As an internal medicine physician at Henry Ford Health and a clinical professor in Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine, Bryanne Standifer-Barrett is committed to caring for her community. The Detroit native draws upon the education and mentorship she received at MSU as she shapes a care philosophy that reflects the needs of her hometown — one grounded in empathy, trust and better outcomes for her patients.

The way Standifer-Barrett sees it, Spartans are superheroes in disguise. “Like Clark Kent,” she says, “we don’t broadcast it. If we need to show it, we will, but it’s more like a badge of honor. We’re going into the community, doing the work and helping people.”

In the first eight years of her life, Standifer-Barrett dressed up as a doctor for Halloween. Later, when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, her determination to fulfill that dream grew. She was admitted to MSU’s College of Human Medicine through the Advanced Baccalaureate Learning Experience, or ABLE, Program and graduated in 2018.

During medical school, a late-night moment left a lasting impression. As she and some classmates were leaving a study session one evening, Standifer-Barrett spotted MSU Professor and Associate Dean for Student Affairs Wanda Lipscomb — a respected faculty leader in the college — sitting in her office.

“It had to be around 11 p.m. at night and she was still working,” Standifer-Barrett recalls. “To see someone in the prime of their career, still working late hours so determinedly made me think, ‘Okay, this is the reality of this work. And if she can do it, so can I.’” It was an eye-opening experience that motivated her to continue.  

Staying in Michigan after graduation to care for her community was an easy decision. The College of Human Medicine instills a strong sense of responsibility to improve public health, and graduates often stay in the state to reduce physician shortages and improve health outcomes in Michigan communities. Every day, Standifer-Barrett is mindful of the impact she can have on people’s lives.

“I’m able to explain diagnoses, develop trust and see people move from, ‘I don’t want to take a pill. I don’t trust medicine’ to ‘Dr. Standifer cares about me, she understands me, and she looks like me — I can trust her,’” she says.

She credits MSU for equipping her with the tools to make that kind of difference. “MSU taught me how to be a really good doctor,” Standifer-Barrett explains. “It’s where I learned how to break down information so it’s easier for people to understand. That’s the impact I have. So many patients tell me, ‘I didn’t know why I was taking that. Thank you for explaining it.’”

This ability to translate complex medical knowledge into something accessible and personal is key to improving what’s known as adherence — when patients follow treatment plans and take medications as prescribed. That, she says, is where she sees her greatest impact.

“I take all this science and then break it down into something that makes sense, helping patients understand how it improves their lives.”