Neurology Residency Training Program
Class of 2013
Ben Bly
Undergrad: Princeton University
PhD: Stanford University
Medical School: University of New Jersey
Dane Breker
Undergrad: University of North Dakota
Medical School: University of North Dakota
I grew up in Fargo, ND and the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND for both my undergraduate and medical degrees. Going off to complete residency training was my first experience really living out of my home state, but coming to the University of Michigan was just like coming home...with more trees and the occasional cider mill! The city itself was a huge draw. Being a smaller city with a large university means that this town has a lot to offer and a casual culture without the hassle of a larger metropolis. The University of Michigan neurology program appealed to me for its well organized clinical training program, exposure to a wide-variety of neurological subspecialties like neurooncology and neuroophthalmology that just aren't available everywhere, the high caliber of clinical teaching, and a laid-back attitude to tie it all together. On top of that one of my interests is in medical education and the U of M offers a special track for those interested in becoming better educators.
In my time off I enjoy reading, volleyball, the outdoors, and spending time with my wife and son.
Robert Ross Coleman
Undergrad: Hope College
Medical School: Vanderbilt University
I grew up on the west side of Michigan, went to Hope College and attended Vanderbilt for medical school. When looking for a residency my wife, who is a social worker, and I were looking for a program and a city that matched our personalities.
The University of Michigan Neurology program fosters a warm and relaxed atmosphere with ample opportunity to learn. This was evident at my interview day when the I met the residents and they were all fun-loving with a life outside of the hospital as well. This proved true when I started the program. Attendings are on a first name basis and provide a lot of teaching. My wife and I have family 2 hours away so it was nice for us to come a little closer to home as well. The city of Ann Arbor is a fun place to live with a vibrant downtown. There are festivals and/or concerts every weekend of the summer. Despite being a college town, you are not over-run by undergrads and the football games are a lot of fun. My wife and I enjoy eating out and still have a long list of restaurants we need to hit up. We both love running and drinking wine, but not at the same time.
Shiao-Pei Weathers
Undergrad: Notre Dame
Medical School: Wright State University
I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and Dayton, Ohio before I ventured all the way over to South Bend, Indiana to attend the University of Notre Dame for undergrad. After graduation, I returned back to Ohio to attend medical school at Wright State University where I met my husband who is currently an emergency medicine resident. We couples matched to programs in Michigan and got married near the end of our intern year. I did my intern year at St. Joe's and was truly pleased with my experience there because of its collegial atmosphere.
The University of Michigan is a remarkable place to train because of its outstanding faculty who truly have a commitment to resident education. The neurological disease spectrum is diverse whether the exposure is in the outpatient or inpatient setting. There is also a strong representation of all the subspecialty fields of Neurology with plenty of opportunities to explore whatever interest you may have.
Michael Soileau
Undergrad: Baylor University
Medical School: University of Texas Medical School - Houston
Internship: University of Michigan Internal Medicine
I initially applied to the University of Michigan because I wanted a chance to get out of Texas. There were lots of happy faces on the website and schedule was appealing. It was an early interview for me and wasn't expecting to like Michigan or the cold. Little did I know just how much I'd like the program and how amazing the people I met would be. The interviews were laid back and the Oatmeal Raisin cookies in the cafeteria were wonderful. The facilities are new, and the support system well-planned. I appreciate the "little things" like the great health benefits, the House Officer Association, and a salary with bonuses. The pathology we see in each specialty of neurology is unique and faculty are very informal. In fact, we call the majority of them by their first name. Ann Arbor has been a great and welcome change after the traffic in Houston. Even still, there is so much to do here, great food, and a college town feel with great sports games. I bought a home here and have been very happy with the cost of living.
Long story short, this city and program has welcomed this cowboy boot-wearing Texan with open arms and I'm certainly glad of my choice.
Jessica Stulc
Undergrad: Creighton University
MPH: University of Iowa
Medical School: University of Iowa
I'm originally from Iowa and have made the tour of midwest states for my education. ( I can honestly say that Ann Arbor has the warmest winters!) I was originally attracted to Michigan on paper because of the nightfloat system and broad exposure to subspecialties. After my interview I was hooked because of the people and focus on education. I loved my intern year at St. Joes, which was a great low stress learning environment. I'm now entering my PGY3 and am still undecided as to future career plans but am considering a fellowship in headache. I have enjoyed living in Ann Arbor as I'm a Big 10 football fan, find it easy to get around the town, and enjoy having many things to do here.
Class of 2014
Jeanie Cote
Hometown: Trenton, Michigan
Undergrad: Michigan State University
Med School: Wayne State
Internship: University of Michigan
As I've spent my whole life in southeast Michigan, my plan was to escape to a new destination for my residency. That all changed after my interview at the University of Michigan. I was completely drawn in by the personalities I met. Everyone was warm, genuine and approachable. That was very important to me as these were the people I would be calling at 2 am for an emergent consult, and the people I would work side by side with day after day. The diversity of pathology, wide availability of research opportunities, high faculty-to-resident ratio (3:1) and strong emphasis on teaching also drew me in.
