski patrol to Navy corpsman, through EMDP2 and USU, Bleigh's journey reflects a consistent commitment to caring for others, resilience in the face of challenge, and a dedication to translating military service into enduring medical expertise.

Resilience in the Face of Rejection

For Navy Ensign Joshua Lee, the path to medicine began beneath the surface.

Lee joined the Navy as a diver, drawn by the challenge of working in small, high-performing teams under physically and mentally demanding conditions. While he enjoyed the technical and hands-on nature of diving, it was dive medicine that truly captured his interest. Caring for patients in recompression chambers, placing IVs, and managing medical emergencies in austere environments proved to be the most rewarding parts of his role-and planted the seed for a future in medicine.

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Navy Ensign Joshua Lee showing off his Match Day certificate. (Photo courtesy of Navy Ensign Joshua Lee)

As he began exploring ways to continue serving while shifting his career focus, Lee learned about the Enlisted to Medical Degree Preparatory Program (EMDP2) with encouragement from his chief. The application process was demanding.

"After navigating taking the ACT and GRE, and applying for the first time, while overseas on deployment I found out through the NAVADMIN that I wasn't picked up. I was discouraged, but I was also encouraged by people who believed in me to try again. So the following year I reapplied," Lee says.

This time the outcome was different. He was selected for EMDP2 and soon relocated to the East Coast with his wife and newborn child. The program helped him rediscover how to study, identify gaps in his knowledge, and build the academic confidence necessary for medical school-no small feat during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout it all, Lee credits the EMDP2 staff with providing steady support and structure.

After matriculating to USU, Lee found that the military-focused curriculum aligned naturally with his background. In addition to traditional medical education, USU's emphasis on operational medicine and Tactical Combat Casualty Care resonated deeply. During repeated training exercises, Lee found himself gravitating toward airway management-an interest that was solidified during his fourth-year anesthesia rotation.

USU also provided Lee with unique opportunities to reconnect with his operational roots. He pursued advanced training in mountain medicine at the Army Mountain Warfare School and expanded his experience in dive medicine through Maritime Prolonged Field Care coursework, building strong interprofessional relationships along the way.

Lee matched into a transitional year at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, which he views not as a setback, but as another opportunity to broaden his experience across military medicine. As he prepares to reapply for residency and pursue Undersea Medical Officer training, Lee's journey reflects persistence, adaptability, and a deep commitment to service-hallmarks of the path from enlisted diver to Navy physician.

Experience as a Force Multiplier

The achievements of Hutchinson, Bleigh, and Lee highlight a simple truth: the greatest strength of the Military Health System comes from its people. These officers bring more than academic excellence to their residencies-they bring the perspective of parents, the resilience born of setbacks, and the teamwork and camaraderie forged through service in the ranks.

By removing barriers that once limited opportunities for enlisted service members, USU, through its EMDP2 and medical school programs, helps ensure that the medical corps is led by physicians who truly understand the warfighter-from firsthand experience to professional care. Their military backgrounds amplify their ability to connect, lead, and care for those they serve.