Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and raised in St Louis, Missouri, Michael has always sought out a non-traditional path in life. After graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, he joined the Peace Corps in Ecuador to obtain broader world experience. After his service ended, he joined a newly formed free clinic, called Phoenix Allies for Community Health (PACH), which was focused on serving the undocumented population in Phoenix, Arizona, where he eventually served as Clinic Director. During his time at PACH, he realized that his calling in life was to become a physician so that he could provide care for and advocate on behalf of people who would otherwise not have any access to essential healthcare services. He earned his MD in 2023 from La Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara Facultad de Medicina—one of the top medical schools in Mexico. While in medical school, he frequently volunteered to travel to remote villages to assist in providing care to indigenous communities with very few resources. During his final year of medical school, Michael had the unique opportunity to collaborate with faculty in the Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology at Washington University in St. Louis who were studying interventions and outcomes in pediatric patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion due to neuromuscular scoliosis. After realizing he also had a newfound passion for clinical research, he joined the Sleepy Brain Lab to assist in the multitude of fascinating, high-impact studies the group is undertaking. Michael will continue his journey here with a residency in Anesthesiology, and toward his career aspirations to be a physician-scientist, practicing clinician, and advocate for those without access to quality healthcare. His hobbies include camping, and hiking with his dogs.