Joseph Campain, M.D.: Hemphill-Gojer Award in Internal Medicine
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.](/ctplus/stories/2024/assets/joseph-campain-400x600.jpg)
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.