Mentors

School: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Graduated: 2014
Residency/Fellowship: UND General Surgery
Specialty: General Surgery

Location: Hettinger, North Dakota, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Overseas Missions, Literature Evangelism, Giving health-related evangelistic talks
Medical Ministry Bio: My work for Christ is my primary profession before my job as a physician. God made my work in healthcare possible and meaningful despite personal challenges and failures throughout my training. I’ve been blessed to have this work as a means to demonstrate the love of Jesus to others. I may not be able to address all my patients physical needs, but each encounter is a divine appointment and opportunity to lead each patient to trust and depend on the Great Physician.

School: LLUSD
Graduated: 2009

Specialty: General Dentistry

Location: GRASS VALLEY, California, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Community Outreach/Free Clinics in the US, Giving health-related evangelistic talks
Medical Ministry Bio: As a Seventh-day Adventist, I believe it is my responsibility to do more than treat physical symptoms. I am passionate about relating to my patients as individuals and caring for them in a Christlike manner. I look for opportunities, when appropriate, to engage in religious conversations with patients and staff. I enjoy leading Bible studies with staff, partnering with our local church’s health ministry program, as well as volunteer at local free dental clinic opportunities.

School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Graduated: 1991
Residency/Fellowship: Ophthalmology residency/ glaucoma fellowship
Specialty: ophthalmology
Position/Employer: Cataract and LASIK surgeon and glaucoma specialist
Location: CHEHALIS, Washington, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Overseas Missions, Community Outreach/Free Clinics in the US, Literature Evangelism
Medical Ministry Bio: Ophthalmology is a great platform for me to witness to my patients. I am fortunate to work at a Christian eye surgery practice (www.pcli.com) where we routinely pray with our patients prior to their surgeries. I’m always looking for opportunities to witness to patients and co-workers and I would love to discuss with medical students how they could be a positive influence to their classmates and surrounding community. I am also happy to discuss my own struggles during medical school to encourage those who may be struggling. If anyone is interested in ophthalmology, I’m happy to talk with him/her. It’s a great specialty – especially for mission work all around the world. It’s nice to provide sight to those who can’t see but an even greater joy to provide spiritual insight to help them come closer to their Creator.

School: University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Center School of Optometry
Graduated: 1997

Specialty: Optometry
Position/Employer: Owner – East View Eye Care
Location: Greeneville, Tennessee, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Overseas Missions, Community Outreach/Free Clinics in the US, Literature Evangelism, Giving health-related evangelistic talks
Medical Ministry Bio: Dr. Emde has a passion for medical mission work and has traveled to Costa Rica, Peru, Mongolia, Moldova, and Kenya providing free eye care and glasses to those in need. He has also participated in free AMEN, Your Best Pathway to Health, and Remote Area Medical/Dental/Vision clinics over the past two decades.

School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Graduated: 2014
Residency/Fellowship: Natividad Medical Center Family Medicine
Specialty: Family Medicine
Position/Employer: Attending Physician/ County of Monterey
Location: Salinas, California, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Literature Evangelism, Giving health-related evangelistic talks
Medical Ministry Bio: I currently work in a family medicine group practice and being a family medicine physician has allowed me to form relationships with patients over the long term and be able to witness to them about the love of Jesus. I have had the opportunity to pray with patients or share literature and websites such as Life and Health and Amazing Facts to lead them into more truth as it is found in Jesus. Over these past few years my relationship with my colleagues has allowed for witnessing opportunities and also when there have been trials in their lives they know that I pray and have asked for prayer.
My spiritual vision for my practice of medicine is that every person that I come into contact with at the office, whether it be a patient or staff with come into a deeper relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

School: Loma Linda University
Graduated: 1986
Residency/Fellowship: LLU Orthopedics
Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery
Position/Employer: Self Employed
Location: Mount Shasta, California, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Overseas Missions, Community Outreach/Free Clinics in the US, Literature Evangelism
Medical Ministry Bio: AMEN is a catalyst to further facilitate the bringing together of the everlasting gospel of Revelation 14:6-12 and the Adventist health message. I firmly believe that medical missionary evangelism will open hearts in preparation for and in conjunction with the outpouring of God’s Spirit in the final days of earth’s history.
I engage every patient to see if spirituality is important to them and pray with those who appreciate that. I have literature available in all my exam rooms. I have overseen development and implementation of AMEN free clinics. I have also done several short term mission trips and collaborated with international physicians in research and ministry. I am an adjunct faculty member of Loma Linda University and have agreement with our health system for medical students to have elective rotations.

