CLASS OF 2026
KC Braaten, MD
Hometown: Minot, ND
Undergraduate Education: University of North Dakota
Medical School Education: University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Interests Within Medicine: LGBTQ Health, Medical Education, Ultrasound
Interests Outside of Medicine: Video/Board Games, Broadway Musicals, Horror Films/Books, and pretending I enjoy running.
If I Weren’t in Medicine, I’d be: Struggling in New York City as a waiter while being denied from every Broadway Musical Audition because I can’t dance.
Nicholas Pigg, MD
Hometown: Okemos, MI
Undergraduate Education: University of Michigan
Medical School Education: Michigan State College of Human Medicine
Interests Within Medicine: Critical care, ultrasound
Interests Outside of Medicine: Cooking, travel, bouldering
My Single Greatest Decision: Coming to Detroit Receiving for residency!
Kirsten Hughes, MD, MPH
Hometown: Topeka, KS
Undergraduate Education: Tulane University
Medical School Education: Tulane University School of Medicine
Interests Within Medicine: Social EM, Global EM, Healthcare Policy and Hospital Management
Interests Outside of Medicine: My dog Tchoupitoulas, other people’s dogs, cooking, eating, big board game nights with friends, starting new hobbies and not following up on them, and I’m finally getting back into reading for fun (bye, First Aid!)
My Greatest Fear Is: Drifting away in outer space…very avoidable, thankfully
Roxanne Ilagan, MD, MS
Hometown: Harper Woods, MI
Undergraduate Education: University of Michigan
Medical School Education: Wayne State University
Interests Within Medicine: Street Medicine, Ultrasound
Interests Outside of Medicine: Eating at restaurants and posting on my food instagram, afternoon napping with my dogs, playing the viola, watching Detroit and University of Michigan sports
Fun Fact About Me: I was an extra in Transformers 4 and still have not seen the movie
Dan Jian, MD
Hometown: Sterling Heights, Michigan
Undergraduate Education: Michigan State University
Medical School Education: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Interests Within Medicine: Critical Care
Interests Outside of Medicine: Powerlifting, Cooking, Hiking, Skiing
My Single Greatest Regret: Not buying bitcoin in 2010
Conrad Kovalcik, DO
Hometown: Warren, MI
Undergraduate Education: North Carolina Central University
Medical School Education: VCOM – Carolinas
Interests Within Medicine: I just love being in the ED, but I am considering a Sports Med fellowship.
Interests Outside of Medicine: Golfing, exercising, beer league softball, Eminem (a true Stan), Detroit sports, and Michigan football
Fun Fact About Me: I played one season of minor league baseball for the Birmingham Beavers in the United Shore Professional Baseball League after my college career (Jimmy John’s Field for the locals).
Payton McDonald, MD
Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, MI (Yooper)
Undergraduate & Medical School: Central Michigan University
Interests Within Medicine: Ultrasound, Rural Medicine, International Medicine
Interests Outside of Medicine: Hiking, Tent Camping, Weightlifting, Snorkeling, Traveling, Cooking, Disney
In My Past Life: I was born and raised in Tuscany, Italy. I spent my life traversing Europe curating an extensive knowledge of cooking, baking and growing produce and fresh herbs. A handwritten book of my recipes and notes has been handed down for generations.
Lillian Meierhoff, MD
Hometown: Duluth, MN
Undergraduate Education: University of Minnesota Duluth
Medical School Education: University of Minnesota
Interests Within Medicine: Legislative advocacy
Interests Outside of Medicine: Baking, making pickles, doing the NYT Crossword, and reading tarot.
In My Past Life I: was a witch (but not like, the evil kind, like the making potions, reading futures, and befriending woodland creatures kind)
Adam Muntaser, MD
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Undergraduate Education: Cleveland State University
Medical School Education: Northeast Ohio Medical University
Interests Within Medicine: Education
Interests Outside of Medicine: lifting heavy things, hiking, global politics
My Favorite Quote: “You know, be able to do something, do it well, and people will appreciate it. Or they won’t, who cares. At least you did it.” -Dave Chappelle
Kevin O’Hara, MD
Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI
Undergraduate Education: Michigan State Unimaltipoo
Medical School Education: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Interests Within Medicine: Critical care, EMS, emergency department administration
Interests Outside of Medicine: Spending time with my dog Rory, sitting outside on brewery patios, relaxing at the beach, golfing, working on cars.
In my past life I: Was a wealthy divorcee’s maltipoo
Jai Patel, DO
Hometown: Rochester, NY
Undergraduate Education: Binghamton University, State University of New York
Medical School Education: Des Moines University
Interests Within Medicine: Pediatrics, resuscitation, trauma, ultrasound, expanding healthcare to underserved populations.
Interests Outside of Medicine: Running, working out, obsessing over / debating sports, traveling/exploring, reading about random places & things, making fun of terrible movies & music.
My Favorite Quote: “Nobody roots for Goliath” – Wilt Chamberlain
Saadman (Saad) Rahman, MD
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Undergraduate Education: Emory University
Medical School Education: Morehouse School of Medicine
Interests Within Medicine: Global EM, Ultrasound
Interests Outside of Medicine: Sports (Hawks, Falcons, Braves, Chelsea FC, MMA, Tennis), Movies/TV, Cats, Animal Behavior, Traveling. Food
All Time Favorite (Food, TV Show, Movie): Oceans 11. You can’t go wrong with a good heist movie. What makes this movie my favorite is that it is a GREAT heist movie.
Trey Shaughnessy, DO
Hometown: Jackson, MI
Undergraduate Education: Mrootinest, tootinestsity
Medical School Education: Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Interests Within Medicine: Critical Care, Procedures
Interests Outside of Medicine: Weightlifting, hunting, fishing, hiking
My Favorite Quote: “I’m not having a glass of wine, I’m having six! It’s called a tasting & it’s classy!” -Randy Marsh
Eric Syrjala, DO
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Undergraduate Education: Colorado College
Medical School Education: Touro University California
Interests Within Medicine: Palliative medicine, Disaster medicine, Wilderness medicine, Social Em
Interests Outside of Medicine: Spending time outside, Cooking, Reading, Hiking, Card games, Wine.
Food I could live off of Forever: Cheese Bread