Dr. Jonathan Dompeling ’15: Finding the ‘Ideal Transition’ to Medical School

When Dr. Jonathan Dompeling ’15 was considering medical school, he turned to Dominican University to help him further prepare. 

After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from another university, Dompeling enrolled in Dominican’s post-baccalaureate medical studies program, which serves as an academic bridge between undergrad studies and graduate-level work in the health sciences. 

Dompeling called it the “ideal transition.” 

“I was able to study what I thought would be relevant for medical school, becoming a doctor, and using medical science in my job,” he said. It paid off. Dompeling now works as an emergency medicine physician in Topeka, Kansas. 

He admits that the calling to become a physician didn’t come with a “eureka moment.” 

“I went into undergrad thinking I wanted to participate in health sciences to some degree, but the path was unclear,” he said. “As I became more involved in health science through jobs and experiences, it solidified my decision.” 

At Dominican, Dompeling said he benefited from professors with varied backgrounds. 

“We had practicing doctors, academic professors, clinical psychologists,” he shared. “Learning with that interdisciplinary group was helpful because of how health care is structured in the U.S. You work with many different types of individuals, whether they are other doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers. It was helpful to get experience working with people from different backgrounds, but who all share a common goal of health care.”