Benjamin Buttars comes to us from the gorgeous state of Idaho. He is a second year medical student and studies at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is this year’s recipient of the A.V. Jackson DO Endowment Scholarship Award.
Ben spent two years serving in Brazil on a mission for his church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He tells us, “From walking in their streets, I saw how people waited days for treatment in hospitals. Poverty and lack of accessible healthcare also plagues my home state of Idaho. My firsthand experiences with underserved people motivated me to pursue osteopathic medicine so that I can gain tools to best help my community”.
Richard J. Misischia, DO and Assistant Professor and Co-director of OPP and MSK Courses at Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine says this about Ben, “He is always enthusiastic and asks very pertinent questions. He is a kind individual and interacts very well with the faculty, staff and fellow students. He is a confident student who is passionate about expanding his knowledge base. Many of the students look to him for help with their studies. He can balance his time well and is always very organized”.
David Evans, MD, MSW says, “I got to know Ben fairly well after Hurricane Michael. Ben organized and directed service in the local nearby towns that had been damaged. He is a person of exceptional talents, including public speaking, a gifted instructor, as well as having been helpful with his bilingual knowledge, having been a previous teacher of Portuguese”.
Melinda Ledbetter, PA-C and Faculty Instructor of Primary Clinical Skills and Family Medicine for the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine told us that, “Ben volunteered as a crew chief for Helping Hands in Alabama, Georgia and Florida following Hurricane Michael. He worked 16 hour days doing labor intensive storm clean up, sleeping and studying in his truck nights and weekends, while still managing to perform well in his rigorous medical school demands. Ben’s natural gift of compassion and leadership along with his dedication to community are qualities that will make him an excellent physician”.
Ben sees his future as more than being a physician, “In addition to providing quality healthcare, I will be a part of the political system that continues to make advances in Idaho healthcare. My activism will improve the system of northwestern healthcare as a whole. The Northwest needs doctors who are willing to do more than just provide healthcare. It is my sincere desire to change the community for the better so that the people of Idaho can truly call it home”.
We agree, Ben and look forward to seeing how far you can go in this arena. Job well done.