Dietitian selected to attend medical school Published Nov. 30, 2010 By Steve Pivnick 81st Medical Group Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- First Lt. Justin Hyde, a dietitian with the 81st Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron nutritional medicine flight, has been selected to attend the University of Mississippi's School of Medicine in Jackson starting in August. He was accepted to the program after applying online in July using the American Medical College Application Service® website. AMCAS is a non-profit, centralized application processing service only available to applicants to the first year entering classes at participating U.S. medical schools. "I started preparing to apply in 2009 while I was deployed to Balad (Air Base, Iraq from July 2009-January 2010) and took the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test)," he said. The lieutenant earned a bachelor of science degree with majors in biology, physiology and nutrition from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-St. Paul, in 2007, while an enlisted member of the Minnesota Air National Guard. He received a direct active-duty commission in May 2007. He arrived at Keesler in June 2008 following completion of a one-year dietetic internship at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Lieutenant Hyde hopes to specialize in emergency medicine after completing medical school and residency. He plans to join the Air Force Reserves as a dietitian to maintain his association with the Air Force, performing his reserve duties while attending school. The lieutenant is both excited and relieved with his acceptance. "I'm excited to start school and relieved the selection process is over," he said. "It was a long and difficult effort to prepare for school. This is a major commitment of time and energy but all part of the process of lifelong learning." Lieutenant Hyde calls the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., area home. He and his wife Mari-Laure, who currently reside in Ocean Springs, plan to eventually return there.