Jerusha Bosarge

PASCAGOULA NATIVE MAKES MISSISSIPPI HISTORY
By Jerusha L. Bosarge

JACKSON -- Pride beamed from the faces of his family, as they sat in the green coliseum bleachers anxiously awaiting his name to be called. “Dr. Joseph Richard Bosarge,” announced Dan Jones, Dean of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. The voice was answered by thundering applause. It was a special day for the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and a triumphant one for Pascagoula native Joseph Bosarge, better known locally as “Joey”. On May 28, Joey became the first person ever to graduate from the University with both a Doctor of Medicine degree (M.D.) and a Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D.) for his work in the Microbiology department.
“The program prepares physician scientists in a unique way for contributions in science and medicine beyond what those with a PhD or MD alone can ordinarily accomplish,” Dr. Jones explains. “Joey Bosarge is a fitting first graduate of this program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He is an intellectually gifted professional poised to make a difference in the world.”
Joey’s educational journey began right here in Pascagoula. Like so many great minds before him, Joey was truly Pascagoula born and bred. He attended Arlington Elementary and Colmer Jr. High, before graduating from the old Pascagoula High School in 1991. From there, he completed a year of undergraduate training at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College while working part-time at Halter-Marine. Joey eventually transferred to Mississippi State University, but that did not stop him from coming home frequently. In fact, it was during one of his visits back to the coast that he began dating his future wife, Jerusha Longmire, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. A. W. (Jack) Longmire, now of Silver Spring, Maryland. In the summer of 1994, Joey married and joined the U.S. Army Reserve, and later transferred his service to the National Guard Reserve. For the next six years, his education was sporadic.
“After that first year at Mississippi State, I didn’t know if we would ever get Joey through college,” admits his father, Phil Bosarge.
But, “get through” it he did… and then some. In 1997, Joey received a B.S. in biochemistry from Mississippi State University. Still not sure what he wanted to do with his life, however, he requested an interview with the head of the Biochemistry Department at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. “Dr. Clem,” he said, “I have no idea what I want to study, but I know I want to stay in school.” Dr. Clem guided Joey to the Microbiology Department and Dr. Larry S. McDaniel, who eventually became a beloved mentor to Joey over the next seven years, as he studied DNA vaccines under his guidance.
Yet, sometime during his studies, Joey realized that there was still more he wanted to learn. By 1999, Joey completed his first year of medical school. “The first year of medical school is somewhat of a shock to most people, because you have to adjust to a completely different way of learning then in undergraduate school. The volume of what you have to remember is so much greater and more detailed. It was even tougher for me, because I was still doing research and the National Guard. There were times that I had guard drill on the weekends, and then I would have a test when I got back.” Joey was the non-commissioned officer in charge of all the medics in his unit, so there was no time to study during his military training.
Joey’s educational journey was further complicated by a confusing financial situation. Upon acceptance to the medical program, the school initially cut the stipend he was getting for his graduate work. At that time, medical students were not allowed to be paid a stipend.
“I just don’t think the financial aid department knew what to do with me. We survived with our ability to acquire a lot of student loan debt. The whole financial aid situation was chaotic, but eventually, in my last three years, they established the Wallace Conerly Scholarship, which paid for my tuition and allowed me to get a graduate student stipend while in medical school.”
In August 2000, Joey became the father of a beautiful baby girl, Jordan, who loves to tell anyone who will listen that she is now three years old. He took that year off from medical school to concentrate on his graduate studies and his family. Over the next three years, Joey managed: to publish papers and abstracts in many professional scientific journals including Infection and Immunology and the Journal of Long-Term Effects of Medical Implants, to complete his graduate studies, to complete all of his medical school requirements, and to father another beautiful baby girl, Abigail, who is now 18 months old .
In addition to his necessary school work, Joey also spent free time contributing to a new branch of medical research in the UMC surgery department, using techniques he learned during his graduate studies. The research involved the use of plasmid-based gene therapy for wound healing.
As you can probably imagine, Joey’s Pascagoula family is very proud of his accomplishments. Their pride is probably the most sincerely expressed by his father, Phil Bosarge. “What he’s done is quite an accomplishment. There are no words. Proud just doesn’t describe how I feel.”
“When Joey sets his mind to do something, he just doesn’t stop until he does it,” adds his mother, Lorene. “He has always been that way, even in high school with his weightlifting.” Joey may still hold the National record for squatting 606 lbs. at age sixteen.
“We always new he could do something like this,” claims Joey’s sister Lori Miller, a pharmaceutical sales representative for MERCK. “He has worked so hard. But, sometimes we did wonder about the long path he took.”
His other sister Lisa Bergin, a Registered Nurse, is usually the first to tease her big brother, but refused to do so on this occasion. “I am just too proud of him for that.”
Joey’s grandparents, Ed and Mary Alice Richards, also longtime natives of Pascagoula, say that they, too, couldn’t be prouder. “We are so proud of him and his two sisters, following in my footsteps. I guess you could say I was the pioneer.” continues Mary Alice, a retired nurse.
Obviously, Joey has had a great deal of support and encouragement from the folks here in Pascagoula over the years. But, when asked who had the biggest impact on his educational endeavors, his answer was relatively simple, “My grandmothers. Maw Maw, my maternal grandmother, was an R.N. for many, many years.”
Joey continues, “and, growing up, there was always a family member, or a friend, or a person in the community that needed to be taken care of. “Big Mamma,” my paternal grandmother, was always the sole person taking care of those people. Just witnessing the care that she took in providing for these people in need was wonderful to watch...to see what a good feeling she got from caring for others.” Effie Bosarge, wife of the late J. R. Bosarge, now resides at her home in Creole, MS, where Joey spent much of his childhood wandering on 9 acres of land, chasing squirrels and climbing trees. Unfortunately, Mrs. Richards and Mrs. Bosarge were unable to attend the graduation.
So, where does a double doctor go for residency? For Joey, the educational journey will end on the white sand beaches of Jacksonville, Florida. “It was a great opportunity. It had a good balance of all the things that we wanted… training, research, and a wonderful place to live. Growing up on the water in Pascagoula is something I have missed since being away at college, and Jacksonville offered a chance to continue my education and to get back to the beach.” On March 18, 2004 Joey was delighted to learn that he landed one of only eight coveted internal medicine residency positions at the prestigious Mayo Clinic. “From there, I will probably do a subspecialty , but I am not sure what yet. It will probably be in either Oncology or Infectious Diseases. I’m just happy to finally have a real job!” And, he is certain that his family is, too. Joey and his family will depart for Florida on June 5.