Reservist & Resident Now Air Force Captain

CONCORD, N.C., March 29, 2007 - In a special ceremony held on Wednesday, Victor Vargas, MD was commissioned as a captain in the United States Air Force. In attendance, besides his proud son, parents and numerous family members, were a majority of the doctor's fellow residents in training.

Raising his right hand, Dr. Vargas swore in the company of the attending witnesses to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Lieutenant Colonel T.C. Moore administered the official officer's oath after traveling from Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina for the occasion. Dr. Vargas' parents each pinned a set of his new captain's bars on the shoulders of his suit at the conclusion of the ceremony.  

By doing so, Dr. Vargas became the first medical resident in the 11-year history of the Cabarrus Family Medicine Residency Program to be commissioned as a military officer during residency. Currently enrolled as a first-year resident, Dr. Vargas will graduate from the program in June of 2009 and enter officer training school the following month.

Mark Robinson, MD, a family physician who serves as director of the residency program, was in attendance at the ceremony. "It takes a very special individual to join the military during a time of war," said Dr. Robinson. "Dr. Vargas will make an excellent officer.   His work as an Air Force family physician will benefit countless servicemen and servicewomen who have chosen to serve their country.    I'm very proud of what he has accomplished to date and look forward to hearing many good things about him in the future."   

Dr. Victor Vargas graduated from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton where, as an undergraduate, he majored in Biology and Premed. Prior to enrolling in medical school, he was a Hospital Corpsman in the United States Navy Reserve and received a humanitarian award for his role in assisting victims impacted by Hurricane Andrew. He attended medical school at the American University of the Caribbean in St. Maarten and joined the residency program at NEMC last summer. Fluent in Spanish, Dr. Vargas is assigned to the Kannapolis office of Cabarrus Family Medicine during his residency training.