Moving from adventure- and fitness-minded Colorado to Texas proved a bit of a culture shock for Dr. Joseph Campain, who has settled on a mission to help his patients make healthier lifestyle choices to prevent, treat, or control chronic health conditions. For him, internal medicine was the only decision for his career.

Joseph Campain, M.D.

What this award means: The Hemphill-Gojer Award is meaningful to me because it signifies that my choice to pursue internal medicine was correct. I can make the biggest impact on my patients’ lives as I am practicing the type of medicine that fits me best.

Mentor comment: What truly sets Joseph “Joey” Campain apart is his love for clinical medicine and his pursuit of exposure to complex cases. His commitment to working with patients is evident; Joey describes this to be the most rewarding aspect of medicine. He has worked to develop skills that make him a true triple threat in internal medicine – outstanding clinical skills, impressive communication skills and dedication to teaching, and passion for research. – Rachel Bonnema, M.D., Professor of Internal Medicine

Background and family: I grew up in Windsor, Colorado, with my three sisters, mom, dad, and many furry friends. My mom holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry and my dad is an emergency medicine physician. My family loves adventures; we are working to visit all of the national parks.

What led to your career path: After moving to Texas for my undergraduate degree, I observed how difficult it is for Dallas residents to live a healthy lifestyle due to the dense urban environment. This observation, coupled with my love of scientific learning, led to my desire to pursue health care, with a focus on prevention of chronic diseases.

College: I attended the University of Texas at Dallas as a Eugene McDermott Scholar and a member of the Honors College. I studied biochemistry while focusing my extracurricular time on student government, neuropathic pain research, and public policy advocacy. In my free time, I was a member of the Ultimate Frisbee team and helped lead the outdoor adventures club.

UTSW activities: First, I was involved with the Culinary Medicine Program and the Preventive and Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group, focusing on nutrition education. Second, I served as a peer tutor for many different pre-clerkship courses. And finally, I researched the mechanisms and consequences of heart failure and spent a year during medical school as a Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Fellow.

Surprising fact: I have little self-control when it comes to a good adventure story. Whether it’s a fantasy or sci-fi book, an action show on Netflix, or a story-based video game, I cannot stop until I finish the story. My favorite authors are Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, and Pierce Brown.

Future plans: I am pursuing internal medicine, with the goal of specializing in cardiology. I love the intersection of diet, exercise, and chronic disease and plan to blend each of my interests to help my patients prevent, treat, or control their chronic health conditions. However, I have always enjoyed the work of a hospitalist and might choose to avoid specialization and focus on general internal medicine.

About the award: The award, presented to one or more top medical students in internal medicine, was established by Ross H. and Anne Seymour Hemphill in honor of their son and daughter-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Seymour Hemphill; their daughter and son-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Bernard Gojer; and Anne Hemphill’s parents, E. Clyde and Florine Allen Seymour. Drs. Hemphill and Gojer are both UTSW Medical School alumni.