Making a Difference

Out of the tragedy of the loss of his grandfather at a young age, Ryan Ko, M.D., OUWB ’24, has forged a path that has allowed him to be an advocate for community health and inspire the next generation.

As a teenager, Dr. Ko’s grandfather fell ill with leukemia and passed away within a short span of time. This profound loss fueled a desire for Ko to consider cancer research as a potential career. In the absence of mentors in his life who worked in the medical field, he felt that his biggest impact could be through research. As chance would have it, he worked in biomedical research while attending University of California-Davis for his undergraduate degree where he learned about radiation therapy, a pillar in cancer treatment. After completing his bachelor’s degree, Ko was hired to work in radiation oncology research at Stanford University, where he was inspired to go to medical school to become a radiation oncologist.

Upon his graduation, Ko received the 2024 Excellence in Public Health Award from the U.S. Public Health Service Physician Professional Advisory Committee for demonstrating leadership and commitment to public health.

“When I was working at Stanford, I met Dr. Thomas Guerrero who was faculty at Beaumont’s Radiation Oncology Department and had great things to say about the program at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine,” Ko says. After interviewing at OUWB and meeting students who exemplified what he wanted in a medical school, Ko decided this was the right choice.

Looking back on his four years at OUWB, Ko says his most meaningful work was leading the COVID-19 vaccine education campaign. “We started medical school at the height of the pandemic, and I felt a sense of responsibility to help people receive accurate information about the vaccines and gain access to a free vaccine appointment if they wanted one,” he says.

At OUWB, the Compass Community Engagement Team helps to engage medical students with community service through their connections with local, regional and global communities. From this team, Ko sought assistance and guidance for his vaccine campaign. Later, when Compass reached out to him to speak to middle school students about health careers, he jumped at the chance. Looking back at the absence of mentors in his youth, Ko saw the importance of having someone to look to for inspiration and guidance. “I was honored to hopefully inspire the next generation or at least give them a better insight into what this pathway entails,” he says. For Ko, being a mentor is an important and meaningful way to help future physicians.

Upon his graduation, Ko received the 2024 Excellence in Public Health Award from the U.S. Public Health Service Physician Professional Advisory Committee for demonstrating leadership and commitment to public health. He will complete his residency at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, a highly ranked hospital for cancer care. Working with the best cancer physicians to make a difference and improve global cancer care is exactly where Ko wants to be.