Michael Auten, ISMMS '26

Biography

After graduating from West Point in 2016, Mike Auten traveled to Ukraine on a Fulbright fellowship focused on security studies. He then joined the Marine Corps as an officer, serving five “very fast-paced” years throughout the United States, Europe, and Africa. During his last tour of duty, while at a small base with a small emergency medical and trauma unit, he began to explore a career in medicine by shadowing the doctors and medics.

“This incredible team took care of the entire base, but they also treated the local security forces as well,” he says. “It was part of our mission and obligation to provide them with care, particularly if things went wrong.”

On witnessing emergency surgery on a remote military base: “It was a powerful introduction to the field of medicine and the rewards of helping and healing. That night completely changed my life.”

One night, a group of local security forces were traveling in a vehicle when they hit a roadside bomb.

“The whole medical team, from the front-line medics to the trauma surgeon, immediately sprang into action with a well-rehearsed plan,” he says. “When the patients arrived, they found that one had been badly hit in the calf, and I was able to observe an extremely intricate and challenging surgical procedure to repair a critical artery and save this patient’s life. The surgery endured for 12 hours, but afterward, I felt full of energy and clarity about what I wanted to do next. It was a powerful introduction to the field of medicine and the rewards of helping and healing. That night completely changed my life.”

A month later, he submitted his application to the Military Institutional Partnership Program at Icahn Mount Sinai.

“I wouldn’t be in medical school now if it wasn’t for the flexibility of the military pathway,” he says. “I am grateful for this program and for the very warm welcome we all received as veterans. We have experienced a huge feeling of belonging with fellow students and faculty and are thrilled to have the opportunity to go to medical school as part of this amazing community.”