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Alumni Spotlight: Class of 2008, Part 3 of 3

Alumni Spotlight: Class of 2008

Part 3 of 3

Now it’s the women’s turn. Our final piece on the classes of ’08 and ’09 features three grads making significant contributions to the medical field, two as doctors, one as a researcher. On this fiftieth anniversary of our first-class containing young women, it is fitting that we celebrate the outstanding work of this trio of alums, who have gone from making Northwood a better school to making a significant difference in their specialties. - Stephen Reed, Director of Alumni Relations

Emily Roy

What undergraduate college did you attend, and what was your year of graduation?

St. Lawrence University 2012

What medical/dental/graduate school did you attend, and what was your year of graduation?

Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, 2015

What is your medical/dental/research specialty?

Physical therapy, sports medicine

At what point did you decide to pursue your career and why?

After going to PT for a back injury while at Northwood, I first became interested, and then with more trips to Pt for other injuries and observing in PT clinics, I affirmed my interest in it as a career.

Did any experiences at Northwood contribute to that decision?

As above, my back injury.

In what ways, if any, did your experiences as an athlete contribute to your current success and/or approach to your work?

My experiences as an athlete have been instrumental in my success in Sports medicine. It has allowed me to relate to my patients as they are navigating their injury as an athlete. I also understand the mentality of athletes and the need to weigh various risks and rewards of participation in their sport prior to being fully recovered from an injury. My exposure to a wide variety of sports has also helped me think about the biomechanics and physical demands of the many sports my patients participate in.

I also had some good PT and some that were not the best. The ineffective PT has motivated me to give my best to patients and ensure they are getting the treatment they need from other members of the health care team or me.

What was the most challenging element in the pursuit of your career goals?

PT school was, of course, very challenging as expected. School is also very expensive, and compared to some other healthcare fields, the starting salary for PTs is lower, making me wonder if I made the best decision.

What have been the most satisfying aspects of your practice thus far?

The most satisfying part of my career is seeing my patients get back to the activities they love without pain or limitation. It is particularly satisfying when I see a patient with an ongoing injury and perhaps seen other providers without relief. I can create a successful treatment plan. One area I specialize in is a sports-related concussion, and there is a lot of information surrounding concussions now. Some of this information is not always the best despite it being well-intentioned. Being able to help take a patient from being symptomatic and anxious about their concussion to being back playing their sport is the best part of my job.

What advice do you have for Northwood students considering a career in medicine?

Think about what you want your day-to-day to look like, how much interaction do you want with patients. Do you want to spend an hour with them, or do you want to see them briefly? Do you want to make decisions about your patient's treatment, or do you want to follow someone else's orders? Once you decide these aspects, find which career fits that best, and don't let the years of school, the cost, or the other barriers stop you from doing what you really want to do.


Kristen Jakubowski

What undergraduate college did you attend, and what was your year of graduation?

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Class of 2013

What medical/dental/graduate school did you attend, and what was your year of graduation?

Northwestern University – expected graduation 2022

What is your medical/dental/research specialty?

Neural Engineering and Rehabilitation – For my dissertation, I am studying how age-dependent musculotendon changes impact mobility and balance control in older adults.

At what point did you decide to pursue your career and why?

My love of science started young. I have always been interested in how the human body works in the realms of both sport science and rehabilitation. While in college, I took a class that focused on how muscles drive human movement, and I was hooked. Since that class, I have known that I wanted to pursue muscle research and develop tools to restore function following neuromuscular injury or disease.

Did any experiences at Northwood contribute to that decision?

My time at Northwood definitely shaped the path I took in college and how I ended up where I am now. While at Northwood, I took various science classes with both Mrs. Walker and Mr. Roy. They continued to curate my fascination with science, building a passion for understanding the physics of how things work and the biology of the human body. By pursuing a career in neural and rehabilitation engineering, I can perfectly combine these two—using physics and engineering principles to understand how the human body works.

In what ways, if any, did your experiences as an athlete contribute to your current success and/or approach to your work?

I attribute most (if not all) of my success in graduate school to being a student-athlete. While a student-athlete at Northwood, I quickly learned time-management skills that have been invaluable throughout my academic journey. It also taught me how to overcome adversity and challenges. In research, things don't go the way you think they should more often than they do. The ability to face these challenges, knowing that I have the skills to overcome them, is invaluable.

