Globetrotter DO Continues Service After Military

Dr. James Wilson (DO Class of 2011) joined Sound Physicians in September as a Critical Care Physician at Northwest Community Hospital by NorthShore in Chicago.

He is a Fellow in the American College of Physicians, a Fellow in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine, and is Certified in Tropical Medicine through the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Dr. Tami Hendriksz (DO Class of 2006), Dean and Chief Academic Officer of the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Interim CAO of the University, remains in contact with Wilson.

“Dr. James Wilson has always been driven by a deep sense of service, both to his country and to those in need around the world,” Hendriksz says. “Even as a student at Touro University California, he demonstrated a remarkable dedication to leadership and excellence, traits that have clearly guided him throughout his distinguished military and medical career.”

“It’s inspiring to see how he has continued to apply the values of osteopathic medicine in his work, whether in the Navy or now as a critical care physician,” she says. “We’re incredibly proud to count Dr. Wilson among our alumni, and I have no doubt he will continue to make a profound impact wherever his journey takes him.”

Touro Set Stage for Career Success

Wilson credits his time at Touro University California for helping to develop the skills that have served him well throughout his career.

“As TUC was newer and undergoing transition of curriculum at my time of matriculation, I became active as class vice president and subsequently as vice president of admissions,” Wilson says. “This placed me in a position of being on the admissions committee and student government offices, with a faculty and staff open to suggestions and willing to make recommended changes, while allaying the concerns that perhaps we as students didn't see immediately.”

“This helped prepare me for overall hierarchical relationships and professional situations that many physicians find themselves thrust into administrative positions, or as an integral part of a larger health care system,” he says.

That was true during his military career – and beyond.

“The Navy certainly placed an emphasis on Physicians as Leaders, and my TUC experience helped me navigate into my department head roles with a framework on which to build,” Wilson says. “Not every student would have that experience, but I’ve found that the culture that presented that to me still exists at TUC as I've come back as a guest speaker and clinical adjunct faculty, and that openness provides for a better learning environment in a crucial step on the road to a professional physician life, at the bedside or otherwise.”

Service to Others via Osteopathic Medicine

Wilson prior to his tenure at Northwest Community Hospital served at Rush University Medical Center, first as an Infectious Diseases Fellow starting in June 2020, then as a Critical Care Fellow starting in June 2022. He served concurrently from June 2021 as an Instructor in the Advanced Trauma Training Program and as medical staff Hospitalist in the Hospital Medicine Department.

His previous experience includes time as a Clinical Adjunct Faculty member at TUC, and service as a Hospitalist at Franciscan Physician Network, while continuing as a part time Hospitalist in FPN and returning as Clinical Adjunct Faculty at Touro’s campus on Mare Island. He has served, and continues to serve, as an instructor for the Chicago Committee on Trauma for Advanced Trauma Life Support and Stop the Bleed.

Wilson’s career arc was built on what some may consider humble beginnings. He is from Savannah, Georgia, with a stint of his childhood on his grandparents’ peanut farm. During that time, he completed medical assistance trips to the Andes of Ecuador and the Australian Outback.

He served as an Emergency Room Technician and Emergency Medical Technician for nearly two years with Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare and a Kaplan Test Prep instructor for MCAT and LSAT prior to attending Touro University California. He attended Florida State University for his bachelor’s degree.

A Distinguished Military Career

Wilson served in the U.S. Navy for more than 10 years, traveling the globe in service to the nation and to assist those in need of care.

He was a reservist Ensign while obtaining his DO degree from Touro University California, then served as a DO Internal Medicine Intern at Naval Medical Center San Diego and Scripps Green, followed by an assignment as General Medical Officer for the Tricare Outpatient Clinic in Chula Vista.

Wilson went on to serve as a Student Naval Flight Surgeon in Pensacola, Florida. Subsequently, he served as a Flight Surgeon with the U.S. Marine Corps, garnering his Fleet Marine Force Qualified Officer qualification in Okinawa, Japan, with several detachments and a Humanitarian Aid-Disaster Relief mission department head. He attended the vaunted Military Tropical Medicine course and was sent to Peru for Dengue Fever research support and field tropical medicine experience.

Wilson returned to Japan to a Search and Rescue helicopter squadron and medical department head. He returned to Naval Medical Center San Diego as a Division Officer in the hospital Medical Evacuation Division prior to leaving active duty.

He received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal in January 2014.

Wilson after leaving the Navy completed his internal medicine residency through Midwestern University at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, Illinois, and went on to an ICU nocturnist position prior to attending Rush University Medical Center for the two fellowships.

Hendriksz says the University is proud of the medical professionals it educates for future military service.

“Providing medical education to those who choose to serve in the military is not only a way to equip them with the skills they need to save lives in challenging environments, but it's also a commitment to the broader values of service, leadership, and resilience,” Hendriksz says. “Military physicians are often on the front lines of both conflict and humanitarian efforts, and the training they receive is critical in ensuring they can meet the unique demands of these roles.

“At Touro University California, we are proud to support and prepare those who choose this path, knowing that their contributions will have a lasting impact on the health and well-being of people around the world,” she says.