Medical School Admissions

David Loftus grew up near Syracuse, NY, as a competitive skier, traveling internationally to train and compete. But alongside his drive to win was a drive to serve. He earned a ROTC scholarship to Boston College, majoring in Islamic civilization and societies and minoring in Arabic, and upon graduating was commissioned in the Navy.

An intelligence officer, David’s deployments included a Joint Special Operations Task Force in the Middle East. “My final work in nuclear strategic planning and operations drove me to reconsider how best I could serve others,” he says. “Medicine offered a path to a service-based vocation that sought active betterment of lives rather than the safeguarding of them through the specter of violence.”

David had fulfilled some premed requirements as an undergrad, and took the remaining courses at a community college and local university. He liked The Warren Alpert Medical School for its “welcoming and student-centric educational environment” and the diverse backgrounds of its students. “It is the most stimulating group of educators, students, and professionals I have ever been a part of,” he adds.

Now in his second year, David volunteers with the Teddy Bear Clinic, visiting Providence elementary schools to teach kids healthy habits and what it’s like to go to the doctor’s office. Proficient in Arabic, he’s the leader of the Introduction to Medical Arabic preclinical elective. He continues to serve in the Navy Reserve as a lieutenant.

And he’s still skiing, in addition to other outdoor sports like mountain biking, in his free time—a luxury he believes he might not have elsewhere. “Brown respects and tries more than other programs to value and account for [students’ free time],” David says.