Title: Student Scholar, Volunteer Hopes to Become Military Physician

Freeman Condon (NHS’14), who will speak at the New Student Convocation Sunday as the winner of a prize for scholarship and service, hopes to become a military physician one day.

The human science major from Newburyport, Mass., is a member of the Hoya Battalion, Georgetown’s ROTC group, and serves as a tutor for the human biology course in the department of human science.

“The students laud his ability to explain the material in a manageable, organized way, helping them understand concepts and teaching them how to digest the heavier material,” said Nikki Elston, assistant director of student academic affairs for the School of Nursing & Health Studies and Condon’s advisor. “I’m so grateful he’s been willing to tutor for three years. He’s an invaluable asset.”

Scholarship and Service

Condon also spent two summers interning at the neonatal intensive care unit at Boston Children’s Hospital and the Brooke Army Medical Center’s emergency department at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.

He won the annual McTighe Prize, which each year goes to an outstanding undergraduate who demonstrates excellence in scholarship and service to Georgetown and its surrounding community.

The winner addresses incoming students at convocation, which takes place on Aug. 25 this year. Classes start on the following Wednesday.

Decision Point

“I came to this decision point of should I pursue medicine or should I pursue the military and I realized that those aren’t mutually exclusive,” said Condon of his early days at Georgetown.

He said wants to become a physician because of his continuing interest in helping other people.

The prize Condon won is named for the late Thomas P. McTighe, a professor of philosophy and World War II veteran who taught at Georgetown for more than 40 years.

Helping Wide-eyed Students

The senior says he learned through tutoring how to effectively teach concepts to groups of new students who have varied learning and studying styles while also putting them at ease.

“I remember as a freshman coming in and sort of being struck dumb at the difference in the coursework between high school and college,” he said. “It’s cool to be able to help those kids out because they come in with eyes the size of dinner plates after their first lecture and its fun to calm them down.”

After graduation, he hopes to enter medical school and then serve his Army commission as a doctor.

Deserving Soldiers

“When I think of a patient population that deserves really great physicians I think of soldiers … People who already sacrificed and really deserve to come back to great medical care.”

—Freeman Condon (NHS’14), McTighe Prize Winner

“When I think of a patient population that deserves really great physicians I think of soldiers,” he said. “People who already sacrificed and really deserve to come back to great medical care.”

Condon plans to tell students during convocation to enjoy their first year and not “wish away” the challenges that it will bring.

He also will encourage students to embrace Georgetown’s Jesuit heritage and show care and empathy for one another.

“They are extremely lucky to be where they are,” Condon said. “[New students] should take that gift [and] run with it.”