They Answered the Call to Serve. Now They’re Answering the Call to Heal.

Three USU EMDP2 graduates selected as 2026 Pat Tillman Scholars for their commitment to leadership, service, and the future of military medicine.

July 16, 2026 by Sharon Holland

Three graduates of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) Enlisted to Medical Degree Preparatory Program (EMDP2) have been selected as 2026 Pat Tillman Scholars, recognizing their extraordinary commitment to service, leadership, and the pursuit of excellence in medicine.

2nd Lt. Price Parker, Petty Officer 1st Class Andrew Wenthe, and 2nd Lt. Bryce Daniel, members of EMDP2 Cohort 11 (Class of 2026), were among the distinguished military service members selected for the 2026 Tillman Scholars class. The prestigious scholarship honors the legacy of former Arizona Cardinals professional football player and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman, who left his NFL career to serve his country after the September 11 attacks. The program recognizes individuals who embody Tillman's values of service, leadership, integrity, intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to creating meaningful impact.

For each of these USU EMDP2 graduates, medical school marked a second calling. The first came in uniform, caring for others in some of the most demanding environments around the world.

The three newest Tillman Scholars join a growing community of USU alumni recognized through the program, including Brent Bubany and Adam Wallace, selected in 2023, and Joshua O'Sullivan and Max Beerbaum, selected in 2024.

"Now in its 13th year, the EMDP2 program has produced more than 100 military physicians," said Dr. Eric Elster, Dean of USU's F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine. "EMDP2 has always attracted the most talented and accomplished enlisted service members, and so we're delighted but not at all surprised to see that three of this year's 60 Tillman Scholars are EMDP2 graduates. We're pleased to congratulate 2nd Lt. Parker, 2nd Lt. Daniel, and SO1 Wenthe on this outstanding achievement."

From Special Forces medic to physician-leader: Price Parker

Former Army Sgt. 1st Class Price Parker began his military service in 2014 and earned his Green Beret in 2018, becoming a Special Forces Medical Sergeant with the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Over nearly a decade of military medicine, Parker supported missions across three continents, including deployments and assignments in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt, Latvia, and throughout Europe.

Those experiences shaped his understanding of medicine as both a clinical discipline and a means of strengthening communities.

"Medicine gives me the means to honor those who served before me by protecting the lives in front of me, one patient, one team, and one community at a time," Parker said, according to the Tillman Scholars website.

While serving on active duty, Parker earned his Bachelor of Health Science from The George Washington University before being selected for EMDP2 at George Mason University. Following completion of the program, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and will continue his medical education at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine as a Bass Military Scholar this fall.

Parker's goal is to become a physician-leader who bridges the lessons of military medicine with broader healthcare challenges, improving training, preparedness, and access to care in both military and civilian settings.

Extending the mission of care: Andrew Wenthe

Navy Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman Andrew Wenthe enlisted in the Navy at age 17, later serving as a Navy SEAL assigned to SEAL Team 10. As a Special Operations Combat Medic, he experienced firsthand the critical role of medicine during high-risk operations.

Through those experiences, Wenthe saw the importance of care beyond the point of injury, recognizing that physicians play a vital role in the long-term recovery and health of those they serve.

"Nobody succeeds alone. In medicine, as in the military, lives are saved through trust and teamwork, and we owe it to future generations to carry on that responsibility," Wenthe said, in the Tillman Scholars announcement.

Motivated by a desire to expand his ability to serve, Wenthe pursued the EMDP2 pathway and will continue his medical education at Stanford University School of Medicine through the Navy's Health Services Collegiate Program. He hopes to build a career grounded in scientific rigor, lifelong learning, and service-driven leadership.

For Wenthe, the transition from special operations medicine to physician training represents an opportunity to continue serving others while taking on greater responsibility for patient care.

From rescue operations to lifelong healing: Bryce Daniel

Air Force veteran Bryce Daniel joined the Air Force in 2011 and became a pararescueman, serving on rescue teams responsible for locating, treating, and extracting injured personnel in some of the world's most challenging environments.

His experiences as a rescuer shaped his desire to continue caring for patients beyond the initial emergency.

"I want a life where competence serves compassion. Protect the vulnerable, build trust through consistency, and leave every system better than I found it," Daniel told the Tillman Scholars program.

Daniel earned his bachelor's degree in Emergency Medical Services from the University of New Mexico while serving on active duty before completing EMDP2 at George Mason University. He will attend Texas A&M University College of Medicine this fall, where he is pursuing his goal of becoming a physician focused on emergency medicine, austere medicine, and global healthcare.

Raised in rural Texas, Daniel remains committed to improving care in environments where resources are limited and conditions are unpredictable. Those experiences that continue to influence his approach to medicine and leadership.

A legacy of service continues

Through EMDP2, USU provides enlisted service members with the academic preparation needed to pursue careers as military physicians. The two-year program offers an intensive pre-medical program, mentoring, and MCAT preparation, while also allowing service members to maintain their current rank, pay and benefits while attending school full time at George Mason University's Science and Technology Campus. The program recognizes the tremendous experience, leadership, and dedication enlisted service members bring to medicine.

For Parker, Wenthe, and Daniel, becoming Tillman Scholars represents not an ending, but another step in a lifelong commitment to serve.

Their journeys reflect the very qualities the Pat Tillman Foundation seeks to honor: individuals who lead with purpose, pursue excellence, and dedicate their talents to improving the lives of others.

As future physicians, these three USU graduates will carry forward a tradition of service that began long before medical school and will continue throughout their careers in military medicine.