3 minute read
Dr. Jason Campbell
As seen on Good Morning America, Fox News, VICE, Womans Day, and countless other media outlets, Jason ‘TikTok Doc’ Campbell is making headlines and breaking barriers, all while battling COVID-19 at the Oregon Health & Sciences University. If there was a doctor to unite us it is him, and the time is now.
JACK: You have an incredible story to share. But before we get there, let’s start right here. Today, you are on the frontline. What can youtell us about your experience thus far.
JASON ‘TIKTOK DOC’ CAMPBELL
RESIDENT PHYSICIAN @ OHSUPORTLAND, OR
JASON: Being on the frontline of COVID has been certainly something unique and different that I know many of us will look backon in years and think back to. It’s been tough. It’s been special. It’s shown how together we are stronger. It's shown everyonehow fragile life is and can be. I'm very blessed and fortunate that here in Oregon, and in Portland specifically, we've kept ournumbers low with staying at home with isolation, washing hands, social distancing, and all the things that our governor and ourhealth officials have been preaching. So, to my Oregonians, I’m proud of you. I am very blessed and happy to serve as a physicianduring COVID-19.
JACK: Jason, you have became an instant hero and mentor for so many. For those who don’t know where your story began, would youmind bringing everyone up to speed?
JASON: I originated from Washington DC in Northwest DC to two loving parents and my younger sister. My mother was the firstAfrican American female PhD epidemiologist in the country. My father was the first in his family (the only) to go to college andis now a lawyer. Growing up in that house was incredibly special because my parents were always there for me. My sister hasalways been loving. My parents came to all my sporting events, my dance events, my band concerts and everything and anythinga kid could ask for. It was once said, "Jason, you have the parents that every kid deserves."
I matriculated down to Emory University in Atlanta Georgia where I was a student athlete. I was a pre-medical student first anda track and field athlete second. I ran the 800 meters and the 4 by 400 meter relay, where I was able to garner All-Americanaccolades. After Emory I spent a year doing City Year, an AmeriCorps program that is near and dear to my heart. I made a lot ofgreat friends and dealt with a lot of challenges based on students that had never received the external motivation that theydeserved - the external motivation that I had taken for granted. To work with them, to show them that they can do it and thatthey can achieve even more than they had ever believed was special. So, I spent a year of my life dedicated to them.
JASON: (continued) After that year I then went into a master's program in Physiology at Georgetown University and GeorgeMason University, prior to applying to medical school where I ended up matriculating an attending The Ohio State UniversityCollege of Medicine. The story there is that I was actually waitlisted. I was one of the first off the waitlist, but I interviewed inJanuary of 2014 and didn't find out till May of 2014. So, patience is truly a virtue. If you want something, sometimes you do haveto wait for it. I ended up leaving The Ohio State University College of Medicine as a student body president and made lifelongmentors and friends during that time. That then led me to Oregon Health and Science University where I am currently a secondyearresident in the department of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine. I have wonderful co-residents CRNA colleaguesand attending or staff anesthesiologist that I get to learn from and work with on the daily.
All this has led to my TikTok dances. If you know me, you know I'm always upbeat. I'm optimistic. The glass is always full in someway. It led me to start these dances to connect with the youth, especially the African American youth, to make change - tochange the face of medicine in decades to come. Subsequently, the COVID-19 outbreak occurred, and we were able to utilizethese dances for two reasons - to connect to the youth and to show people that self isolation can still be fun. A foot shake is anokay way to greet someone; laughter and a smile is another form of medicine.
