Alumni Spotlight: Class of 2008
A few weeks ago, it occurred to me that a nice follow-up to the articles we have posted about siblings and their accomplishments might be exploring other types of connections among our alumni. I thought of three teammates (Richie LaVeau, Matt Firman, and Zac Fulton) from our Junior Hockey squad in 2008, who have since become doctors. When I talked to Richie about the project, he reminded me that another player from that year (Preston Dekker) had become an oral maxillofacial surgeon and was doing a first-year residency with him in Illinois. That led to learning that yet another player that year (dentist Min Kim) had considered for a residency at the same hospital but wound up in New Jersey.
During these conversations, I heard much praise for the work of Mrs. Walker and other faculty. When I passed this on to our AP Biology instructor, Jill Walker, she was A- delighted, and B- eager to point out to me that her classes in 2008 that year contained three women (Emily Roy, Kathryn Pawlak, and Baye Drury) currently physicians and one (Kristin Jacubowski) a biomedical researcher about to earn her Ph.D. Hoping to keep these articles to less than novel-length, I decided to turn it into a three-part series that will begin today with the paths of Richie, Matt, and Zac.
It has been great fun catching up with them and intriguing to hear their stories and know that their coaches, teachers, and general experience contributed to their choices and accomplishments. Northwood takes great pride in their achievements and, in particular, their work throughout the trials of the pandemic.
-Stephen “Reno” Reed
Rich LaVeau
What undergraduate college did you attend, and what was your year of graduation?
Clarkson University Class of 2012
What medical/dental/graduate school did you attend and what was your year of graduation?
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2019
What is your medical/dental/research specialty?
The University of Illinois at Chicago Emergency Medicine Residency Class of 2022
At what point did you decide to pursue your career and why?
At Clarkson, I graduated with a degree in business but was always interested in science/medicine as I had family in related fields. Graduation, also and unfortunately, marked the end of my hockey career but gave me the opportunity to pursue other passions, and I ultimately completed all of my pre-medical prerequisite courses, the MCAT, and applied for medical school.
Did any experiences at Northwood contribute to that decision?
Zac Fulton and Preston Dekker directly influenced me to pursue medical school and Matt Firman to pursue emergency medicine, so indirectly but very directly-yes. Northwood provided me with academic confidence as I moved on to undergrad.
In what ways, if any, did your experiences as an athlete contribute to your current success and/or approach to your work?
Growing up, I took academics seriously only because I didn’t want to be at a disadvantage in finding the right hockey team. The dedication towards hockey indirectly spilled over to the rest of my life, and as Reno told me during my Northwood career- “The way you do anything is the way you do everything.”
What was the most challenging element in the pursuit of your career goals?
The time commitment and the initial intimidation factor to take the first step. Turning from “student-athlete” to student was initially a bit weird for me.
What have been the most satisfying aspects of your practice thus far?
Meaningful work, the sense of accomplishment, moving up the ranks from medical school to residency and now being close to completing residency.
What advice do you have for Northwood students considering a career in medicine?
Don’t be afraid to work hard on your academics and athletics simultaneously. Keep an open mind, keep your options open, and do it with purpose regardless of what you do. Find a mentor, and don’t be afraid to reach out to those who have done it.
Matt Firman
What undergraduate college did you attend and what was your year of graduation?
Colgate University class of ‘12
What medical/dental/graduate school did you attend and what was your year of graduation?
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine – Erie Campus class of ‘18
What is your medical/dental/research specialty?
Emergency Medicine
University at Buffalo Residency class of ‘21
At what point did you decide to pursue your career and why?
I have always wanted to become a physician since I was a kid. I completed my pre-med classes at Colgate University to keep the door open. Still, I stepped away from academics for a few years after undergrad to chase my dream of playing professional hockey.
I played two years of hockey in the ECHL in Fort Wayne, IN, and Kalamazoo, MI. After the 2013-2014 season, I was accepted into medical school and decided to start my medical career.
Did any experiences at Northwood contribute to that decision?
I became quite interested in math and science at Northwood. My teachers (Mr. Roy, Ms. Walker, and Mr. Loud, to name only a few) were all fantastic. The academic environment at Northwood gave me the confidence that I could succeed in medical school.
