Third Year Medical Students

Brad Burmeister

BS, Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology – University of Wisconsin – La Crosse

Seymour, WI.

Brad has demonstrated his interest in serving the underserved with a commitment to volunteering in free clinics as both an undergraduate and medical student. Brad has extensive experience working as a sports medicine rehabilitation technician and worked for six summers at Gardner Dam Scout Camp, including several summers as the health office director. Brad has interests in health policy and is very active with the American Medical Association and Michigan State Medical Society.  As an undergraduate, Brad conducted research on ground squirrel clotting factor regulation, and as a medical student worked with the Wisconsin Stillbirth Service Program to learn more about Large for Gestational Age losses. He has volunteered with Seymour Rescue as an EMT-B since 2003. His golden retriever, Buster, remains at home in Wisconsin. Brad enjoys racquetball, whitewater kayaking, camping, the outdoors, music, movies, and reading.

Nyemade Cooper

BA, Chemistry, Kalamazoo College

Ypsilanti, MI.

Nyemade conducted research for her senior thesis at the U of M Department of Pharmacology, studying the inactivation of the cytochrome P450 2B6 by ticlopidine and clopidogrel. She worked as a student athletic trainer and office aide while at Kalamazoo College. Her volunteer experiences include serving as a teacher’s aide and math tutor at an elementary school, and working in the intensive care unit at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. Nyemade studied abroad in Strasbourg, France for three months. As an undergraduate, she played basketball for Kalamazoo College. At MSU CHM she was a co-leader for the Pediatric Interest Group, as well as a member of American Medical Association (AMA), SNMA and Christian Medical Association and volunteered with FitKids 360. Nyemade enjoys sports, particularly basketball and soccer, and traveling.

Beth Fetzer

BS, Biomedical Science, Summa Cum Laude with Honors Distinction, Grand Valley State University,

Belding/Clarkston, MI. 

Beth most recently worked in the Criminal Division of the US Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Michigan before beginning medical school.  In 2010, she was able to conduct research at Van Andel Institute from the Fred and Lena Meijer Scholarship and Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship she received. Beth traveled to Beijing, China for an immersion experience in their cultural and healthcare practices in 2009.  In 2011, she traveled to Belem, Brazil for a medical mission at the local hospitals and a small village in the Amazon.  In summer 2011, she was selected to participate in an orthopaedic research externship at the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases in Manhattan under her mentor, Dr. Claudette Lajam.  She is a member of the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society.  She currently volunteers with the Perry Initiative, mentoring young girls who wish to pursue careers in medicine.  In addition, she served as a medical volunteer at the finish line of the 2011 NYC Marathon.  Beth also has served as the Belding High School indoor soccer coach and the 3rd/4th/5th grade girls’ basketball coach.  Beth enjoys reading, watching movies, playing soccer and basketball, following sports in general, traveling, fishing, running, nature, and spending time with family.  She is excited to begin clinical rotations at the Midland Regional Campus and looks forward to the new experiences, knowledge, and relationships she will gain.

Bobbye Koning

BS, Biomedical Science, Grand Valley State University

White Cloud, MI

Bobbye worked at Spectrum Health as a nursing assistant and safety attendant for over two years. She conducted genetic research using PCR at Grand Valley State University under Dr. Tim Evans. Bobbye was on the committee for Gilda's Club Grand Rapids for two years, managing volunteers for the fund-raising event, Fundango. She also volunteered for FitKids 360, a program teaching children and their families’ healthy lifestyle choices. Bobbye traveled to Costa Rica during her first year of medical school to learn about their healthcare system. She likes hiking, cycling, traveling, fishing, gardening, baking, painting, nature and the outdoors. "I am the first in my family to attend college."

Craig Smith

BS, Biomedical Sciences, Central Michigan University

Marquette, MI.

As an undergraduate, Craig conducted research on the effects of syringaldehyde dendrimer on PC-3 prostate cancer cell growth characteristics. Craig continued his research interests in medical school and worked as a research coordinator at West Michigan Cardiothoracic Surgeons in Grand Rapids. In his free time Craig enjoys traveling domestic and abroad and has been fortunate enough to join multiple medical mission trips most notably to Belize and Nepal. He enjoys the outdoors especially hunting and fishing.