Jonathan Swenson

Musculoskeletal Specialist

From Saba to Sports Medicine in Utah

In doing his research on medical schools, Jonathan Swenson reached out to graduates of all the top international schools. And what he heard led him to Saba University School of Medicine. Today he has his “dream job” as a doctor practicing musculoskeletal, spine, and sports medicine in Logan, Utah, and as a team physician for Utah State University.

Choosing a medical school takes dedicated research. You look at websites, download viewbooks and pore over catalogs. But nothing can compare to hearing directly from the people who have “been there, done that”—the graduates themselves. They know the school, the teachers and the campus. Even more important, they know what it takes to “move on up” and get their desired residency.

“I was overwhelmed by the positive response of the Saba graduates,” said Swenson. “Thirty to forty graduates responded to me, and all raved about their experience at Saba. It was incredibly impressive.”

Swenson came to medicine after working as an athletic trainer and that drove his focus toward the specialty of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. “I came to Saba knowing exactly what I wanted to do and that was to become a Physiatrist.”

Graduating in the class of 2008, he applauds his professors at Saba for not only preparing him for the USMLE Step 1 (he did very well), but also supporting his quest for his top residency choice: the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. From there he went on to secure a fellowship in Interventional Spine and Sports Medicine at OSS Health in York, PA, one of the most sought-after fellowships of its kind in the country.

Today he has what he calls his “dream job” practicing musculoskeletal, spine, and sports medicine in Logan, Utah, and as a team physician for Utah State University. For Swenson, medical school was a busy, almost frenetic time. He wasn’t just a student, but also a husband and father to his 2-year old son and infant daughter. Today, he remembers the experience fondly. “I just loved Saba…the experience on the island was one of the highlights of my life. I actually cried when I left.”