In what ways, if any, did your experiences as an athlete contribute to your current success and/or approach to your work?
As an athlete at Northwood, I learned how to manage my time very efficiently. In retrospect, balancing a competitive hockey schedule with multiple AP classes and a social life was no small task. I was learning how to get my work done before a road trip was a skill that required a lot of fine-tuning. Also, I was not fond of mandatory nightly study hall (at the time), but it ultimately shaped my study habits and became ingrained into my routine. After graduating from Northwood, those skills carried over into both College and Medical school.
What was the most challenging element in the pursuit of your career goals?
Residency training (3-year specialty training after four years of medical school) was a challenging obstacle involving long hours and limited time for family and friends. I recently completed three years of Emergency Medicine training and graduated in June of 2021. I am now an attending Emergency Physician in the Finger Lakes region in Central NY.
What have been the most satisfying aspects of your practice thus far?
I get immense satisfaction with the human connection that I am privileged to experience daily. As an Emergency Physician, I see people on the worst day of their life. No one plans to come to the Emergency Department to see me. I have the privilege of connecting with these people, gaining their trust, and diagnosing/treating their disease in a very limited period of time.
What advice do you have for Northwood students considering a career in medicine?
Form good habits while you’re young. Learn how to use your time efficiently so that you can compete, study, and socialize in a balanced way. The structure of your day-to-day life at Northwood will undoubtedly give you a strong foundation to succeed. After you graduate, you will have no problem applying these habits toward a career in medicine.
Zac Fulton
What undergraduate college did you attend and what was your year of graduation?
Norwich University, 2014
What medical/dental/graduate school did you attend and what was your year of graduation?
Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2019
What is your medical/dental/research specialty?
Orthopedic Surgery
At what point did you decide to pursue your career and why?
My medical “spark” was ignited at a young age because I had multiple surgeries as a young kid. Still, I ultimately chose to pursue medicine/surgery the summer before my freshman year of college. I read two books called Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs and Hot Lights, Cold Steel by Dr. Michael Collins. I felt a real connection with his personality, his career, and it matched my sense of duty to take care of people that are either sick or injured.
Did any experiences at Northwood contribute to that decision?
No specific experience contributed to my decision-making, but the Northwood environment cultivates young adults to pursue fulfilling professions.
In what ways, if any, did your experiences as an athlete contribute to your current success and/or approach to your work?
As an athlete at Northwood, you learn the basics needed to be successful. You know to build relationships, time management, structure, discipline, and goal setting. There are friends, teachers, and role models everywhere that push you to be the best. As an orthopedic surgery resident, I spend over 100 hours per week in the hospital. I get up at 2 AM some mornings for work, spend sleepless nights taking care of patients, all while managing a home life with a wife, two children, and two dogs. I still manage to go to the gym and maintain relationships with friends. I can do this because time management was taught to me at Northwood: managing school work, playing demanding sports like crew and hockey, daily workouts, and spending time with friends.
What was the most challenging element in the pursuit of your career goals?
Midway through medical school, I was struck by a car while waiting at a bus stop. This resulted in several broken bones requiring surgery, blood transfusions, and an inability to walk independently for nearly six months. If it weren’t for my wife, family, and closest friends (some of which I went to Northwood with), I wouldn’t have been able to overcome this physical and mental hurdle to complete medical school on time and ultimately enter one of the most difficult and demanding surgical specialties.
What have been the most satisfying aspects of your practice thus far?
For me, taking care of orthopedic trauma patients each day is the most satisfying part of my practice. I understand what many of these patients are going through and can empathize with them since I was once in their position. Giving a patient who endured a major injury the ability to walk again with minimal pain is very gratifying.
What advice do you have for Northwood students considering a career in medicine?
Know exactly what you’re getting into before pursuing a medical career. It is not for the faint of heart, and you will have to make many sacrifices along the way: time with your family, friends, sleep. If you can grasp the concept of delayed gratification, it’s not as difficult making these sacrifices.
The success of one person is based on the people they surround themself with. No one can do this on their own, so build relationships, surround yourself with people who make you better, and people who will hold you accountable to make the difficult/right choices.