MICA Recognizes Three Medical Students with Scholarship Awards

The Mutual Insurance Company of Arizona (MICA) Medical Foundation Board of Trustees awarded scholarships to three medical students at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix.

Through hard work and perseverance, Trenton House, Lauren Ondrejka and Daniel Reyes earned their scholarships. As they prepare for residency interviews, they will use the tools they learned from the previous three years of medical school to bolster their candidacies.

The discovery that each had received the award came as a surprise. Each student received an email congratulating them on receiving the award. The students were then asked to join Fred Wondisford, MD, MS, MBA, dean of the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix for breakfast to receive the award. Dean Wondisford was elated to share the news with the students regarding the details of the scholarships.

The scholarships were given to the top three scholastically ranked students at the end of the third year of medical school. 

House said that receiving this scholarship will serve as a financial investment for his future as he pursues in-person interviews to match into his preferred specialty — otolaryngology.

“Any award like this is always incredibly meaningful because they detract some of the cost and show you that people do recognize how important your training is,” House said.

Ondrejka, who hopes to specialize in pediatrics, noted how the achievement provides a sense of validation for all her hard work.

Focused on matching into diagnostic radiology, Reyes said that the field of medicine, as vast as it is, never lets you feel you have completely mastered everything. The scholarship is a form of impetus to keep striving for more.

“Something like the MICA scholarship lets me know that I’m on the right path and motivates me to go forward with that positive reinforcement,” Reyes said. 

The culture of the College of Medicine – Phoenix allowed for students such as these three to succeed. For House, the campus’s collaborative and supportive environment is a unique aspect to the college that is helpful for academic success.

“I can speak, specifically for our class, that … no one wanted to see their classmate struggle,” House said. “The College of Medicine – Phoenix has provided a place that built a culture where everyone was willing to help everyone else when they needed it.”

Because of the college’s unique partnerships with hospitals in the Phoenix area, Reyes said he believed they were exposed to more effective clinical training experiences.

“This school has been really supportive and attentive to making sure we got a good education,” Reyes said. “With our hospitals in the area, the rotations we’ve had have been diverse in terms of the populations and also allowed us to get a broad education with a lot of different mentors.” 

For Ondrejka, one of the reasons she was drawn to the College of Medicine – Phoenix was its strong relationship with Phoenix Children’s offering unique mentorship and research opportunities.

“Going to a medical school with a large children’s hospital nearby gave me chances to explore different subspecialties and research interests in pediatrics,” Ondrejka said.