CHICAGO, IL — After years of dedication and hard work, Ryan Keller, a fourth-year student at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, is one out of only five medical students nationwide who have matched in Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at McGraw Medical Center of Northwestern University. The program is split between Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and Lurie Children’s Hospital, two leading institutions in the field.
“Honestly, I was in a bit of shock and at a loss for words,” Mr. Keller said. “It was a program that had been on my list for a really long time. To see that come to fruition after years of hard work was really inspiring.”
“Pediatric PM&R is a small but growing field, with only four residency programs in the country. This year, just five students nationwide will train in the specialty, and I’m one of them,” said Mr. Keller. “Northwestern’s program is brand new, and after completing it, I’ll be eligible for triple board certification.”
Keller, who has lived in Chicago for the past year while completing rotations, credits his time at Burrell College for helping him reach this milestone.
“Burrell gave us a lot of opportunities to explore what we were passionate about,” Mr. Keller said. “When I got to campus, there wasn’t a PM&R club, so I had the chance to start one with a few friends. That experience led to a lot of personal growth and helped me on my way toward matching.”
His passion for medicine started at a young age when his sister was born prematurely and spent months in the neonatal intensive care unit. That experience introduced him to the world of rehabilitation medicine.
“My little sister needed early intervention therapies, and that exposure to medicine led me to fall in love with working toward a common goal with a team,” Mr. Keller said. “As an athlete growing up, I appreciated the importance of rehabilitation and teamwork, which made PM&R feel like the right field for me.”
As he prepares to graduate and start residency, Keller offers advice to future medical students.
“Don’t forget about your passions,” he said. “It’s easy to let them fall by the wayside, but they bring you joy and can even strengthen your medical aspirations. If I could go back, I’d remind myself that those passions aren’t distractions from studying—they make you human.”
Keller will begin his residency at Northwestern this summer, continuing his journey in a field that combines his passion for medicine, teamwork, and long-term patient care.
“’Para la Gente y el Futuro’ is part of why I chose Burrell. The school stayed true to their mission, and I got to follow those footsteps,” said Mr. Keller. “A big thank you to President Hummer and to Dean Pieratt, but also to everyone at student affairs and all of the professors that made Burrell feel meaningful.”
To learn more about Burrell College visit https://burrell.edu/explore/.
