The Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM) Emergency Medicine Club has been named the 2025 Resident Student Organization (RSO) Club of the Year by the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP) — a national recognition honoring their exceptional programming, engagement and leadership in emergency medicine education.
For the club’s student leaders, the award came as both a surprise and a moment of pride.
“It was a shock to many of us because it’s such a big award to win,” said Catharin Wong, the club’s national liaison. “Being able to showcase what MSUCOM has accomplished this past year to ACOEP advisors, other medical schools and emergency physicians across the country was incredible.”
The recognition highlights the Emergency Medicine Club’s commitment to ACOEP’s values through its robust educational programming and active participation in the national community.
A year of hands-on learning and service
Under the student leadership of President Patrick Ryan, OMS-II and Catharin Wong, OMS-II, the club has expanded its programming to include at least two events per month — blending skill-building workshops with community service opportunities.
This past year, the Emergency Medicine Club hosted a variety of practical training sessions, including procedure days, Stop the Bleed, wilderness skills labs, orthopedic boot camps, nerve block and ultrasound workshops and mass casualty simulations. The club also organized outreach efforts, such as partnering with Sleep in Heavenly Peace to build beds for children in need, and a University of Michigan Health Survival Flight event where students explored the world of critical care transport.
These experiences provide valuable early exposure to emergency procedures, helping students connect classroom learning to real-world medicine long before residency. By the time they enter clinical rotations, many members have already practiced key procedures multiple times, gaining confidence and readiness for high-pressure scenarios.
Collaborative partnerships drive success
The club’s success is rooted in its partnerships with hospital systems and community organizations, including University of Michigan Health-Sparrow, Henry Ford Health, McLaren Health Care, Sleep in Heavenly Peace and the East Lansing Fire Department. These collaborations provide access to instructors, simulation equipment and real-world experiences that would be difficult to replicate independently.
“Those partnerships mean everything,” Ryan said. “Without the support of physicians, residents and first responders who are willing to teach and share their expertise, we couldn’t provide such meaningful experiences.”
When local hospitals or emergency services conduct mass casualty drills, Emergency Medicine Club members often volunteer as mock patients, giving them firsthand insight into the logistics and teamwork involved in large-scale emergency responses. The club’s willingness to engage in these collaborations reinforces its reputation as both a learning and service-oriented organization.
Developing skills for the future
Participation in the Emergency Medicine Club helps students develop the teamwork, leadership and quick decision-making skills that are vital to a career in emergency medicine. The executive board models strong collaboration, encouraging all members to take initiative in organizing and leading events.
“Emergency medicine is more than the ER,” Wong said. “It’s about understanding every role, from first responders to respiratory techs, and learning how to work as a team in real time.”
This multidisciplinary exposure helps prepare members to think critically and communicate effectively in dynamic health care settings — skills that translate directly to success during clinical rotations and residency.
Looking Ahead
Following this national recognition, Emergency Medicine Club leaders are focused on building on their momentum. Future goals include expanding procedural workshops, strengthening partnerships with Henry Ford Health and increasing community outreach. One new partnership, All Community Hearts in collaboration with the Learning Assessment Center, as well as the MSU Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Human Medicine and Nursing, will teach hands-only CPR to the public through campus and community events.
“It’s about continuing to grow, find new opportunities and give back,” Ryan said. “We want to help our community and prepare the next generation of emergency physicians.”
The club credits its success to the support of MSUCOM administration, the Student Engagement and Leadership team and faculty advisor Nikolai Butki, D.O., MPH, FACOEP, FACEP as well as the leadership of the previous year’s executive board, which helped lay the foundation for this achievement.
By Andrea Mackey
The Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM) Emergency Medicine Club has been named the 2025 Resident Student Organization (RSO) Club of the Year by the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP) — a national recognition honoring their exceptional programming, engagement and leadership in emergency medicine education.
For the club’s student leaders, the award came as both a surprise and a moment of pride.
“It was a shock to many of us because it’s such a big award to win,” said Catharin Wong, the club’s national liaison. “Being able to showcase what MSUCOM has accomplished this past year to ACOEP advisors, other medical schools and emergency physicians across the country was incredible.”
The recognition highlights the Emergency Medicine Club’s commitment to ACOEP’s values through its robust educational programming and active participation in the national community.
A year of hands-on learning and service
Under the student leadership of President Patrick Ryan, OMS-II and Catharin Wong, OMS-II, the club has expanded its programming to include at least two events per month — blending skill-building workshops with community service opportunities.
This past year, the Emergency Medicine Club hosted a variety of practical training sessions, including procedure days, Stop the Bleed, wilderness skills labs, orthopedic boot camps, nerve block and ultrasound workshops and mass casualty simulations. The club also organized outreach efforts, such as partnering with Sleep in Heavenly Peace to build beds for children in need, and a University of Michigan Health Survival Flight event where students explored the world of critical care transport.
These experiences provide valuable early exposure to emergency procedures, helping students connect classroom learning to real-world medicine long before residency. By the time they enter clinical rotations, many members have already practiced key procedures multiple times, gaining confidence and readiness for high-pressure scenarios.
Collaborative partnerships drive success
The club’s success is rooted in its partnerships with hospital systems and community organizations, including University of Michigan Health-Sparrow, Henry Ford Health, McLaren Health Care, Sleep in Heavenly Peace and the East Lansing Fire Department. These collaborations provide access to instructors, simulation equipment and real-world experiences that would be difficult to replicate independently.
“Those partnerships mean everything,” Ryan said. “Without the support of physicians, residents and first responders who are willing to teach and share their expertise, we couldn’t provide such meaningful experiences.”
When local hospitals or emergency services conduct mass casualty drills, Emergency Medicine Club members often volunteer as mock patients, giving them firsthand insight into the logistics and teamwork involved in large-scale emergency responses. The club’s willingness to engage in these collaborations reinforces its reputation as both a learning and service-oriented organization.
Developing skills for the future
Participation in the Emergency Medicine Club helps students develop the teamwork, leadership and quick decision-making skills that are vital to a career in emergency medicine. The executive board models strong collaboration, encouraging all members to take initiative in organizing and leading events.
“Emergency medicine is more than the ER,” Wong said. “It’s about understanding every role, from first responders to respiratory techs, and learning how to work as a team in real time.”
This multidisciplinary exposure helps prepare members to think critically and communicate effectively in dynamic health care settings — skills that translate directly to success during clinical rotations and residency.
Looking Ahead
Following this national recognition, Emergency Medicine Club leaders are focused on building on their momentum. Future goals include expanding procedural workshops, strengthening partnerships with Henry Ford Health and increasing community outreach. One new partnership, All Community Hearts in collaboration with the Learning Assessment Center, as well as the MSU Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Human Medicine and Nursing, will teach hands-only CPR to the public through campus and community events.
“It’s about continuing to grow, find new opportunities and give back,” Ryan said. “We want to help our community and prepare the next generation of emergency physicians.”
The club credits its success to the support of MSUCOM administration, the Student Engagement and Leadership team and faculty advisor Nikolai Butki, D.O., MPH, FACOEP, FACEP as well as the leadership of the previous year’s executive board, which helped lay the foundation for this achievement.
By Andrea Mackey