RVU Alumni Return to Mentor the Next Generation of Physicians
At some point along their journey to becoming a physician, every medical student asks themselves, “Which medical specialty should I choose?” While some medical students may arrive at medical school certain which specialty is the one for them, many find that question difficult to answer.
That’s where Networking in Medicine comes in.
On Thursday, September 24, the Denver Osteopathic Foundation (DOF) hosted its fifth annual Networking in Medicine event at Rocky Vista University’s Colorado campus (RVU-CO).
This year’s event was the biggest yet: 61 RVU medical students and 14 physicians across eight specialties gathered for an evening centered on one idea: the fastest way to picture which medical specialty is the right one for them is to talk to someone already practicing it.
What Networking in Medicine Looks Like
The evening opened with a cocktail reception, then transitioned to the event’s signature format, “Speed Dating – Medical Style.” Students were organized into small groups and rotated among physicians representing the specialties they were most curious about, trading questions and stories in quick succession. 14 physicians spanning eight specialties took part this year, including two RVU alumni, Bobby Petro, DO ’14, CAQ-Sports Medicine, and Lee Rosacci, DO ’13, both DOF Board members; Matt Marrington, DO, also a DOF Board member and RVU faculty member; Joey Stasio, DO, FACOFP; and former RVU President David Forstein, DO, FACOOG.
“I went into the physician networking event mostly curious about what residency actually looks like, and I came out with a much clearer picture,” said Ryan Liu, OMS-I. “One emergency medicine attending discussed the unpredictability of her shifts and why she loves them, while an anesthesiology attending walked me through how competitive matching is and what she did early on to strengthen her application. Hearing about the day-to-day, including call schedules, how they handle burnout, and what they’d do differently, made specialties feel less like abstract labels and more like real lives I could picture myself in. As a first-year, I don’t have to have it all figured out yet, but I left with a better sense of what questions to ask.”
“[It was] one of the best networking events I’ve been a part of, and I think that says something coming from finance,” said Adam Newcomb, OMS-I. “The doctors were energetic and very willing to share insight and wisdom across various specialties and topics. All the doctors were highly engaged, and the conversations were high yield for career advice. I’d recommend it to any medical student who has the opportunity to attend.”
Where It Started
Networking in Medicine was the vision of two RVU medical students, Meredith Ware, DO ‘24, and Alyssa Inge, DO ‘25, who served as student representatives on the DOF Board. They saw that students needed more opportunities to explore different specialties and build relationships with physicians early in their training, and set out to create one.
The event originally launched as an ongoing mentorship program, pairing students with physicians over an extended period. After a few years, DOF leadership found that sustaining those long-term pairings was difficult to manage, and the event evolved into its current format: a single evening built around real conversation rather than an open-ended commitment. Student representatives on the DOF Board have shaped the event every year since, helping ensure it keeps pace with what RVU students are looking for.
What We Hope Students Take With Them
“We are grateful to all the physicians who generously shared their time, knowledge, and experiences and helped make this year’s event such a success,” said Julie Collett, RDH, executive director of the Denver Osteopathic Foundation.
“As someone who does not come from medicine, this journey can feel isolating,” reflected Nico Tenorio, OMS-I. “Yet the reason I cannot picture myself doing anything else in my life is that I found my people. I found my kind of quirky people who come from all sorts of backgrounds and converge in the world of patient care. I was expecting to learn about medicine, and instead I heard some of the most beautiful stories from those who have lived their lives and built their careers. I found that we are as human as we are doctors.”
“I participate in events like this because I have the desire to give back and help enhance students’ medical school experience,” said Dr. Petro. “It brings me joy, reignites my passion for medicine, and reminds me of all the great times I had at RVUCOM as a student myself.”
DOF’s hope is that the relationships formed in a single evening outlast the evening itself, providing students with lasting connections, guidance, and inspiration as they continue their journey into medicine.
To learn more about what types of specialties RVU graduates have chosen, check out our residency placements by year or our Match Day 2026 coverage. Visit Peak News & Stories on the RVU website to read more about the learning opportunities available to RVU students.