A Life of Service in Military and Medicine

May 5, 2026

After a hard hit during a rugby scrimmage in his freshman year of high school, Dylan Bilicki was sent to the emergency room to get treated for a severe concussion. The injury resulted in months of physical therapy for the Brighton native, as well as time away from the classroom and the field.

While the experience may have felt like a setback in the moment, Dylan later realized it had quietly started his journey into the medical profession.

“When I eventually got back to playing sports and my cognitive ability in school returned, I discovered a newfound interest in neuroscience and medicine,” he said, crediting the team of healthcare professionals involved in his recovery.

Growing up, Dylan had always envisioned a future in the Armed Forces. It had been a longtime passion since learning of his family’s history of military service. For a while, he struggled with deciding which dream to pursue. He later found the Army ROTC could offer a path for him to accomplish both.

“Becoming an Army physician seemed to be the perfect fit to pursue both of my passions and professional goals,” Dylan said.

In the spring of 2022, he graduated from Northern Michigan University and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army. That fall, he joined the College of Human Medicine as a first-year medical student at the Lansing Campus.

Living in the Lansing area was a highlight for Dylan. He balanced his busy med school days by going to football games with family, watching basketball at the Breslin Center, and enjoying the MSU Dairy Store and weekend dinners at The Pizza House.

“I married into one of the biggest Spartan families I’ve ever met,” he said. “I knew I wanted to have the full MSU experience.”

During his second year of medical school, Dylan spent a day rounding with a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) team and was enthralled by the discussions of neuroanatomy, musculoskeletal physiology and inpatient rehab care. “I left the hospital that day and called my wife to tell her I had found my specialty.”

It was a full circle moment for Dylan, as he thought back on his high school injury. “I could apply my passion for neuroscience in a way that could improve the lives of others, just as someone had done for me as a kid.”

Upon graduating from the College of Human Medicine, Dylan will begin a residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. As a PM&R resident, he’ll treat and rehabilitate his patients to keep soldiers fit, happy and healthy. He’s excited to return to the Army but says it’s also bittersweet.

“Leaving the Lansing community where I’ve spent four years – the one I got married in and started a family in – will be one of the toughest parts of graduation,” Dylan said.

As he crosses the commencement stage, Dylan will be joined by his one-month-old son. Becoming a father solidified one of his most important lessons in medical school.

“Time and health are by far our most precious commodities we have as human beings,” he said. “It’s important to treasure these two gifts in medicine, which can be full of sorrow and pain.”

Dylan remains focused on the hope that he and other physicians will bring to patients every day.

“Our service members deserve the highest quality of care,” he said. “Serving in the Army has been my life’s honor, and I’m excited to continue to do so.”

 By Amy Nienhouse