When you think of a future physician, you might picture someone buried in textbooks, immersed in labs or shadowing in the operating room. But for Dami Adeshina, the path to medicine has also included fire engines, bunker gear and high-stakes emergency calls as a professional firefighter. 

Adeshina, a third-year medical student at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, is passionate about pursuing a career in neurological surgery — a field as demanding and precise as his former career. But his journey into medicine began much earlier, inspired by someone close to home. 

“As a kid, I would flip through my mother’s medical textbooks,” he said. “The illustrations were so vivid and detailed. I didn’t understand the content at the time, but something about the complexity of the human body captivated me.” His mother, a physician, modeled not only medical knowledge but also deep compassion. “Watching how she cared for others made me want to do the same — to make a difference in someone’s life.” 

That sense of purpose led Adeshina into firefighting, where he served with Loudoun County (VA) Fire and Rescue. “Leaving the fire service was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made,” he said. “But medicine was calling me. I knew I had to answer.” Even amid the demanding pace of medical school, he remains active with the Barboursville (WV) Volunteer Fire Department and lives by a motto from his fire recruit class: “100%, 100% of the time.” 

That same ethic fuels his work in the classroom and clinic. “Firefighting and medicine may seem different, but at their core, they’re the same,” he said. “You respond in someone’s worst moment, and you try to make it better.” Whether it’s helping rescue someone from a burning home or assisting with a delivery in the hospital, he views both roles as forms of service — and both deeply rewarding. 

Some of his most cherished experiences have come not from high-adrenaline calls but from the quiet camaraderie of his firehouse. “Seeing my colleagues volunteer with so much heart and passion reminds me why I love this kind of service,” he said. “It’s a privilege to be part of it.” 

When he’s not studying or on call, Adeshina finds release on the soccer field. “Soccer is more than just a game — it’s therapy,” he said. As captain of both the men’s and coed intramural teams at the School of Medicine, he has helped lead them to multiple championships. “It’s a great way to blow off steam and connect with classmates outside of school.”  

Whether he’s lacing up cleats, pulling on turnout gear or donning a white coat, Adeshina is driven by a simple truth: service is at the heart of everything he does. And no matter the uniform, his mission remains the same — to give 100%, 100% of the time. 

Date Posted: Friday, May 16, 2025