Student Profiles

Matthew Burdette '15

"On a campus visit, I observed an Osteopathic Principles and Practices lecture and lab and was deeply impressed! The concept of osteopathic medicine as a means to enable the body to heal itself really made sense to me, and I liked the fact the UNECOM teaches these principles to students from the first day onward." read more

Dany Hanna '15

"Whenever someone asks me what kind of doctor I want to be, I just say a good one…that’s why I came here." read more

Nandini Vijayakumar '15

"I have wanted to attend medical school ever since the many times when I played doctor…now that I’m finally at UNECOM, it is incredibly exciting that my dreams of becoming a doctor will soon be a reality." read more

Michelle DiBlasi '15

"I love that UNECOM has incorporated a new Case Based Learning course into the curriculum, which allows students to work in small groups and integrate all of their knowledge from all of their courses into analyzing a real-life patient’s case. Working in small groups and applying all of our knowledge into patient care is what we will be doing in order to be successful physicians in the future." read more

Innocent A. Ndzana '14

"My favorite quote is from Woodrow Wilson who so eloquently said “You are not here merely to make a living…. you are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.” Through the UNECOM outreach programs I am always able to find a way to put my skills to use. My tutoring background has helped me mentor a middle school child in Biddeford and now tutor children of all ages for the Portland Housing Authority." read more

Suvi Neukam '14

"Attending a school where classic competition gives way to peer-mentoring and group-learning is essential for me to be both successful and happy in medical school. As a current second year student I can say that all of my initial impressions about UNECOM were correct-- I lead a well-balanced life that is fulfilled culturally, socially, recreational, and, of course, academically." read more

Kenneth Visalli '12

"The MPH program introduces you to another aspect of medicine that you do not get much of in medical school. At UNE the MPH courses are almost all online giving me the opportunity to work on these courses in between my busy medical school schedule." read more

Kashif A. Ahmad, Ph.D. '11

"I have really enjoyed the concept of online learning. The UNE program is rigorous and gives you the opportunity of small group learning. There is a diverse group of students in every cohort and learning from their experiences adds to the strength of the program." read more

Thomas F. Tropea '11

"The online MPH program allows me to be able to step out of my role as a physician-in-training, and begin thinking about health from a population perspective. In pursuing a concurrent DO/MPH I feel I will be better prepared to face the challenges of a career in medicine equipped with the tools necessary to think more broadly and abstractly about health concerns." read more

Carol Bernier '11

"I love the on-line interactions with people from all over the place (one woman in my cohort is from PR) - I hope to some day get to meet the authors of so many poignant ideas that are posted throughout a course. The people in this program are an inspiration to me and a constant reminder of what I can accomplish if I put my mind to it. It is a lot of fun and a lot of work, but worth it. I am learning a lot." read more

Josie Conte '11

"I was inspired by the talents of the osteopaths who have cared for my family, and I knew that UNE-COM would be the perfect place to guide and train me." read more

Bill Conway '11

"When I tell people about the day I received my acceptance to UNECOM, tears still fill my eyes; it was one of the best days of my life." read more

Kim Salaycik Kolkhorst '10

""UNECOM is a perfect fit for me in many ways--there is a strong sense of collaboration between students, faculty and staff, the curriculum is based on a mind, body & spirit approach to medicine, many fun extracurricular organizations to get involved with, and surrounding natural beauty!" read more

Peggy R. Cyr, M.D. '10

"Online learning is the best for a busy clinician and mother of three boys." read more

Shannon Scully '10

"Even during my first year, I was exposed to healthcare through preceptorships in primary and emergent care, and was able to practice History & Physicals on paid actor-patients. This amount of patient interaction helped keep me motivated for the next step!" read more

Rudd Bare III, M.D. '10

"I divide my time between clinical medicine, medical education, and administration so the whole program was key to all aspects of my professional development." read more

Dante Leven '10

"My wife, dog, and I loved living in Maine. Having traveled the country, it is truly one of the most beautiful areas and very accessible to all of New England." read more

Ryan Smith '10

"UNECOM provided me with not only a superior osteopathic medical education, but also ample opportunities to develop my interests of teaching, leadership and administration. I continue to be active at the medical school to this day as a Clinical Lecturer in Psychiatry and look forward to my future interactions with UNECOM, the State of Maine, and the network of mental health clinicians in the State." read more

Jill Davis '10

"I knew that this is where I most wanted to go to medical school. I think I was prouder and more thrilled when I was accepted to UNE-COM than when I had played at Wimbledon." read more

