There was never a moment that Jeremiah Dallmer did not think about going into medicine.
Now, the 21-year-old Loyola Marymount University biology grad is on the way to realizing his dream of becoming a physician – he starts medical school at Vanderbilt University in July.
From LMU’s 2016 graduating class, Jeremiah was selected to receive the Presidential Citation Award given to students who distinguish themselves not only within the classroom but also through their service and leadership within the greater community. With a 3.99 GPA (he received one B+ as a freshman) Jeremiah was first in Biology. And he has served the community by volunteering throughout his time at LMU (and since high school) in nursing homes.
“Every summer, I’d shadow a doctor,” he said, adding: “I really found a lot of value in doing service there. There’s a huge prevalence of loneliness among the residents, but all you need to do to make a difference is go talk to them.”
Jeremiah hasn’t decided whether to specialize in geriatrics or another field. He’ll wait until medical school and residency to make that decision. An internship this past summer at Ventura County Medical Center gave him invaluable experience shadowing physicians of various specialties.
“Meeting all these doctors and seeing the work they do,” he said, “I was able to gain the confidence that I am really pursuing my dream.”
Jeremiah also had the opportunity to help with a research project at the hospital to evaluate to evaluate the consistency of prenatal care and documentation. He’ll present a poster on the research at a symposium in May at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine.
After graduation, he was looking forward to spending time with his family, especially his twin brothers who will enter eighth grade in the fall.
Jeremiah feels honored for the award he received and grateful for the complete LMU experience:
“It really comes down to community,” Jeremiah said. “Here the teachers take a personal interest in you. I had so many opportunities here that contributed to me becoming a well-rounded person, and I think that’s contributed to my success in applying for medical school.”
