From the Navy to the Lowcountry: Dr. Addison Wilson’s Lifelong Mission to Serve

The same dedication that heals a soldier’s injury can also restore a neighbor’s stride.

Dr. Addison Wilson, who earned his medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of the Health

Sciences (USU) in 2005, now applies the discipline and dedication from his military medical training to his

role as an orthopedic surgeon at Novant Health. (Photo courtesy of Novant Health)

Originally published November 5, 2025 by Carter Mello

When Dr. Addison Wilson Jr. earned his first aid merit badge as a young Boy Scout, he had no idea it would chart the course of his life.

“I really liked learning about treating health problems,” he recalled. That early spark would carry him through challenges far greater than he could have imagined, and ultimately to a lifelong mission of service through medicine.

In high school, Wilson was drawn to both the discipline and camaraderie of the military. “I was very impressed with the Naval Academy. The combination of athletics and academics made me want to join,” he said. But before that dream could take shape, life delivered a profound test.

At 17, Wilson was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. What could have been a devastating setback instead became a turning point. “Cancer can be a terrible diagnosis, but in my case, it changed my life for the better,” he said. “I experienced firsthand the impact doctors and nurses had in my life, and ever since then I’ve wanted to give back in a similar fashion, hoping to change others’ lives for the better.”

Once he was declared cancer-free in 1997, Wilson said he was determined to pay forward the care he had received. That determination carried him to the U.S. Naval Academy, where he majored in chemistry and fully embraced campus life, walking onto the baseball team as a freshman and later playing rugby for three years. He proudly served as one of the handlers of Bill the Goat, the academy’s mascot, during football games.

After graduating in 2001, Wilson pursued his medical career at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, completing medical school in 2005. His early Navy medical career took him both underwater and overseas. He served as a diving medical officer in Virginia Beach, Virginia, from 2007 to 2009, including a deployment to Iraq. From there, he pursued orthopedic surgery training in Portsmouth, Virginia — work that prepared him for the many ways he would support service members through injury, recovery and resilience.

After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy and the Uniformed Services University (USU) , Dr. Wilson

served in the Navy as a medical officer, including a deployment to Iraq and training in orthopedic surgery.

(Photo courtesy of Novant Health)

Early in his career, Wilson had the privilege of caring for military retirees, including World War II veterans whose stories left an indelible mark on him. “One patient in particular was a survivor of Pearl Harbor,” Wilson remembered. “Over time I saw fewer and fewer of them as they passed on. Time is precious, and I have a deep appreciation for those who came before me securing the freedom we have today. I think of that Pearl Harbor survivor and others like him often.”

In his later years of service, Wilson provided care to Marines and recruits at Parris Island in the Lowcountry. “I’ve been fortunate to take care of America’s best,” he says. “Most of my patients were young and healthy — 18 to 40 years old — and deeply motivated to recover and return to duty.” He retired from the military in May 2025 and joined Novant Health.

His military experience taught him lessons about teamwork and preparation that now guide his work as an orthopedic surgeon with Novant Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine - Beaufort. “Serving in the military showed me the importance of investing in people,” he says. “I was blessed to have so many amazing surgeons invest in me over the years. The Navy gave me incredible opportunities to learn, sending me to Boston to study joint replacement surgery and to Tampa to train under some of the best trauma surgeons in the world.”

Wilson brings that same mindset to his patients today. “Teamwork and clear communication are crucial for success,” he says, quoting a phrase he still carries from his military days: “Proper preparation prevents poor performance.”

While the pace of civilian medicine is different, his personal mission hasn’t changed: to help people recover, stay active and return to the lives they love. “I’m a strong believer in physical therapy before and after surgery to help maintain range of motion and strength,” Wilson says. “The Lowcountry is blessed with some of the best physical therapists anywhere I’ve ever lived.”

For Wilson and his family, putting down roots in Beaufort felt like coming home, in more ways than one. “Novant Health offered me the chance to remain in Beaufort. My family and I feel at home here,” he says. “My great-grandmother was born in Beaufort in the 1890s.”

When he’s not in the operating room, Wilson finds inspiration in his faith, family and travel. “My faith in Jesus Christ is what keeps me grounded. I’m a small piece in a much bigger puzzle,” he says. “Spending time with family and traveling helps me recharge. We were privileged to live in Italy for three years with the Navy, and we love learning languages and trying food all over the world.”

As Veterans Day approaches, Wilson’s story is a reminder that service takes many forms, and that the same dedication that heals a soldier’s injury can also restore a neighbor’s stride.

“I’ve had the privilege to serve my country and now to serve this community,” he says. “That’s what keeps me going: knowing I can make a difference, one patient at a time.”