January 2022 – Graduate student
Zachary Jodoin — Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Traverse City, MI
Scholarship: Special Higher Education
School: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Degree: Medicine
Passing with Honors

Community Service

• Student Content and Curriculum Advisor
• Curriculum Committee Student Representative
• Rural Health Interest Group Board Member
• Fit Kids 360 Volunteer
• Native American Tobacco Research Project

Bio

I was born and raised in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and am a member of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Throughout high school, I took pride in volunteering and giving back at my Native American tribe’s local charter school, JKL Bahweting Anishinaabe School. After high school, I attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan, as a Bill Gates Millennium Scholar, as well as a McNair Scholar, where I graduated Summa Cum Laude in biology and physiology. In the fall of that same year, I entered medical school at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, where I continued my journey towards becoming a doctor. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my wife, Jill, and our Goldendoodle, Mac. My wife and I love to travel, exercise, and walk Mac together.

When my wife is busy working as an ICU nurse, I thoroughly enjoy officiating youth and semi-professional ice-hockey; when I’m not getting yelled at by parents and coaches, that is. As of today, I am still chasing my dream of becoming an orthopedic surgeon and I have taken giant strides towards that goal over the past six months in Traverse City, Michigan. I have spent many of my free weekends and holidays, first assisting in the operating room. I enjoy and have participated in clinical research during this period, as well. My work has focused on lateral lumbar interbody fusion outcomes with a local spine surgeon, MSU graduate practice trends in terms of serving in rural populations, and Native American smoking cessation trends within rural tribal communities. I hope to graduate in 2022 and pursue a residency in orthopedic surgery. It would be an honor to one day return and serve within my Tribal community.