Engelbrecht Carries Lessons from MSU into OB-GYN Residency

As Allison Fletcher Engelbrecht (Class of 2018) begins her 4-year residency at the University of Missouri-Columbia, she said the lessons she learned at MSU stick with her.

Engelbrecht’s father, Richard Fletcher (Class of 1992), MSU deputy director of athletics, and mother, Dr. Wendy Fletcher (Class of 1994), are both alumni, and her sister, Reagan Fletcher, will begin her junior year in the fall. She added five of her father’s siblings also attended MSU, making it a family tradition. Engelbrecht was selected for the George M. Luckey Jr. Academic Honors program, which included a full undergraduate scholarship.

“Knowing how much debt I was going to be in from medical school, that was a really big selling point for me,” she said.

Engelbrecht said she received excellent mentorship and positive support from Professors of Biology Dr. Craig Tuerk and Dr. David Peyton. Their positivity and encouragement helped her throughout her studies.

“I think pre-med is notoriously difficult and many people don’t make it through. Dr. Peyton and Dr. Tuerk were just that constant reassurance that we can do it and we can get through it. Even on the very tough days, you had staff and faculty that wanted you to succeed,” she said.

Engelbrecht said she felt well-prepared when she entered medical school because of the solid foundation she received at MSU. This included undergraduate research she performed with Dr. Ilsun White, professor of psychology and director of the neuroscience program. The research gave her hands-on experience in a science lab, and she was able to present her research during her freshman year.

After earning her undergraduate degree in biomedical sciences at MSU, Engelbrecht went to the University of Louisville’s School of Medicine. In May, she graduated as a Trover Rural Medicine Scholar. She is about to begin her residency, specializing in obstetrics-gynecology. She said she was drawn to the field because a family friend struggled with a premature birth but didn’t make a final decision until her third year of medical school.

“I think that there’s a lot of responsibility and a lot of honor in getting to walk with families through some of the best times of their lives, but also unfortunately sometimes the worst day of their lives,” she said. “It’s a really great privilege to get to walk through those hardships and joyous moments with those families.”

To learn more about MSU’s Department of Biology and Chemistry programs, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/biochem, email bioc@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2945.

College can change lives and communities. Higher educational attainment increases tax revenue, decreases unemployment and even improves health outcomes. Learn more from the KY Council on Postsecondary Education at www.kyhigheredmatters.org.