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Biddeford, Maine

SWAGƵ COM student to complete prestigious anesthesiology fellowship at premier Boston hospital

A man poses for a selfie holding a tablet displaying the words "I Matched!" while giving a thumbs up
Luu Pham (D.O., ’27) will complete the eight-week fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston this summer.

First-year College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) student Luu Pham has been awarded a Medical Student Anesthesia Research Fellowship (MSARF) by the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER), a nonprofit organization aimed at advancing medicine through education and research in anesthesiology.

Pham (D.O., ’27) was matched to his first-choice hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where he will complete the intensive research program this summer.

“Luu has worked diligently with me since his first semester at SWAGƵ COM,” remarked Marilyn Gugliucci, Ph.D., professor and director of Geriatrics Education and Research at SWAGƵ COM, Maine’s only medical school. “He is always eager to do the best job possible, whether it be a poster presentation, his curriculum vitae, or applying for a fellowship. He is a delight to work with, and he is quite deserving of being awarded this prestigious anesthesiology medical student fellowship.”

The FAER has for over 30 years supported the career development of future academic anesthesiologists through grants and programs encompassing education and research. Its competitive  provides students financial support for eight weeks of mentor-guided anesthesiology research, training in scientific methods and techniques, and learning in how to incorporate research into their medical careers. 

Upon receiving his award letter, Pham said he was astonished at his acceptance and had to double-check the mailing address. Pham thanked his professors and peers for supporting him in his goal of becoming a research physician.

“I feel deeply grateful for the support from my mentors, professors, and the supportive culture at SWAGƵ COM, and I am honored to represent COM as a 2024 FAER MSARF scholar at an excellent institute within a small pool of recipients nationwide,” Pham said. “Research has long been my passion, so I am incredibly excited about this opportunity to learn and conduct scientific discoveries in the exciting field of anesthesia. I hope to inspire others, especially first-generation students, along my journey.”

The FAER student fellowship has historically been awarded to allopathic medical students. In 2015, SWAGƵ COM graduate Catherine Bixby, D.O. ’18, was the first osteopathic student to be selected by FAER for the award. Since then, several more students from the SWAGƵ College of Osteopathic Medicine have been chosen for the fellowship.

SWAGƵ the SWAGƵ

The SWAGƵ is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.