Alumni

Jennifer Pearson, MD, is a family medicine physician and faculty member at the University of Minnesota Duluth campus. Dr. Pearson completed her first two years at the Duluth Medical School campus and her third and fourth years at the Twin Cities campus. “The Duluth campus was very appealing to me because I had a strong interest in family medicine,” she said. After completing her residency in Madison, Wisconsin, she began a broad-spectrum family medicine practice in McFarland, Wisconsin. After three years of practice in McFarland, she returned with her family to northern Minnesota, practicing...

Dr. Jon Pryor has had a storied career in medicine. After earning his MD at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Pryor completed two years of post-graduate surgical education at HCMC and went on to his residency at the University of Virginia. He then returned to the U of M, where he completed a urology fellowship.He served as U of M faculty from 1991-2006 and Department Chair of Urology from 2001-2006. During this time, Dr. Pryor established one of the largest male infertility practices in the country and helped develop one of the first multidisciplinary prostate cancer centers.In 2006, he made a...

Dr. Timothy Kleinschmidt understands the need for high-quality health care in smaller communities. Before attending medical school, he was pursuing a path as a clinical psychologist. During that time, he recognized that he had an even stronger desire to become a physician. He entered the University of Minnesota Medical School at Duluth, leaning toward primary care.Dr. Kleinschmidt noted family some influence, adding, “My mom was a long-time hospital nurse. She always talked about the role of internists and quarterbacking the hospital team.” He decided that internal medicine best fits his...

Lonzale Ramsey Jr., MD, explains the important work being done as part of the mentorship program The Ladder, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Started in 2012 in North Minneapolis, The Ladder is an intergenerational, cascading mentorship club with a mission to inspire, empower, and prepare young people for careers in healthcare, medical fields, and science.

Dr. Jessie Fudge connected with medicine early on. Her father is a sports medicine physician, and her mother is a pediatric physical therapist. Growing up, Dr. Fudge spent much time on the sidelines of sporting events. She saw how her mother helped with kids with disabilities by incorporating physical activity into treatment plans.  Before medical school, Dr. Fudge started a volunteer group that brought together kids with physical and intellectual disabilities to engage in games, art, sports, and other activities. It was a life-changing experience for the kids, their parents, and the...