Amid the demands of medical school, third-year student Brendan Rosamond took an unexpected step onto the national stage of surgical research. In summer 2023,
he became the inaugural recipient of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
(ASCRS) Surgery 鈥� Colorectal Opportunity in Research (DISCOveR) Grant.
What he thought would be a single summer project instead opened the door to multiple collaborations, conference presentations and lasting mentorships.
鈥淚 originally thought this would be one project and some short-term mentorship,鈥� Rosamond said. 鈥淚nstead, it introduced me to an entire network of surgeons pushing the field forward.鈥�
Research That Improves Care
The award brought Rosamond to the University of Michigan Department of Colorectal Surgery, where he studied outcomes in rectal cancer surgery across multiple hospitals. His project focused on positive surgical margins鈥攃ases where cancer cells remain at the edge of removed tissue鈥攁nd ways to reduce their occurrence.
鈥淚t was my first time working on a multi-hospital quality improvement project,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 saw how data can directly influence the way surgeons approach complex cancers.鈥�
The grant also supported his travel to the ASCRS Annual Scientific Meeting in Baltimore, where he reunited with mentors and learned from leaders in the field. 鈥淏eing surrounded by people advancing the specialty every day was inspiring,鈥� he said.
A Journey Beyond Houston
The Michigan experience was also a personal milestone. It was the furthest north Rosamond
had traveled and his longest time away from home since leaving Texas for college.
Despite the adjustment, he quickly found community among faculty and students.
With no summer classes to juggle, he immersed himself in research while reviewing coursework for the next academic year. Once back in Houston, balancing medical school and research required careful planning. 鈥淭he opportunities were worth every challenge,鈥� he said.
Building on Momentum
The connections Rosamond made in Michigan soon expanded. Collaborations with mentors at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine and beyond led to poster presentations, manuscripts and ongoing projects that continue today.
These experiences also shaped his research interests, particularly at the intersection of surgery & health access. Growing up in rural South Louisiana, Rosamond saw the barriers families faced in reaching specialty care. The issue became deeply personal when his mother was diagnosed with Stage 4B colon cancer in 2016 and received treatment at MD Anderson in Houston.
鈥淭hat experience made me think about the gaps in access to quality care,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t motivated me to pursue medicine, especially surgery, where you can have an immediate impact while working to improve systems of care.鈥�
Inspiring Others
Rosamond鈥檚 achievement reflects a broader trend at the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, where students are increasingly securing competitive research placements.
鈥淥nce you find what you鈥檙e passionate about, medical school becomes more intentful,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 no longer just about surviving exams鈥攊t鈥檚 about preparing to be the physician you鈥檝e always dreamed of being.鈥�
As he looks toward residency in general surgery, Rosamond plans to continue blending technical skill with outcomes research, carrying forward the foundation sparked by the DISCOveR Grant.
鈥淭he experience didn鈥檛 just give me a project鈥攊t gave me mentors, collaborators, and a sense of direction,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t showed me how research can be both academically fulfilling and deeply tied to improving patient care.鈥