To many, Julie is the familiar voice of NMC Health. She’s the first person you hear when you call for care (she’s the voice of our phone system!). She’s also our organizational education coordinator.
But to Ryan, a fourth-year medical student currently rotating with Dr. Marc O. Duverseau, she’s simply “Mom.”
Ryan’s journey at NMC Health has come full circle, from his early days as a therapy aide in our outpatient physical therapy and rehabilitation program to his current medical training.
Their shared story isn’t just about medicine; it’s a testament to resilience, curiosity, and the deep roots that keep a family connected, even when life leads them miles apart.
Learning from each other
You might think a medical student would be the one learning everything from the seasoned hospital professional, but Julie says it goes both ways. As an educator, Julie spends her days helping others grow, yet she credits Ryan with teaching her the most profound lesson of all.
“It’s nothing medical, actually,” Julie says with a smile. “The most profound thing has been to look at the world through a much broader lens. As I got settled into middle age and my routine, I didn’t realize how small I was making my world. Seeing him grow, develop in his education, and his travels and the adventures, has been profoundly illuminating.”
For Ryan, the lessons from his mom started at home long before medical school. When he was working a fry cook job in high school, he recalls a simple rule that he carries into his experience today: “If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.”
“There’s no task that’s ever below you,” Ryan explains. “Just be helpful and keep the system moving. It’s about making sure the whole team works better.”
Julie adds another “mom-ism” that she would remind her young children: “You can be mad, but you can’t be mean.”
From curiosity to surgery
Ryan didn’t just wake up one day and decide to be a doctor. Julie remembers a little boy who was constantly amazed by how the world worked.
“He had a genuine, excited curiosity for how the world works, how the body works, and what causes things to go wrong and fix them,” she says.
That drive has led Ryan toward surgery. He loves the “intersection of knowledge and physical skill.” For him, it’s not just about prescribing a drug; it’s about the tactile skill required to intervene and solve a problem with his own hands.
While he has seen big-city medicine, his heart is set on serving the rural population. “I want to be in a smaller, community-based area,” Ryan says. “I love being part of a team, just like I did in high school and college sports. I like having my role and contributing everything I can.”
Resilience and professionalism
As Ryan finishes his fourth year of med school, Julie finds herself most proud of his resilience.
“Most people [in Ryan’s situation] have grief, challenges, and crushing disappointments,” Julie says. “Ryan quietly takes it on the chin, assesses the situation objectively, makes a smart course correction, and gets back on track. I’m very proud of the resilience that he’s shown.”
She realized he was becoming a professional in his own right years ago when he began building his own community of mentors. He didn’t rely on his parents’ connections; he earned the respect of doctors, like Dr. Duverseau of NMC Health Surgical Specialists and Dr. Jennifer Koontz of NMC Health Orthopedics and Sports Specialists, on his own.
“Any brilliant mind can do the math and science,” Julie says. “To care for people, you need to have relationships. It’s been wonderful to see Ryan cultivating this group of mentors.”
The human side of medicine
In a world of high-tech tools and advanced degrees, Julie has one hope for Ryan: that he never forgets to truly see people.
“Sometimes you need to be the person that you once needed,” she says. “It’s about holding space for patients and their families with sincere compassion. You have to meet people where they are, not where you want them to be.”
Ryan has clearly taken that to heart. When asked what trait of his mother’s he hopes his patients see in him, he didn’t hesitate: Trust.
“She’s my confidante,” Ryan says. “I know she always has my best intentions at heart. Patients have to be so vulnerable with their caretakers. I hope they trust me enough to tell me what’s going on, knowing I’m there to make them feel comfortable, just like she’s always done for me.”
“Stop!” Julie laughs, wiping away a tear. “I love it.”
A homegrown success
Having Ryan back at NMC Health for his rotations has been a “safety net” for both of them. For Ryan, it gives him the confidence to “shoot for the stars,” knowing his biggest supporter is under the same roof. For Julie, the safety net is growing even wider; not only is Ryan becoming a surgeon, but his fiancé is also a medical student. “They’re both brilliant,” Julie says, “so if I smash something and it looks ‘hinky’ and bloody, I can send a picture and ask if I should go to the emergency room!”
As Ryan prepares to head out this summer to the West Coast for his next rotations in California, Idaho, and Oregon, he’ll carry the lessons of NMC Health—and his mom—with him.
Mother's Day 2026
After years of being in different cities, even different countries, Julie is looking forward to celebrating Mother’s Day with both of her grown children before they both travel out-of-state, carrying the lessons she’s taught them into their new adventures.