School: Loma Linda University Medical School
Graduated: 1994
Residency/Fellowship: Internal medicine and Cardiology
Specialty: Cardiovascular disease
Position/Employer: Kettering Health
Location: Centerville, Ohio, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Overseas Missions, Community Outreach/Free Clinics in the US, Literature Evangelism, Giving health-related evangelistic talks
Medical Ministry Bio: The best way to find meaning in our jobs is to make it about the most important thing-Jesus Christ. This is also the antidote to burnout in our profession. I love praying with patients, talking about religion with them, doing Bible studies with them, leading office prayer with the staff, passing out literature, and basically caring for others and trying to provide whole person care. I try to role model this to the staff, medical residents, and cardiology fellows I work with.

School: Loma Linda University School of Dentistry
Graduated: 2021

Specialty: General Dentistry

Location: Loma Linda, California, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Literature Evangelism, Giving health-related evangelistic talks
Medical Ministry Bio: I have learned that there is so much joy and God-given purpose in sharing about Christ not only to my patients but also to my co-workers, whether it be through offering prayer, engaging in spiritual conversations during lunch breaks, intentionally listening to their stories and encouraging them, or providing literature. Medical ministry does not have to seem difficult as I once thought; it is the simple day-to-day conversations that God can use to reveal Himself and glorify His Name. When we take the time to form personal relationships with our patients and co-workers and share God’s love and the gospel with them, I believe our work becomes deeply meaningful.

School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Graduated: 2015
Residency/Fellowship: Internal Medicine
Specialty: Global Health and Tropical Disease; Lifestyle Medicine
Position/Employer: Adventist Health International: Kendu Adventist Hospital
Location: Kendu Bay, Homa Bay County, Kenya
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Overseas Missions, Literature Evangelism, Giving health-related evangelistic talks
Medical Ministry Bio: I am currently a missionary physician serving in rural western Kenya. I believe that medical ministry work will be the catalyst to usher Christ’s second coming, and that it provides an especially effective and valuable means for winning souls. In my hospital and outpatient practice, I strive to incorporate a Christ centered approach to patient care through prayer, spiritual counseling and bible studies. I am particularly interested in spiritual mentorship, medical education, and lifestyle medicine.

School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Graduated: 2023
Residency/Fellowship: Riverside Community Hospital/Baylor Scott and White Temple
Specialty: Dermatology
Position/Employer: Resident
Location: Loma Linda, California, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Overseas Missions
Medical Ministry Bio: My passion for medical ministry comes from my belief that healing is not only physical but also spiritual. As a student missionary in Peru, I experienced the impact that medical care combined with spiritual care can have in blessing both the patient and clinician and building community. Beginning in my clinical rotations as a medical student, I made a commitment to offer prayer to as many patients as possible, and was surprised at the number of patients who appreciated and invited prayer. Prayer broke down barriers, softened hearts, and dispelled fears. I hope to continue to grow in learning to bring whole person and spiritual care to my patients in residency and during my future career.

School: Loma Linda University School of Dentistry
Graduated: 2021
Residency/Fellowship: Orthodontics
Specialty: Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
Position/Employer: Orthodontics Resident at LLUSD
Location: Loma Linda, California, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Overseas Missions
Medical Ministry Bio: I believe the best way to minister to people is to follow Jesus’ example. Scripture shows us that Jesus did not just preach the gospel to people but he showed them how much he loved and cared for them, intentionally spent quality time with them, ministered to their needs, healed the sick, and gained their trust. After He had met their needs, then He would ask them to follow Him. I think as health care providers we have the same opportunity to address our patients’ needs, show them we deeply care for them, gain their confidence, and invite them to meet the ultimate Healer Jesus.

