State Surgeon, West Virginia Army National Guard
Emergency Department Physician, Jackson General Hospital
Photo by Tracy Toler.
By Samantha Cart
Steven Eshenaur knew without a doubt he would become a doctor, but he never imagined a medical career would lead him to a life of service as the state surgeon for the West Virginia Army National Guard (WVARNG).
“After graduating medical school and completing an internship in internal medicine, I served as the officer in charge of Branch Medical Clinic in Chinhae, Korea,” says Eshenaur. “It was a difficult assignment at an isolated outpost with a broad set of responsibilities. As a leader, it was instant immersion into the management of personnel, budgets and strategic planning, and I learned how to identify the strengths and weaknesses of individuals in order to assign tasks to best meet the mission.”
Since then, Eshenaur has served as an emergency physician, battalion surgeon, community paramedicine program leader and medical director at locations throughout the Mountain State and across the globe. As the current emergency physician at Jackson General Hospital and state surgeon for the WVARNG, he is constantly working to make the Mountain State—and the world—a better, safer place.
As the state surgeon, Eshenaur’s primary responsibility is to prepare West Virginia’s 4,100 Guard soldiers to be medically fit and ready to deploy worldwide when called upon—a job he takes very seriously.
“West Virginia is ranked number one in medical readiness compared to all other states and territories, meaning we have the highest percentage of our soldiers ready for deployment at any time,” he says.
Service envelops every part of Eshenaur’s life, and when he is not working with the Guard or at the hospital, he is giving his time and talent to organizations and causes he holds dear. “Giving back is leadership by example. It is insurance for our future generations,” he says.
Eshenaur has served as a local troop leader for the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and as a member of the BSA’s national Health & Safety Committee, which provides policy and oversight for BSA groups across the country, ensuring the safety and appropriate medical screenings for the organization’s 2.4 million members. He also served as the medical director of The Summit Bechtel Reserve in Fayetteville, which he considers the most rewarding and challenging volunteer position he has ever held.
“Serving in that position during the 2013 National Scout Jamboree was an immense challenge requiring a significant amount of dedication and planning, as a jamboree had never been held before in West Virginia,” he says. “Developing and implementing the motto of ‘right resource, right place, right time, every time’ to successfully deliver medical care to the 45,000 participants and visitors at the jamboree has been a highlight of my volunteer activities.”
As the medical director, he became highly involved in the philanthropy and vision of building the reserve’s wilderness medical center and worked with the organization to obtain commitments for its construction and sustainable operation.
Eshenaur was paramount in developing West Virginia’s community paramedicine program in coordination with the West Virginia Office of Emergency Services. This program allows mobile health providers and paramedics to provide in-home visitation, screenings and, in some cases, treatment to patients to prevent hospital re-admissions and unnecessary emergency room visits.
In addition, Eshenaur volunteered at the Mount Hope Volunteer Fire Department and as the medical director of Summit Emergency Medical Services and has also assisted the rural health initiative for medical students at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, his alma mater, by sponsoring events that introduce students to rural medicine, mass casualty response, opiate abuse and search and rescue.
Despite his many achievements both personally and professionally, Eshenaur, who has served three combat tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, considers serving his country the greatest thing he has ever done. “I am proud to serve our country, especially alongside those who have served our country in its greatest hour of need,” he says. “My career has never had more satisfaction than giving to those who are willing to give everything.”
1985 Earned the Boy Scouts rank of Eagle Scout
1988 Enlisted in the WV Army National Guard
1991 Served in Desert Storm
1992 Matriculated at the WV School of Osteopathic Medicine
1992 Commissioned into the Medical Corps of the U.S. Navy
1996 Graduated from WV School of Osteopathic Medicine
2001 Joined the emergency department staff at Jackson General Hospital
2004 Deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom
2008 Deployed to Afghanistan with 2/19th Special Force
2009 Appointed state surgeon of the WV Army National Guard
2010 Named medical director of The Summit Bechtel Reserv
2015 Assisted with development of the community paramedicine program
