Drs. Sam Jeong and Daniel Walk: Class of 2016 Leadership Award

By Lin Lofley

It was a simple thing, the random assignment to Seldin College of a pair of first-year UT Southwestern Medical School students four years ago, but that pairing proved fortuitous for the Class of 2016.

Dr. Sam Jeong
Dr. Sam Jeong

When Dr. Daniel Walk and Dr. Sam Jeong first became acquainted, all they shared was the enthusiasm most MS1s bring with them to campus, and a desire to make a difference. That commitment to leadership, and a lot more hard work, carried them through four years.

Now, they share the 2016 Medical School Student Leadership Award. The recognition is made annually to the student officers of the graduating class, and it includes a $1,000 award.

“Sam and Dan have made very important contributions during their years of serving as co-Presidents of the Class of 2016,” said Wes Norred, Vice President for Student and Alumni Affairs. “Each is committed to a leadership style that favors inclusion and consensus building. That, coupled with a thoughtful and reflective approach to complex issues has earned them the respect of their class, their colleagues as well as the faculty and staff.” 

Dr. Walk said, “Neither of us have a special talent for organizing parties or service projects, but we both loved the chance to be ‘in the know’ and to represent our classmates’ questions and concerns to the faculty and administration. I’m thankful for my classmates’ trust and patience as we’ve tried to work for their interests these past four years.”

Dr. Daniel Walk
Dr. Daniel Walk

Dr. Walk, who majored in biomedical engineering at UT Austin, is a New Orleans native who will soon move to Boston to begin an emergency medicine residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, one of Harvard Medical School’s affiliated hospitals. While not an organizer, he has proven his leadership capabilities repeatedly since his high school years.

As senior class president at New Orleans’ Jesuit High School, he found a knack for coordinating service events. Later, as an at-large representative of the student body while at the UT Austin, he learned the lessons of leadership, empathy, judgment, and humility.

“That might have something to do with why I selected emergency medicine,” Dr. Walk said. “It offered limitless learning, flexible scheduling, and incredible responsibility for patient care.

“And it demands an ability to work at times under high pressure, coordinating the efforts of a multidisciplinary team, as well as mastery of a breadth of material from other specialties. I can’t think of a more fulfilling way to deploy my interest in medicine.”

While excited about what the future holds, he admitted that there’s something they can never leave behind.

“I’ll miss my colleagues most,” he said. “I’m ever-humbled by their passion and their diverse talents, and I’m incredibly thankful for their friendship.”