Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

“I see our commonalities rather than our differences as the impetus for my work on inclusivity. We all have a body. We all have a story. When we seek medical help, we all want our bodies to feel safe and cared for, our stories heard and respected.”

Congratulations to Laura Freidhoff, MD, on receiving MSU's Inclusive Excellence Award.

Through innovative curriculum development, mentorship, and advocacy, Dr. Freidhoff has helped improve learning environments, advance equitable educational opportunities, and prepare future physicians to provide better care for all.

Congratulations to rising fourth-year student Matthew Foley on receiving the ASCO Clinical Oncology & Research Experience Award through the Conquer Cancer Foundation!

"When I was a freshman in high school, my grandpa was diagnosed with lung cancer and my grandma, a few months later, was diagnosed with leukemia. I was able to help care for them during their fight with cancer, which was where my initial spark for Oncology came from.

To accept the award, surrounded by 40,000+ people who share the same passion, has further cemented my decision to pursue a career in this field.”

A look back at some graduation day joy. 💚

Teresa K. Woodruff, PhD, has been elected to the Fellowship of The Royal Society, one of the most prestigious scientific honors in the world.

A pioneer in reproductive science and founder of the field of oncofertility, Woodruff’s work has transformed care for cancer patients and expanded what is possible for future families.

This extraordinary recognition places her among some of history’s most influential scientists, including Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein.

Claire Lupini-Gohl spent years imagining the kind of physician she wanted to become. She found her answer during a psychiatry clerkship.

“There is such a richness to the relationship that psychiatrists have with their patients,” she said. “They’re able to sit with them for long periods of time to discuss what is pressing on their life and what is impacting them on a day-to-day basis.”

For Claire, the specialty offered something she had been searching for since her days volunteering at a free clinic: the opportunity to truly know her patients and walk alongside them through life's challenges.

Now, she's headed to Michigan Medicine for a residency in Psychiatry.

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

As the first-born son of the chief of villages in Uga, Anambra, Nigeria, Frederick Ezenyilimba grew up watching what it means to serve a community.

During medical school, a pediatrics rotation helped him discover where that sense of service could make the greatest impact.

“To interact with the Black boys, girls, and families I provided care for was moving. There was a level of trust, respect, and inspiration I saw in those encounters that affirmed how important representation is,” he said.

Now, he's headed to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital for his pediatrics residency, the same place where his passion for the specialty first took shape.

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

From researching surgical disparities in rural Rwanda to caring for patients in Detroit, Surya Adams has spent much of her journey trying to understand how access to care shapes people’s lives.

That question became personal when her grandmother suffered a stroke, and Surya helped care for her alongside her mother. “I saw how dependent we all are on systems of care, and how much it matters when someone is present and compassionate,” she said.

At the College of Human Medicine, her perspective continued to grow. Through global and community-based experiences, she saw how geography, economics, and everyday realities like food access and transportation shape who receives care and who does not.

Now, she’s headed to Brigham and Women's Hospital for a general surgery residency and global surgery track focused on improving access and outcomes for patients worldwide.

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Dylan Bilicki always knew he wanted to serve in the Army. Inspired by his family’s history of military service, that sense of purpose shaped his goals from a young age. For a while, he wasn’t sure how medicine fit into that path.

Then, a severe concussion during a high school rugby game changed everything. Months of recovery and time spent with his care team sparked an interest in neuroscience and rehabilitation.

At the College of Human Medicine, those two paths finally came together. A rotation with a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation team confirmed it, giving him a way to combine his passion for neuroscience with his commitment to service.

Now, Dylan is headed to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after matching in PM&R, where he’ll care for and rehabilitate service members.

Paige Sims knew she wanted to pursue emergency medicine from a young age, drawn to the way physicians show up for people in life’s most critical moments.

As a first-generation student, she had to figure everything out as she went, with no blueprint to follow, just mentors and support along the way.

“What kept me grounded was purpose,” she said. “I stayed focused on finishing so I could give back and mentor those coming behind me. As a Black woman in medicine, where Black women make up roughly 2% of physicians, it also felt like a responsibility to keep going and contribute to changing those numbers through representation and service.”

Now, she’s headed to Henry Ford Health St. John Hospital for emergency medicine residency, guided by that same sense of purpose.

Luke Laconi grew up in a family where “La buona salute è la vera ricchezza per la vita,” meaning “good health is the true richness in life,” was more than a phrase. It was a way of living. From cooking meals together to staying active, and watching generations of his family live well into their 90s, he saw early on the power of prevention.

That perspective took shape during medical school, where he helped create the college’s first lifestyle medicine elective. At the Traverse City Campus, he also helped establish a hospital-based teaching kitchen curriculum at the Groundwork Center.

Those experiences reinforced his belief that medicine is not only about treating illness, but about helping people build healthier lives long before disease begins.

Now, Luke is continuing that work after matching in Internal Medicine at Dell Medical School - UT Austin.