Samuel Perry is a long way from his hometown of Ida, Michigan.
The 25 year old graduated from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a degree in biomedical sciences, and is now in his third year of medical school at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.
The school has a partnership with Clarendon Memorial Hospital, which has taken about 12 students annually for the last three years to train in rotations with the hospital's physicians and staff. Perry is one of eight students "matriculating" at the hospital this year.
"I hope to get a good experience in my first clinical rotation here," Perry said. "I think it will just be good hands-on experience. We've been in the classroom for most of the last two years, and now we will be able to apply that knowledge in the real world."
Perry has been living in Sumter for about two weeks.
"I like it; it's a nice area," he said. "Compared to home, it's quite humid. But all of us have been living in the Spartanburg area for the past two years, so I'm kind of used to it. But it's even more humid here. But it's closer to the beach, so that's a thumbs up!"
Perry said he hasn't made up his mind on which medical field he'd like to practice in, but he's leaning toward emergency medicine.
"I was raised in a family with a doctor who worked in emergency medicine, my stepdad," he said. "So it's in the family."
Perry said he wants to be a "positive impact on this and my home community."
"My ultimate goal is, really, just to have a good stable job for my family," Perry said.
Perry didn't make the trip to Sumter alone: He moved here with his fiancee, Alisha Marz.
"It's our first time living together, but it's going smoothly so far," he said. "She's currently working at finishing school and looking for a job. We're looking forward to our time in the area."
