Armstrong ('10) Named Assistant Dean for Student Career and Professional Development
Kelly Armstrong, MD, a 2010 Michigan State University College of Human Medicine graduate, has been named assistant dean for student career and professional development.
Dr. Armstrong joined the college in 2016 as a faculty fellow in the Shared Discovery Curriculum, and assistant professor in the Office of Medical Education Research and Development (OMERAD). In 2018, Dr. Armstrong was appointed chief of the Morrill Learning Society.
Dr. Armstrong received her Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical engineering at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich., and completed a research fellowship in the Department of Pediatric Gastrointestinal Disease at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. While pursuing her medical degree at the MSU College of Human Medicine, she was a medical student inductee into the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honorary Society in 2009, followed by residency training at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and fellowship training in spinal cord injury rehabilitation research at the Veterans Administration Puget Sound Healthcare System in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Armstrong joined the staff at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in 2015 as a general physiatrist with a clinical focus on musculoskeletal rehab and spasticity. She previously served as the assistant program director of the Mary Free Bed residency program, and currently has consulting privileges with Spectrum (Corewell), University of Michigan West, and St. Mary’s health systems.
Through her work with students and residents, Dr. Armstrong has found joy in coaching, mentorship, and witnessing student accomplishment, particularly in the areas of understanding oneself, specialty choice and career development. She will provide students with guidance as they pursue their choice of medical specialty with a focus on late clinical experience (LCE) years and the transition into residency. Armstrong has distinguished herself as a motivator and leader and collaborates with colleagues across multiple medical specialties and institutions. Her experiences have equipped her to assist students as they move through the transitional points of medical education. As an MSU graduate, she plans to build strong networks with fellow Spartan MDs.
Dr. Armstrong will be based in Grand Rapids to serve students across the eight LCE communities, collaborating closely with community assistant deans, student program administrators, faculty and alumni.