Lacey McIntosh, D.O., M.P.H. '10

"The public health program was excellent in availability and the structure of the courses. The syllabi were clearly laid out and the professors were always accessible and available. I liked being a part of a cultural and educational community where we had many different interests, but a similar path to get there." read more

John Lowery, D.O., Ph.D. '10

"Nationally, I was appointed to both the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Bureau of Scientific Affairs and Public Health, and the AOA Council on Scientific Affairs. These committees advise on the scientific aspects of osteopathic medicine and biomedical research that warrant public attention and assists in the preparation of policy positions on scientific issues and governmental support." read more

Mike Dominello '10

"Participating in patient care in the ER helped me truly understand how the humanism, science, and business of medicine all come together daily in a real-world setting.
" read more

Josh Mularella, D.O. '09

"My first interview was here at UNE-COM, which was amazing. ... The school was right on the beach and everyone was so friendly. I knew right away that UNE-COM was one of my top choices, so much so that I withdrew from most other schools after my acceptance (starting with the military school). I loved it here!" read more

Steph Ng, D.O. '09

"I picked this school because it was small and was located by the beach. You can’t get any better than that! Also, there is a strong sense of community here amongst the students at UNE-COM. It’s a very non-competitive school; professors actually know your name and classmates are always willing to help each other out." read more

Suchismita Samanta, D.O. '09

"When I came to visit UNE-COM for my interview, I was impressed with the facilities of the school, especially the anatomy and OMM labs. Although I interviewed on a Saturday, I was still able to interact with current students who were all very approachable and eager to address my questions & concerns. They seemed to be happy and comfortable, unlike the students I had met from other medical schools who seemed stressed and frustrated with the cutthroat competition they had to deal with on a daily basis." read more

Peter Kang, D.O. '09

"The training lived up to all of my expectations. The quality of the faculty and the facilities is incredible." read more

Merima Zobic '09

"Looking back at my decision to attend UNE-COM, I could not be happier in my choice to become an Osteopathic physician and to pursue my education with a committed and close-knit community of individuals who work together to empower themselves to take control over their healthcare needs and rights." read more

Sheldon Malcolm, D.O. '09

"At UNE-COM, I was involved in the organization Physicians for Social Responsibility, a group deeply involved in protecting human life from threats to health and survival." read more

Nicholas Tedesco, D.O. '09

"When you come here, you know you earned a spot. You know you’re part of something. And, you know everyone is knee-deep in it together." read more

Tim Manzo, D.O. '09

"The first two years of medical school made me aware of the usefulness of having osteopathic skills whatever specialty I choose to enter. For me, it engenders a quality of human contact essential at every level." read more

Brian McElhinney, D.O., Ph.D. '09

"In the summer between first and second year, Kristina and I participated in a 5-week rotation with a family practitioner in rural northern Maine. This wonderful experience exposed me to a number of different practices in a rural, underserved population." read more

Sara Richmond, D.O. '08

"The greatest experience I have had here at UNE-COM was being fortunate enough to be chosen as one of the OMM/Anatomy pre-doctoral Fellows. Not only has the program given me the opportunity to improve my teaching skills, but it has also honed my OMT skills, giving me more confidence and knowledge along the way." read more

Elizabeth Kunkel, D.O. '08

"As a second year student, I was able to go on a medical missions trip to El Salvador through Global Health Outreach. I actually was awarded a grant through UNE-COM, to help defray some of the costs of my trip." read more

Noelle Sherrets-Ratigan, D.O. '08

"The thing that I like most about UNE-COM is that my class, and all other classes that I have encountered thus far, are willing to do anything to help another student. The second year class has several reviews for the first year class, which are great, and were very helpful during my first year." read more

Matt Fletcher, D.O. '07

"With the Student Osteopathic Surgical Association (SOSA), we provided anatomy reviews to first year students before exams. The SOSA reviews made me realize how much I enjoy teaching, plus I got to reinforce the anatomy that I had learned earlier." read more

Kathryn Haverington '07

"The helpful and supportive environment of faculty/staff and students allowed me to find my niche and grow academically, as well as to remain active in the many extracurricular activities of importance to me." read more

Lisa Benton '07

"I knew I would succeed in this supportive environment. The students here not only continue to strive for personal success, but also for the success of classmates." read more

Doris Newman, D.O. '98

"As a student I loved the same things I do now that I am faculty. I loved interacting with people who are interested in Osteopathic Medicine." read more

Kathryn Brandt '97

"UNECOM’s attention to the humanity of being a physician and patient has always been at the forefront. The MMEL program has been a fascinating look at the new-to-me world of completely asynchrounous communication and teaching. How interesting to be bonded to a group I may never see face to face? Great implications for medical practice and graduate medical education as we seek a better work-life balance." read more