In orthodontics, I work mostly with kids and teens, and this has opened up so many opportunities to form long lasting personal relationships with them. Through these relationships, I have learned that there is so much joy and meaning to work when we seek to share Christ with others. Sharing Christ to others can simply be listening to a kid talk about their school, inviting a coworker to church, taking the time to thank a staff worker, or praying with a patient’s mom who has been having a rough week. My daily prayer is for God to show me how I can reflect His character to not only my patients but my coworkers and anyone I come into contact with.

School: Loma Linda SOM
Graduated: 2006
Residency/Fellowship: General Surgery, Colorectal Surgery
Specialty: General Surgery, Colorectal Surgery
Position/Employer: University Surgical Associates, University of TN
Location: Hixson, Tennessee, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Giving health-related evangelistic talks
Medical Ministry Bio: I grew up in Greeneville, TN to physician parents who instilled a love for all things medical. I completed my BS in music at SAU in 2002, MD degree at LLU in 2006, and then completed a surgery residency at UC Davis in Sacramento, CA, finishing in 2012. I them moved back to TN, completing a Colon and Rectal Surgery fellowship at UTC in 2013, and now am an Asst Professor of Surgery at UTC.

During my time in Loma Linda, I was very involved in health outreach. With my wife (who deserves most of the credit), we starting the first medical student-led lifestyle change program, eventually leading to the formation of a new residency, the “Lifestyle Medicine Residency” at LLU. During my time in Sacramento, I continued lecturing on lifestyle to area churches and clubs and was privileged to found Western Youth Conference, a subsidiary of GYC. My current interests include surgical education, church planting, and spending time with wife Rachel, and kids Amy (10), and Michael (8).

I enjoy praying with patients before surgery, studying the Bible with my office staff, and involving all church members in health evangelism. I need the inspiration provided by involvement with AMEN to constantly learn new ways that I can more effectively reach out to my patients and community.

School: Loma Linda University School of Dentistry
Graduated: 1985

Specialty: General Dentistry
Position/Employer: Owner Dentist/Private Practice
Location: McDonald, Tennessee, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Overseas Missions, Community Outreach/Free Clinics in the US, Literature Evangelism, Giving health-related evangelistic talks
Medical Ministry Bio: Having experienced the saving grace of Christ in my own life, I desire to share His love with those I serve in my dental practice. As a dental professional, we have the privilege of reaching people for the Lord that a preacher in the pulpit never could. Because of that, I see every patient encounter as an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Through active listening, prayers offered, gospel filled literature, and appropriate invitations for evangelistic efforts, we are able to participate with the Lord in bringing truth and hope to our patients.

School: Loma Linda University
Graduated: 2017
Residency/Fellowship: General Surgery
Specialty: General Surgery/Surgical Critical Care/Trauma
Position/Employer: Surgical faculty/waiting for LLU, Malamulo
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Overseas Missions
Medical Ministry Bio: I became interested in medical missions while pursuing a different major; I realized my love for science had a unique role to play in directly addressing the suffering of people. After changing to pre-med, I worked as a project director in Ethiopia for a year; while there, I saw firsthand the challenges and rewards of boots on the ground medical missions. My interest in surgery was only strengthened by its broad applicability to low resource settings as well as the surgeon shortage.

As a way to facilitate working abroad, I joined the Deferred mission appointee (DMA) program with the Global Health Institute out of Loma Linda University. The plan is to work internationally for 5 years at Malamulo Adventist Hospital in Malawi when the visas come through. My wife is also in the DMA program. She is an infectious diseases attending at the University of Utah until our visas arrive.

I am currently a general surgery senior resident at the University of Utah. I would be happy to talk to anybody about any step of the process. Mentoring has been a key part of my strategy in residency to connect with others and it has in turn rejuvenated me through many dark days.

