Hometown:  Sartell, MN

Bio: Heyo! I’m Alec and I am grateful beyond words to be realizing my dream of becoming a Family Medicine Physician at Memorial Hospital Family Medicine Residency! My journey into medicine started the day I was born in Springfield, Illinois, where my dad was completing his residency in Orthopedic Surgery and my mom working as a Physical Therapist. By the time he finished his residency and fellowship, our growing family settled down in central MN, where I enjoyed a lively childhood and graduated high school as the oldest of five kids.

Growing up, I loved two things: math and legos. So I figured I was going to be an engineer of some kind, being that I thought they were good at math and worked with their hands (my only qualifications for a career at the time). Then I shadowed my dad for a full day of clinic and surgery and was blown away when I saw him surgically repair some tendons in the wrist — from that moment on, I knew medicine was for me. And by pursuing training as a physician, I would develop my understanding of human anatomy, work with my hands on a daily basis, and ultimately engage in a profession that impacted people on an individual level.

I took a non-traditional route and graduated from North Dakota State University (Go Bison!) with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and minors in Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering. Following graduation, I worked for two and a half years as a Design Engineer at a manufacturing plant for both construction and agricultural machinery. It was fun work, but it wasn’t for me, so the engineering gig became a means to an end and shortly thereafter I started med school at A.T. Still University.

First two years were in Kirksville, MO, during which I married the love of my life, Margo (from Fargo), who teaches French and is a source of unending joy! Next two years brought us to Logan, UT, where we climbed mountains, learned to backcountry ski, and discovered a shared love for pickleball, all while Margo got her Masters of Science in Second Language Teaching. She’s a smart cookie!

And now here we are in South Bend, IN for the next few years where I’ll be learning how to do the doctor thing and she’ll be teaching French at a local high school. Excited for what the future holds and focusing on enjoying the journey to being the best physician I can be at the best Family Medicine Residency Program!

Why Memorial: In a crazy sequence of events, I started a rotation with a Utah State University Sports Med physician who encouraged me to apply to Memorial Hospital FMR Program just two weeks before the application deadline. He spoke highly of the quality of training which was only surpassed by the quality of the people at the program, and his words were backed up by the high level of excellence he demonstrated in his work, balancing people skills, clinical judgment, and work efficiency to perfection. In light of his recommendation, submitting an application was the least I could do.

From that point on, I was continually blown away at the quality interactions I had with the people of Memorial Hospital. From the interview offer to the in-person interview to the second look, I realized that this program was a gem nestled along the St. Joseph river in cozy South Bend, IN. It continued to climb my rank list until it sat at the top, and once it reached that point, it never budged! With an unopposed 10-10-10 FM program that includes rigorous hospital training, hands-on procedural opportunities, a robust ultrasound curriculum, quality sports medicine exposure, training tracks for the underserved, (not to mention the international rotations offered to all residents!), all leading to phenomenal ABFM board pass rates, I couldn’t find a better program. Period.

And even more than those desirable aspects, it was the people that confirmed my choice in Memorial Hospital. It quickly became my dream to train here, knowing the atmosphere of the program would cultivate the greatest growth I could achieve in my three years of residency. I know this program will continue to thrive because of the excellent leadership assembled — the foundation is strong and the future looks brighter than ever before knowing that my training rests in the most capable of hands! I look forward to learning from the best as I grow to be the best I can be.

Clinical interests: Sports Medicine + Lifestyle Medicine !
Full-spectrum family medicine (including OB) with a procedural focus
Serving the underserved, finding ways to connect everyone with resources that set them up for success

Hobbies: Ultimate frisbee, disc golf, spikeball, pickleball, rock climbing, trail running, road biking, hiking, backpacking, cross country skiing, golfing, playing piano
Card / Board games — some favorites are Euchre, Nertz/Dutch Blitz, Egyptian Ratslap, Settlers of Catan, Cribbage
Solving NYT puzzles / crosswords and putting together puzzles with my wife!

Favorite quotes: “All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost.” – J.R.R. Tolkein
“The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there.” – Vince Lombardi
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” – C.S. Lewis
“Stay humble, stay hopeful, and always keep moving forward.” – Anonymous

Favorite books: Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien
Cherish – Gary Thomas
When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi
How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie
The Boys in the Boat – Daniel James Brown

Favorite podcast: Not a huge podcast guy, but The Drive (w/Peter Attia), Curbsiders Internal Medicine, and Greenfield Life have been some standbys

Best advice: Don’t try to be someone you think others want you to be — they can spot a fake from a mile away. Be yourself, that’s the most honest and genuine thing you can do, both for yourself and for those around you. – North Dakota Physician

Favorite thing to do in South Bend/Mishawaka: Trail running, walking around Howard Park / Notre Dame campus, checking out local coffee shops!