What was the most challenging element in the pursuit of your career goals?

During my junior year of college, I suffered an athletic career-ending concussion. While recovering from the concussion, I needed to take an extended time away from school and classes. With the support of my friends, family, and wife, I have been able to traverse the mental and physical struggles of this injury and return to academia.

What have been the most satisfying aspects of your practice thus far?

One of the most rewarding aspects is developing research questions to help improve people's lives.

What advice do you have for Northwood students considering a career in medicine?

Don't be afraid not to know precisely what you want "to be when you grow up," use the wonderful resources Northwood offers to explore different passions. Don't be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. Seek out a mentor, whether it's an older student or a faculty member.


Kathryn Pawlak

What undergraduate college did you attend, and what was your year of graduation?

Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Class of 2013

What medical/dental/graduate school did you attend, and what was your year of graduation?

University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Class of 2019

What is your medical/dental/research specialty?

Pediatric Dentistry

At what point did you decide to pursue your career and why?

My career choice was something that I dreamed about since childhood. My family member, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, introduced me to the field at a young age. With my passion for the biological sciences, working with my hands, and communicating with people, dentistry was the perfect fit for me.

While at Hobart William Smith Colleges, I met my pediatric dentistry mentor, who opened my eyes to the specialty of Pediatric Dentistry. Together we went on an oral health education mission trip to the Dominican Republic to provide oral health education to children and their families in a remote village. Upon returning, I decided to continue this effort through college and dental school, which is how Planet Smilez was founded.  Planet Smilez is an oral health education non-profit that focuses on education for children to foster healthy lifestyles through the promotion of optimum oral and systemic health.

My grandfather was held captive as a prisoner of war during WWII and lacked oral healthcare access during his captivity. As a result, he had poor oral health for the rest of his life. This family story was a catalyst for me to continue my efforts with Planet Smilez and work with children who can benefit from oral health at a young age.

As I completed my dental school education, I realized pediatric dentistry was my calling.  Specifically, pediatric dentistry was appealing to me. It allowed me to work with children and communicate with their parents about their children's best individualized prevention and treatment strategies.

Did any experiences at Northwood contribute to that decision?

I became more interested in biology and the Spanish language during my time at Northwood. The basic sciences taught at Northwood helped me in my science foundation for undergraduate and dental school. The Spanish courses that I took during my time at Northwood prepared me to enhance my diverse communication skills in other languages that would contribute to providing patient care to different cultures. During college, I built upon my Spanish language foundation from Northwood by studying abroad in Seville, Spain. This allowed me to communicate with dental patients during dental school, residency, and currently my everyday practice.

In what ways, if any, did your experiences as an athlete contribute to your current success and/or approach to your work?

Time management between skiing and academics was a valuable lesson that I learned at Northwood. This important skill set was perfected as I continued in my undergraduate and graduate education.

What was the most challenging element in the pursuit of your career goals?

The volume of examinations during an academic year was a challenging element in pursuing my career in the beginning. During my first year of dental school, we had just under 70 exams. To succeed, this meant that sacrifices with my family and friends were made. What helped me overcome this obstacle was to go back to the basics learned during my time at Northwood, which is time management. I always reminded myself that I needed to be efficient with everything that I did, and the only way to succeed is to keep moving forward with the end goal in sight.

What have been the most satisfying aspects of your practice thus far?

During my pediatric dentistry residency training (2-year specialty training after four years of dental school) was an opportunity to provide 24-hour emergency care to pediatric dental emergencies at a Level 1 Trauma Center and for in-patients undergoing long-term medical care.  The most satisfying aspect of my practice thus far has been to provide comfort to these patients in the emergency room after having suffered dental trauma or during their long-term hospital stay for those requiring a dental consult. The interpersonal connection and the ability to provide care to these patients have been an honor. I have had the privilege of connecting with these children and their families personally and gaining their trust to render the treatment needed during a unique time in their lives.

What advice do you have for Northwood students considering a career in medicine?

  • Explore different medical and dental specialties by shadowing during college so that you can make an informed decision about your chosen career path.
  • Reach out to your alumni network and seek mentorship for your desired career choice.
  • Be open to opportunities available to you that can enhance your professional resume.
  • It is a long road to reach the goal, so be sure to stay focused and use your time efficiently.