Warriors
in medicine
// By Michael Laurila ‘09
M
arc Milia ‘89 had always been set on becoming a
doctor. It just so happened that he was also a spectacular football player who started at offensive center for the
Michigan Wolverines. After the third game of his senior
season, he started to be unsure about whether the NFL
was a possibility for the future. During a contact drill that
week in practice, he struck his head and suffered a brachial plexus injury – an injury to the network of nerves that
sends signals from your spine to your shoulder, arm and
hand. He remained on the field, unable to feel his right
hand, fearing that his dream was over…
Not a dream of becoming a NFL sensation and making
millions; a dream of going into medicine.
“When I was on the turf in pain and unable to feel my
right hand, I was more concerned about my ability to be
a surgeon than my future as a football
player,” he recollected.
A few weeks later, Milia made a full recovery. He finished up his football career
at Michigan helping the Wolverines to
four-straight Big Ten titles and was an AllBig Ten honorable mention in 1993. More
importantly though, he finished his academic career. While Milia thrived on the
football field, his success in the classroom
was equally, if not more, impressive. And
that’s why he was able to go pro. He beDave Ranney ‘05
came a doctor.
Milia went on to earn his MD from the University of
Michigan and is currently an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports-related procedures. He’s one of many Alumni who have taken the lessons and skills — and plenty of
struggles — garnered through a Brother Rice education
and used them to fulfill a career in medicine. A uniqueness
to this Brother Rice education is the school’s desire and
ability to improve on the “soul, mind, and body” of every
single student.
While Milia praises his educational development at
Brother Rice in regard to time management and study
habits, he specifically noted the grueling workload of Mr.
McDunn’s Honors English class. He also appreciates the
development that came from competitive athletics.
“I discovered that the focus and determination I developed in high school as a student athlete gave me an
advantage over my fellow med students. Medicine is a
competitive environment that requires more than just intelligence. Hard work and focus helps get a med student
through the hundreds of hours of study. I felt well prepared for the 10 years of training required for Orthopedic
Surgery.”
Milia took a unique road to becoming a doctor. Another
graduate, Dave Ranney ‘05, also went pro in medicine.
,
Coming to Brother Rice from Groves, Ranney dedicated
his time to music under the instruction of current music
teacher Dean DiPierro. He went to the University of Michigan for undergrad and medical school. Currently, Ranney
Brian Hainline ‘74
is a general surgery resident at the prestigious Duke University Medical Center in Durham.
Ranney’s time in Ann Arbor included volunteer work
at the University of Michigan Hospital, working for an
ambulance company, performing music at small venues
and surgical research. To call him a well-rounded student
would not do his outside-of-the-classroom activities justice, all while balancing the rigorous chemical engineering curriculum. Ranney credits his time at Brother Rice for
helping him adapt traits that would prove to be important
throughout his post-high school education.
“Brother Rice positively reinforced personal characteristics that are valued in my profession such as honesty,
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