Bridging the gap between medicine and outer space
Medical student, scholarship recipient seeks to advance human spaceflight through healthcare
Brandon Adams
June 15, 2026 — Brandon Adams’ interests in physics, computer science and engineering led him to the University of Florida, where he earned his bachelor’s degree and interned at NASA for a semester.
But during a second internship at NASA, he saw the connection between physics and healthcare and a clear path to aerospace medicine. Meaningful conversations with astronauts gave him a glimpse at how doctors, known as flight surgeons, oversee health across every mission phase, from preflight screening to postflight rehabilitation.
“These doctors who work with astronauts do research, consult with engineers and figure out how the human body interacts with space environments,” Adams said.
After working toward a future as a NASA engineer, he turned down a job offer and instead committed to eight years of medical training.
Today, Adams is one of seven first-year medical students at the UF College of Medicine who received the McGurn Medical Scholarship.
It was his connection to physics that led him to pursue a career in aerospace medicine, a specialized branch of occupational medicine focused on the health, safety and performance of pilots, astronauts and aircrew. These physicians monitor how outer space affects an astronaut’s body — such as weakened bones caused by lack of gravity and concerns from heightened space radiation — and consult on spacesuit and spacecraft designs.
At UF, Adams has the unique opportunity to connect with people who are also interested in this niche field through the UF Department of Emergency Medicine’s division of space medicine.
The Adams family at Brandon's graduation.
“It sounded like my dream job,” Adams said. “It solidified that I could really go into medicine while combining physics, putting it all in the context of one person and working toward something meaningful.”
The division is a growing multidisciplinary collaboration of physicians, scientists and engineers at the UF Astraeus Space Institute. By leveraging their combined experiences in operating in extreme and international rigorous environments, they seek to help shape the next chapter of human exploration and civilization.
For Adams, receiving the McGurn Medical Scholarship as a medical student shifted his outlook for the future. It paved a clear path for him to attend UF and gave him the freedom to pursue a specialty he was passionate about without the financial pressure.
“Knowing someone invested in me specifically — I want to carry that kindness with me,” Adams said. “I want them to know I’ll remember this, do my best and pay it forward.”
As he continues working toward his goal of being a space medicine physician, Adams does his best every day for the people who believed in him — his family, friends and mentor, UF Health neurosurgery resident David Mampre, M.D. — and hopes to be the kind of physician who works well with others and earns patients’ trust.
“My dream is to play a role, however small or large, in advancing human spaceflight from the medicine side,” he said.
About the McGurn Medical Scholarship
When Linda McGurn weighed her options in pursuing higher education, a scholarship made all the difference in her decision. She was offered a full-ride scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she began her undergraduate studies in 1970.
Today, she and her husband, Ken, are making that same difference in the lives of future Gator M.D.s at the UF College of Medicine through the McGurn Medical Scholarship.
“We’re trying to help students not have so much pressure,” Linda said. “They have so much pressure already in their classes, so this is our effort to help them get through. We believe in helping folks, and we’re delighted we’re able to do so.”
Launched in 2025, the McGurn scholarship supports seven first-year medical students, including two who earned full-ride scholarships for the duration of their medical education.
Ultimately, the McGurns hope their scholarship makes the students’ education easier and helps UF attract the most talented medical students who may be considering other schools based on financial need.
