Drs. Mary and Anthony Amon ’91 Share the Importance of Donation

Mary Amon, MD, and Anthony Amon, MD, first met at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth campus when they were medical students in the late 80s. Flash forward, and now their children have taken some of the same courses in Duluth as they match their parents' pursuit of medicine. 

Dr. Mary Amon originally decided to go into medicine because she had three siblings with an incurable disease. “I made a commitment to be as good of a doctor for other people as our family doctor was for us and our family,” she said. 

For Dr. Anthony Amon, he always knew that he wanted to live in outstate Minnesota and family medicine was the perfect fit. “I thought the career of medicine, with its continual knowledge, growth and education, wasn't stagnant and provided a great opportunity to challenge me,” he said.

The two work together in a full scope clinic in Willmar, Minnesota. Their clinic was founded by Dr. Lyle Munneke, a mentor for Drs. Mary and Anthony Amon. 

Dr. Mary Amon first met Dr. Munneke when she was a third-year medical student.“He did a lot of work in the legislature and at the U of M, promoting family medicine and rural health care,” Dr. Mary Amon said. 

Upon Dr. Munneke's retirement, the Amon’s clinic decided to create the Dr. Lyle Munneke Scholarship to honor his career and help support students pursuing a career in rural medicine. 

“I remember when I was in high school and I received a large scholarship that made it possible for me to go to college,” Dr. Mary Amon said. “When I wrote back to thank the donor after I graduated college, I said ‘Your scholarship told me that you thought that I was going to do something and that I could do it. It gave me confidence to continue to pursue my goals’. On the hard days, I was reminded that someone thought I was capable and I should keep pushing forward.” 

Dr. Anthony Amon said that they want to do whatever they can to remove any barriers to lower the cost of medical school for students. The Dr. Lyle Munneke Scholarship helps honor Dr. Munneke’s legacy by investing in the future. 

“We want the best and brightest, and we don’t want money to hinder or maybe dissuade someone from going to medical school,” Dr. Anthony Amon said. “If this little bit that we can give, and other people can give too, can help students take less loans and allow for more freedom to pursue their dreams in medicine, then that’s exactly what we want to encourage.”

They both advocate for their fellow alumni to donate back to the U of M Medical School. “If anyone has any reservations, have a student come out for a day and you will just get excited all over again,” Dr. Anthony Amon said. “Let’s help them out so they can help our fellow Minnesotans someday.”

For information on how you can support the Medical School, Duluth Campus, contact Elizabeth Simonson of the University of Minnesota Foundation at esimonso@umn.edu.