Background:

I am currently a 4th year medical student at MUSC in Charleston, SC. I was a “lifer” at HHCA, attending Kindergarten-High School! After graduating in '14, I attended USC in Columbia, SC where I majored in Exercise Science. In May, I will be receiving my medical doctorate and shortly after I will be starting my residency training at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in the field of ophthalmology. In Sept., I am marrying my fiancé Emily who is also in medical school in Kentucky and is planning on going into pediatrics.

How did your time at HHCA influence your career path?

I remember entering Mr. Collins' Honors Biology class. I had no idea that I was about to form a relationship with him that God would use to reveal my life’s purpose. Mr. Collins was the kind of teacher who pushed us to go beyond memorizing theories and forced us to dive into a true pursuit of knowledge. He offered Sunday afternoon coffee sessions at Starbucks to ensure we were well prepared for his exams. It was during some of these small group sessions that I learned Mr. Collins had completed 3 years of medical school before deciding his gift was teaching. He told me stories about his time in medicine and often pointed out that my aptitude in science would fit well with this career path. I continued to take AP Biology, Anatomy & Physiology with Mr. Collins, each one being more demanding than the last. God used his teaching and encouragement to prepare me for the difficult path of medicine. I was recently inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society and received the Gold Humanitarian Award for outstanding patient care. These achievements exemplify not only how Mr. Collins prepared me academically for medical school, but more importantly how he personally demonstrated to me to care for others. I have no doubt that I will be an excellent physician because I was taught by the man who God called to teach.

Mr. Collins was the kind of teacher who pushed us to go beyond memorizing theories and forced us to dive into a true pursuit of knowledge. He offered Sunday afternoon coffee sessions at Starbucks to ensure we were well prepared for his exams.

- Ben Likins (HHCA Alum)