School: UT
Graduated: 1986
Residency/Fellowship: N/A
Specialty: General Dentistry
Position/Employer: Dentist, Perry Family Dental Care
Location: Antrim, New Hampshire, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Community Outreach/Free Clinics in the US
Medical Ministry Bio: As Seventh-day Adventists, we have been given so much knowledge about God, The Great Controversy, Health, and Lifestyle. With this knowledge comes the responsibility to share it; to become teachers. The medical and dental fields allow us to be near people at their most vulnerable times. For some people, going to the dentist is one of the hardest life events they experience. It becomes a unique opportunity for a healthcare provider to relieve a patient’s stress and pain, and to build a relationship with them. I believe that when we pray for opportunities to share Christ, God sends people to us. And if we keep this in mind during our working day, we see and we hear the opportunities. We can bring comfort, compassion, a quick Bible Study, a prayer. Over time, the purpose of your work days incorporates a higher purpose. We have so little control of events in this world, but we have total control of our actions, our attitude, and our time. When you can stop and give someone comfort when they are hurting emotionally or physically, it will make a lasting impression on them. God can use those moments to open a heart to His message.

School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Graduated: 2005
Residency/Fellowship: Emergency Medicine
Specialty: Emergency Medicine & Lifestyle Medicine
Position/Employer: Medical Director – Uchee Pines Institute / Health Ministries Director – Gulf States Conference of SDA
Location: Seale, Alabama, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Overseas Missions, Community Outreach/Free Clinics in the US, Giving health-related evangelistic talks
Medical Ministry Bio: Born and raised in the Seventh-day Adventist church, I always had an interest in healthcare, but I was also interested in being a pastor. So, I decided to be a doctor that preaches. After a crisis and conversion when I was 30, I began to take up that work. Our family’s life and lifestyle changed. We went to the mission field (Trinidad & Tobago) for 2 1/2 years and served there. And while we were there, I gained a passion for health evangelism and health outreach. Subsequently, we moved to Uchee Pines Institute to learn how to use lifestyle and natural remedies in the treatment of disease. It was while at Uchee Pines that I really learned how to care for the spiritual needs of my patients and begin to lead them to a life in Christ. I regularly have the experience of leading someone to Christ and to freedom from the bondage they are in, and I would not change this experience for anything. I pray with every patient, use the gospel as the basis of their treatment, and have time to spend with them to deal with their personal issues. And I love teaching others about doing the same. At Uchee Pines, I teach the Biblical Counseling class, where we learn how to address the spiritual needs of the patients.

School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Graduated: 1989
Residency/Fellowship: Peripheral vascular diseases
Specialty: Interventional Cardiology
Position/Employer: Medical Director of the Heart and Vascular Service Line at Kettering Health Network
Location: Dayton, Ohio, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Giving health-related evangelistic talks
Medical Ministry Bio: Dr. Schwartz struggled for years with the nagging conviction that medicine should be more than a job. He longed to make his medical work a healing ministry. His association with AMEN has helped him to integrate Christian spirituality into his practice in a more intentional and natural way. It brings him great joy to share with his patients the message that has so touched his heart.

School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Graduated: 2014
Residency/Fellowship: Internal Medicine / Hematology/Oncology, Mayo Clinic, MN and National Cancer Institute, MD
Specialty: Medical Oncology
Position/Employer: Loma Linda University Health
Location: Loma Linda, California, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Overseas Missions, Literature Evangelism, Giving health-related evangelistic talks
Medical Ministry Bio: I believe that the highest calling in medicine is to reach people for the Lord, and I believe the practice of medicine should serve as an entering wedge to introduce people to Christ. I work in oncology because it gives me access to patients who are keenly aware of their mortality. Even people with no religious background start asking spiritual questions when they receive a cancer diagnosis, and being a medical oncologist gives me the privilege of joining them on this journey.

I find that when you work with terminal illnesses, there are tremendous opportunities for witnessing and seeing the Holy Spirit work in people’s lives. I am passionate about engaging patients in spiritual dialogue, praying with them, and ultimately sharing Christ with them. The way that I incorporate spiritual care into my practice is to prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to give me divine appointments throughout my day and to follow His leading. This keeps clinic very exciting, and it is the best safeguard against burnout and cynicism that I can think of. I find that engaging patients in spiritual dialogue and offering prayer is a very respectful and winsome way of sharing my faith, and my focus is to better hone this skill every day so that I can more effectively discern the spiritual problems that undergird the physical ones in peoples’ lives.

