When Ethan and Grant Calhoun ’21 headed to medical school after Berry College, they left behind a reputation built on more than good grades. As mentors in the pre-health program, they guided younger peers seeking careers in healthcare. Also lab assistants and mechanics in the campus auto shop, the identical twins embodied the well-rounded, compassionate character Berry instills in its graduates.
Following Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Spartanburg, South Carolina, they relocated to Chattanooga for internal medicine residencies at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center at Erlanger. They’re excited to be close to Berry, a place instrumental to their success.
The physicians say sharing this much schooling wasn’t the plan, but they enjoy having a built-in study and lab partner for life. Their combined education paths have led to joint research projects and debates over case reports as they push each other to investigate and problem-solve. The Grants say collaborating has doubled their exposure to new concepts and learning opportunities.
The twins find the diverse range of their medical work extremely fulfilling. Each day, they meet new people and do their best to make a difference in their patients’ health and well-being, whether conditions are chronic or acute.
Looking ahead, both plan to pursue cardiology fellowships. This specialty would continue to integrate complex problem-solving with strong patient relationships.
Outside the hospital, the brothers still chase adventures together. They’re always exploring, recently adding mountain biking to their hobbies and hoping to visit Berry’s Reservoir trail soon.
“We had so many great experiences at Berry,” says Ethan. “The approachability and accessibility of the faculty and staff make it easy to have meaningful conversations about interesting topics, research opportunities and future goals. We also loved Berry's Lifeworks program and the auto shop. It taught us practical, lifelong skills and remains one of our favorite parts of our time at Berry.”
