Kevin Kunzer, M.D., found himself at a crossroads when he graduated from Indiana University, Bloomington with his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology. “I needed to decide between a 2 year Masters level program that hopefully would lead into a traditional U.S allopathic medical school, or a top international medical school. After doing exhaustive research, and talking to Saba grads practicing in the US I chose Saba for the small class sizes, cost effective tuition and small island perfect for focus and study”.
Particularly enjoying his Clinical Diagnosis and Pathology courses at Saba, Dr. Kunzer thrived during Basic Sciences, and felt that the accessibility of the professors, and their willingness to help was key to his success on the island. He also notes the teamwork among his classmates was an outgrowth of the small class environment. After passing his USMLE Step 1 Exam on the first attempt, Kevin enjoyed his clinical rotations. “Clinical rotations were well organized, efficient and high yield. The staff, and attending physicians were eager to teach and promoted autonomy.” Subsequently, Dr. Kunzer went on to complete both Step 2 and Step 3 exams with above average scores. This ultimately culminated in him passing his ABPN Board Exam on first attempt and becoming a Board Certified Psychiatrist.
Psychiatry and mental health had always sparked his curiosity, he pre-matched into his first choice, an ACGME Psychiatry Residency at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine /Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies (MSU/KCMS). A born leader and mentor, Dr. Kunzer was nominated and appointed to Chief Resident during his program, and went on to become an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine where he served as a Consultation-Liaison Psychiatrist and was a psychiatry resident supervisor. He was awarded the “Excellence in Teaching Award Department of Psychiatry” in 2018.
Dr. Kunzer currently practices as a Board Certified Psychiatrist at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services in Portage, Michigan. His advice to students looking at Saba is “Never give up on your dreams and always move forward! Stay curious and enter a specialty of Medicine that you enjoy reading about even on your time off. Saba gave me the opportunity to realize my dream”.
