The Nash brothers become doctors
After years of research and dedication to the their craft, Alcorn State University alumni Jonathan and Justin Nash are preparing to make their mark in the medical field.
The brothers, who are Vicksburg, Mississippi natives, recently earned doctorate degrees. Jonathan earned a doctorate degree in dental surgery from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. Justin earned a doctorate degree in medicine from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. The two feel really proud of their latest accomplishments.
“It feels really good to finally reach my goal of becoming a dentist,” said Jonathan, who earned a bachelor’s degree from Alcorn in 2009.
“It feels great,” said Justin, who earned a bachelor’s degree from Alcorn in 2011. “It’s the culmination of a lot of hard work and dedication. This is affirmation of my belief to accomplish this goal.”
For Jonathan, becoming a dentist has been one of his main priorities for a while, which makes officially becoming one a fulfilling accomplishment. Justin’s will to assist others is what motivated him to pursue a career in medicine.
“Being a dentist is something that has been a dream of mine for quite some time now. Dentistry gives me the opportunity to help people and change lives,” said Jonathan.
“I’ve always had an inclination for the sciences and a passion for helping others. I feel that my passion and inclination, parents who worked in healthcare and positive role models pushing me to reach my full potential are the elements that helped me reach this goal,” said Justin.
Watching his father’s career in dentistry has been the driving force behind Jonathan’s inspiration to follow in his footsteps. After eliminating other career paths and developing a passion for medicine, Justin realized that this was his calling.
“My inspiration has been my father and seeing how he is able to help change lives with dentistry,” said Jonathan.
“I feel that medicine was the best choice for me after eliminating other options like law school and political science. I later solidified my decision after doing internships at medical institutions around the country including Duke and Northwestern universities,” said Justin.
Jonathan and Justin offer excellent advice to students pursuing a medical career.
“I would say to aspiring doctors to have faith and be diligent in your studies. Make sure you are making the decision to be a doctor for yourself because you can’t live this for anyone else. Always remember why you started on your journey,” said Jonathan.
“If being a doctor is something they are seriously considering, I would suggest getting experience with a physician that is willing to teach them and expose them to all aspects of medicine as it pertains to that specific field. Many people think they can go into medicine and make lots of money, which you can, but the more important thing to consider is whether or not they can see themselves doing the work of medicine everyday. If you don’t love what you do, you’ll get bored quickly. There will be potholes and missed steps along the way, but you’ll get there,” said Justin.