My vision for my practice of medicine is to use it as a ministry to help those with limited time to find hope and healing (if not physically then spiritually) during a time that could otherwise be devastating to themselves and their families. I want to leverage all of my time, talents, and energies to point people to the Master Physician who alone can make them whole. I also want to use my experience to help inspire the next generation of physicians to unlock their full potential by dedicating their careers to God.

School: University of Pennsylvania
Graduated: 2007
Residency/Fellowship: Oral Medicine
Specialty: Oral Medicine
Position/Employer: Self – General Dentistry and Oral Medicine
Location: Ooltewah, Tennessee , United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Community Outreach/Free Clinics in the US, Literature Evangelism, Giving health-related evangelistic talks, Health programs, TV health content
Medical Ministry Bio: I am passionate about medical ministry as it is what God has laid on my life and heart to do and be. Currently, I give wholistic treatment advice and to patients as well as literature a site pertains to total health. I pray with and for patients as well as refer to colleagues for lifestyle change and wellness as needed.

School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Graduated: 1982
Residency/Fellowship: Family Medicine Kaiser Fontana 1982-1985
Specialty: Family Medicine
Position/Employer: Medical Director of Feather River Tribal Health
Location: Oroville, California, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Overseas Missions
Medical Ministry Bio: Dr. Skau ministers with a non-denominational organization, ‘Hearts Being Healed’, which presents one-day seminars for women seeking God’s healing in their lives. Melinda co-leads a women’s Bible study called “Treasures Out of Trauma”.

School: Loma Linda
Graduated: 1982
Residency/Fellowship: General Surgery -Loma Linda
Specialty: General Surgery
Position/Employer: Chairman, Department of Surgery, Oroville Hospital
Location: Oroville, California, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Overseas Missions, Community Outreach/Free Clinics in the US
Medical Ministry Bio: I grew up in an overseas mission family, and have a passion for international service. Our family served for 10 years in Nigeria, and have done a number of short term mission trips to Mexico, Fiji, Kenya, Ethiopia, and at home free clinics in Oakland, San Francisco, San Antonio, and our current home town of Oroville, CA.

As an opportunity to talk with patients about spiritual matters I wear spiritual themed ties, and seek other ways in my patient contacts to open spiritual conversations, frequently praying with patients, but also still growing in this spiritual journey.

School: Loma Linda University
Graduated: 2015
Residency/Fellowship: Reading Hospital Tower Health
Specialty: OBGYN
Position/Employer: Bronson Methodist Hospital
Location: Portland, Michigan, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Overseas Missions, Giving health-related evangelistic talks, Lifestyle change in pregnancy and peri-op
Medical Ministry Bio: I practiced OBGYN for 2.5 years at the Guam SDA clinic and very much enjoyed incorporating the spiritual through literature, prayer, and conversation as well as lifestyle change – particularly in pregnancy and before surgery to optimize outcomes. I currently work part time as an OBGYN hospitalist and volunteer part time to help combine the work of the church and a local SDA lifestyle medicine clinic. I especially love working one on one with patients to help them make lifestyle change and come to know Jesus. I also love working with students and residents. I really enjoyed taking third year OBGYN residents from Loma Linda on a global health rotation in Malawi.

School: Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Graduated: 2004

Specialty: General Surgery
Position/Employer: Private Practice
Location: Grass Valley, California, United States
Medical Ministry Experience: Praying with Patients, Witnessing and/or giving Bible studies to Colleagues/Patients, Overseas Missions, Community Outreach/Free Clinics in the US, Literature Evangelism, Giving health-related evangelistic talks
Medical Ministry Bio: Medical Ministry is the right arm of the Gospel. I use my influence and partnership with patients to open up conversations to spiritual things. When contemplating surgery many patients appreciate the incorporation of the spiritual, especially prayer. I use this opportunity to talk about how God heals, how He cares, and how He will be by their side no matter what. I often share literature with them and have had Bible studies in the past with a patient which led to baptism.