I've had a fantastic time since starting this residency, and I would recommend this program to others. You will definitely work hard, however the knowledge you'll obtain is second to none and makes it worth it. When you do have downtime, Ann Arbor is loaded with fun restaurants, bars, museums and more to check out.
Asim Haque
Undergrad: Tulane University
Med School: Ole Miss
Ph.D.: Washington University in St. Louis.
M.P.H.: Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
Internship: Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital Ann Arbor
Nicholas Beimer
Hometown: Kalamazoo, MI
Undergrad: Kalamazoo College
Med school: Wayne State University School of Medicine
Internship: Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital Ann Arbor
I am a lifelong Michigan native, originally from southwest Michigan, and when I had the opportunity to train in Neurology at the University of Michigan, I jumped at the chance. I liked the idea of working closely with medical students and residents, the close-knit feeling among residents, fellows, and faculty, and the comprehensive quality of the department across multiple neurologic subspecialties.
I also enjoy all four seasons that Michigan provides, and Ann Arbor is a wonderful place to experience all of them. My wife, Jane, is a resident in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation here at U of M, and we like trying new food among the many downtown city restaurants, walk and kayak along the Huron River, and enjoy driving the scenic roads along the city's edge. We both hope to stay in Michigan, and possibly in Ann Arbor, after we finish our training.
Hometown: Portsmouth, OH
Undergrad: Miami University (Oxford)
Law school: University of Michigan
Med school: (The) Ohio State University
Internship: Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital Ann Arbor
Before I started interviewing, I developed a huge color-coded spreadsheet, thinking that I would need many objective criteria to help figure out which residency would be best for me. That all changed after my interview at the University of Michigan, where I knew within minutes of seeing just a little bit of this warm and collegial environment that I couldn't imagine going anywhere else. Conveniently, the U of M also fulfilled those objective criteria, including a strong emphasis on outpatient practice, broad representation of subspecialties, and an impressive emphasis on resident education and teaching.
I'm a city girl at heart, but I've found that Ann Arbor has great local music and art, many local festivals, and an interesting downtown. Metro Detroit is close by for shopping and concerts on days off, and Chicago is only a train ride away for a long weekend of urban adventures. Though I love my high rise skylines, I was raised in the country and also appreciate the many green parks of Tree City. I really couldn't be happier with my choice.
Hometown: Virginia
Undergrad: College of William and Mary
Med school: University of Michigan
Internship: University of Michigan
I was born and raised in Virginia, went to College of William and Mary for undergrad (the alma mater of JD and Turk from "Scrubs"!) and decided to come to U of M for medical school (the alma mater of "House, MD"!). Rotating through neurology my M3 and M4 years, I was struck by the incredible camaraderie between residents, as well as with faculty. Everyone was very eager to learn and to teach, and were genuinely fun people to work with. You get tons of responsibility, but also have very willing support at all times as well so you never feel alone. I enjoyed the wide breadth and depth of subspecialties available, and the solid extent of outpatient and elective time offered. Medical education is highly valued here, and I was impressed that there was such a strong clinical focus mingled with boundless research opportunities (if so desired). My current interests are anything with a lot of direct patient care, and lots of problem-solving/detective-work; I am also potentially interested in medical education, and care of the under-served. While U of M gives you a strong clinical experience that is certainly rigorous, there is still plenty of time to enjoy yourself and have a life. Ann Arbor is a fantastic town (particularly when coming from college in Colonial Williamsburg, where for a fun time on a Saturday night you churned butter and made bricks out of straw). The town has a vibrant art scene, delicious food from every possible genre, and a comic shop that has won awards for being one of the best in the nation. The town has all the benefits of a college environment in regard to activities and sporting events, but is small enough to not feel overwhelming. It is a little chilly in the winter, but that's at least partly the southern boy in me talking. It has beautiful springs, falls, and summers too!
Nicole Karis
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Undergrad: Notre Dame
Med School: St. Louis University
Internship: University of Michigan
I grew up outside Chicago, went to Notre Dame for undergrad and St. Louis University for medical school. When looking for a residency, I started looking for a place that had great weather and was close to the mountains. Not long into my search, I appropriately changed course and began looking for a place that inspired me and a program I believed in. I was drawn by U of M right away for the strength and number of the faculty and the collegiality of the environment. I was very impressed during my visits that the residents would call the faculty by their first names, and would often see them outside of work for various get-togethers. Michigan offers a nationally-respected level of training but feels like a family environment. I was excited by the opportunities Michigan would create for me, both with experience as well as with reputation. I also felt very supported by the House Officers' Association who continues to fight for higher salaries, double-pay for working on holidays, and more vacation time than most programs offer. I was impressed that the association and the university made these issues priorities. The last thing that has really impressed me since I began my training is how much the department truly loves teaching. You will likely hear that at other residency programs, but here, it is actually true. There is great passion for neurology and for resident education amongst the faculty here and we are all better for it.
Class of 2015
- Lucy Huang
- Ryan Jacobson
- Shane Kinard
- Mollie McDermott
- Andrew Mundwiler
- Woo Moon
