Bill Zhang, M.D.: Hemphill-Gojer Award in Internal Medicine
At first intent on becoming an engineer, experience caring for a quadriplegic patient shifted Dr. Bill Zhang’s career course. While technology was important, he decided face-to-face compassionate care meant more. Now, with his background in biomedical engineering, he hopes to merge his interests as an internal medicine physician who can bring innovation to the clinical space.
What this award means: I am deeply honored and grateful to receive the Hemphill-Gojer Award. This recognition serves as a reminder of the kind of compassionate, empathetic physician I aspire to become.
Mentor comment: Bill’s commitment to excellence, self-motivation, and professionalism is reflected in his academic and extracurricular activities, including research that resulted in multiple publications and presentations, volunteerism with a hepatitis screening program, and service through student leadership roles. With his background in biomedical engineering, Bill’s ultimate goal is to be an innovator in biotech. However, he understands that patients need a human advocate, and views medicine as a way to connect patients with advanced technology. – Stephanie Brinker, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
Background and family: I was born and raised in Shenzhen, China, and moved to New Jersey at the age of 13, where I completed high school. My father works in IT, and my mother is an accountant. I have a younger brother in high school.
What led to your career path: I was an engineering major in college but discovered my passion for medicine when I volunteered to care for a quadriplegic patient. Despite being surrounded by cutting-edge technology, this patient’s greatest need was not a machine, but human connection – someone to talk to and share moments of laughter with. This experience made me realize that while technology is powerful, compassionate care is irreplaceable. I was inspired to pursue a career in medicine where I can combine my problem-solving skills with my passion for direct patient care.
College: I earned my undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University, studying biomedical engineering and applied mathematics. I conducted bench research and also worked as a teaching assistant for engineering classes. I was inducted into the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society.
½û·¬¶¯Âþ activities: I was part of a student-led group that provided free viral hepatitis screenings for underserved patient populations. I also conducted research on alcohol use patterns and alcohol-associated liver disease during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as explored novel neuromonitoring techniques in the ICU.
Surprising fact: I love stargazing and astrophotography! I was able to capture a picture of the Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet in October 2024 at White Rock Lake in Dallas.
Future plans: I will be completing my internal medicine residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital, with plans to possibly specialize in gastroenterology afterward. I hope to leverage my background in biomedical engineering to bring innovation into the clinical space. Ultimately, my goal is to become a physician who embodies compassion, clinical excellence, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
About the award: The award, presented to one or more top medical students in internal medicine, was established by Ross H. and Anne Seymour Hemphill in honor of their son and daughter-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Seymour Hemphill; their daughter and son-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Bernard Gojer; and Anne Hemphill’s parents, E. Clyde and Florine Allen Seymour. Drs. Hemphill and Gojer are both ½û·¬¶¯Âþ Medical School alumni.