Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine student Abby Struble (OMS-II) has been named an Emerging Leader Institute Scholar by the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation. Struble was one of 30 medical students and family medicine resident physicians selected from a competitive pool of applicants nationwide.
“This recognition means so much to me, both personally and professionally,” Struble said. “I applied for this scholarship during a very difficult semester academically for myself and my classmates, but also emotionally and mentally for our MSU community,” referencing the mass shooting event that took place on Feb.13.
A lifelong Spartan, Struble completed her undergraduate degree at MSU before becoming a medical student at MSUCOM in 2021.
With this scholarship, she will attend the AAFP National Conference and the Emerging Leader Institute in July. Throughout the next year, Struble will be assigned to a leadership track where she will engage with family medicine physicians, network with students and residents from across the country and gain valuable experience to bring to her future specialty.
“During my time at MSUCOM, I have particularly loved serving persons experiencing homelessness through Spartan Street Medicine,” Struble said. “I absolutely want to continue serving underserved populations in the future as a primary care physician.”
Spartan Street Medicine is where she connected with J’Aimee Lippert, associate professor and interim chair of the Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine.
“MSUCOM has long prided itself on training osteopathic physicians to provide excellent medical care to the communities of Michigan and beyond, especially in primary care specialties,” Lippert said. “Students like Abby exemplify the vision of MSUCOM — to prepare physicians in the science of medicine, the art of caring and the power of touch, with a world view open to all people.”
The program track Struble is on will equip participants to lead initiatives that promote increased access to high-quality care for all patients. It also focuses on sustainability and career satisfaction for family medicine physicians so they can continue to advance the specialty — and health care more broadly.
“This opportunity is important because the family medicine specialty is so complex — it requires a broad and in-depth knowledge base for all ages,” said Lippert. “The role of the family medicine physician in serving as a patient advocate is paramount to community health.”
Primary care physicians must actively address challenges around access, health care costs, health care disparities and more, all while participating in public discourse on behalf of their patients, she said.
“As a family medicine specialist myself, I am so proud of Abby’s efforts and commitment to improving primary care access for patients,” Lippert said. “This very selective leadership program will arm Abby with additional tools for this rewarding specialty she has chosen.”
Struble looks forward to building on her leadership skills, including communication, teamwork and innovation. She credits her family, friends, boyfriend and faculty/staff at MSUCOM for the support and encouragement throughout her education journey.
This story was originally featured on the College of Osteopathic Medicine website.
