Angela Baerg – Collegedale, Tennessee … Jack Ramos, a member of Campion Seventh-day Adventist Church in Loveland, Colorado, and sophomore biology major at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee, has wanted to be a physician since first grade when he browsed anatomy textbooks for fun.

“I was fascinated with science topics, and my teacher used to call me Doctor Jack,” he remembers.

Ramos discovered a passion for overseas mission work in 2024 when the Campion Church and Campion Academy collaborated on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, where he helped to build an elementary school. The experience was so positive that he signed up to go with the same group to Belize to help build and install new windows for an orphanage in 2025.

When it was time to choose a college, Ramos was undecided, but his pastor recommended Southern Adventist University because of its vibrant spiritual life. He had also heard good things about the biology program, so he packed his bags and drove across the country.

He worked hard during his freshman year, and as it came to a close, he got a chance to combine two of his favorite things: medicine and mission work. Ramos was excited to go to Peru with Southern’s Evangelistic Resource Center (ERC). The ERC program trains and sends volunteer evangelists all around the world to share the good news of salvation, reflecting Southern’s emphasis on combining professional preparation with service and evangelism. During their first week in Peru, the volunteers set up a medical clinic.

“I helped with procedures, took people’s vitals, ran registration, and took lab samples,” he says. “I remember watching doctors remove cysts and tumors. The people were so happy and grateful to get the medical help that they had needed for so long.”

The second week’s focus was on evangelism, and the students had to preach the sermons. At first, Jack was nervous.

“I had never preached a full sermon before. Fortunately, I had taken public speaking during my first semester at Southern, and that really helped,” he says. “After the first two sermons, I started to get into the flow.”

Ramos preached on topics including the state of the dead, the significance of Christ’s death on the cross, and the depth of Jesus’ love. Sharing those messages was a rewarding experience, and he loved getting to connect with the appreciative church members. They still keep in touch through a WhatsApp group chat, sending each other pictures and encouraging one other through Bible verses.

“I will be doing another trip to the Dominican Republic with the ERC this fall,” Ramos says. “This trip made me realize there is so much more to medicine than private practice. After I become a doctor, I want to continue serving through medical missions.”

—Angela Baerg is a Southern Adventist University alumna and a freelance writer for Southern Adventist University’s Columns Magazine. Photo supplied.