By the time he is through at OU, he will have a medical degree to add to his undergraduate degree in Health Sciences. As
both a 2011 OU alumnus and member of the Oakland University William
Beaumont School of Medicine’s charter class, Goike feels prepared to
face anything that comes along. Now, nearly a full year into medical
school, Goike wouldn’t change a thing.
Originally,
the Sterling Heights native chose Oakland as a place that not only
offered him a scholarship and a variety of academic programs, but
because it was a family tradition. Goike’s two brothers are both Golden
Grizzlies as well. Still,
when he first arrived, Goike wasn’t certain that he wanted to be a
doctor. He was drawn to the medical field, but couldn’t narrow down a
future career until landing a job as a nursing assistant at the Henry
Ford in Macomb. There he was able to observe several careers in health
care, and found guidance in the doctors on staff. “I
was able to interact with a number of doctors who became mentor figures
for me,” Goike said. “We discussed my future, and I decided to go for
the big thing, and become a doctor. I could see that the doctors loved
what they did, and that passion helped to guide me toward medical
school.” While
the transition to medical school has been a challenge, Oakland’s
undergraduate coursework laid a strong foundation, Goike said. “Medical
school has been similar to my undergraduate experience, only with a
much higher volume of work and more pressure. Still, I felt really well
prepared for medical school based on my OU undergrad classes. I study a
lot and work hard, but that is what I expected from medical school.” An
added bonus is the amount of time that OUWB students are able to spend
learning in the real world at Beaumont Health System. Already, the first
year medical students are able to work with actors trained to help
students practicing making diagnoses, as well as performing basic labs,
clinical work and sutures. “This
is definitely the kind of experience you want to have, and at OUWB, we
are exposed earlier to that real-life kind of work. We’re better
prepared for our third and fourth years of school.” While
the expectations are high, OUWB students are able to lean on each other
with group study sessions, and playing on intramural sports teams like
basketball, soccer, volleyball. The students have grown close over the
first semester, and several planned spring break getaways together. “We
are a really tight-knit class, which is something I really enjoy,”
Goike continued. “Since we have a small class size, we all get to know
each other well and are able to help each other relieve stress. I love
the way OUWB is set up, because it doesn’t breed competition. We are
pretty unified and stick together.” For more information about the school of medicine, view the website at oakland.edu/medicine.
There’s nothing quite like an Oakland University education for alumnus Jonathan Goike.
“A
major deciding factor for me to attend OUWB was the chance to be part
of a founding class,” Goike said. “I’m excited to be here in the
school’s first year and to help make a name for it. At first I was a
little unsure about attending a brand new school, but after I
interviewed, I was blown away. It is incredible to work with Beaumont,
and incredible to keep learning at OU, especially with the culture they
have created.”
“The
entire process from the beginning to now has been impressive. I am 100
percent happy here. It has been a comfort to stay at Oakland University
for medical school. There is a lot of stress involved and I feel more
comfortable and confident at Oakland, I think it makes me perform better
as well.”