Dave Little

I was enrolled in an intense academic program at a state university. Living in the dorm, I observed that there were three different types of people on Sunday mornings. Some were in the library at the crack of dawn. Some were sleeping late after a Saturday night of partying. A few were headed to church to worship God. That showed me the lifestyle decision I needed to make: would I set aside my childhood faith in pursuit of academic excellence? Would I indulge in the party scene and leave my faith behind? Or would I sacrifice library time and forego the partying to make my faith my first priority? I quickly realized that I needed to make my own decisions about my Christian faith- both on an intellectual level, and as a personal commitment to how I would live my life. At this stage in my college experience, God put two people into my life. One was Tom, an older Christian living in the dorm. He hosted a 'nighttime prayer' session in his dorm room every night- the perfect ending to my busy days. Tom's example of living his faith in a secular campus culture was a great inspiration! The other person God put into my life was Josh McDowell. His explanation of the rational basis for the Christian faith was exactly the message my inquiring mind needed. Through Tom and Josh, God had given me everything I needed- intellectually and personally- to commit my life fully to Him. Next came medical school. The work load was overwhelming. I hit a point of burnout and loneliness. In retrospect, I recognized that one of the unmet needs which drove my spiritual dry spell was the absence of a Christian mentor in my life. God gave me a vision to pursue a teaching career to train aspiring young physicians and serve as a spiritual leader in their lives. After completing my training, I joined the faculty of Wright State University School of Medicine. I was fortunate to serve alongside another Christian physician, Bruce. Together, we led the student chapter of the Christian Medical and Dental Association. Bruce taught me the value of praying for students, even before they were admitted to medical school. We encouraged each other through the challenges of practicing medicine, teaching, and mentoring medical students, as iron sharpens iron. After 19 years in medical education, God opened the door for me to pursue my passion for computers in medicine at Epic, an Electronic Health Record company. I work with software developers to help them understand how doctors work and think. I am engaged on a daily basis with young people getting started in the software industry. My years of working with smart young medical students have served me well in working with smart young computer professionals. The influence in my life of mentors like Tom, Josh, and Bruce were great blessings from God. It is my prayer that God will work in the lives of faculty and students on campuses around the world to inspire a vision for Christian mentoring.