Congratulations to senior Colin D’Hondt, accepted into the Michigan State University Future DOcs program. The program, which is highly selective and accepts approximately 30 students in the 11th or 12th grade in the Macomb County area, begins on Saturday, February 4, 2023. The group will visit a different hospital each Saturday morning for four hours during the eight-week program, providing students with an interest in the medical field a “mini medical school” experience. 

The program, which began in 2011, is also run in the Lansing and Detroit areas. The MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine students, alumni, and faculty volunteer to serve as Future DOcs mentors. 

Counselor Tony Albani describes the program as “a great opportunity for those students interested in the medical field.” 

He adds, “It is wonderful that a student is so motivated to not only consider applying but also committing to the program.” 

D’Hondt plans to pursue a career in the medical field, possibly as an anesthesiologist. His interest stems from experiencing a medical issue as a child that resulted in a 30% hearing loss in one ear. 

“I have always wanted to be a doctor,” D’Hondt said. “I was exposed to the medical field early. I like the idea of helping people. And, like a sports team, a medical team works with people.”  

The application process included student-written essays and faculty recommendations, as well as information on the student’s grade point average (GPA) and class rank. Albani says D’Hondt is 19th in the Class of 2023 and has a 4.201 GPA.

D’Hondt has played football at De La Salle for four years and was a running back on the DLS varsity team. He also plays centerfield on the DLS baseball team. He is a member of the DLS Student Council, National Honor Society, Medical Club, Ambassador Club, and Link Crew. 

He has taken Advanced Placement Biology and Chemistry, as well as Calculus AB. He is enrolled this year in the AP Statistics class, described as useful for the eventual MCAT (Medical College Admission Test). 

D’Hondt attended Seneca Middle School (Chippewa Valley Schools), and lives in Macomb Township. His family belongs to the St. John Vianney Parish in Shelby Township. 

“My brother (Evan, Class of 2016) had such a good experience when he was here,” D’Hondt said. “That really opened my eyes. Even when he wasn’t here, I attended sporting events and talked to teachers. De La Salle felt like home.” 

DLS Assistant Principal Christopher Dean ‘89 has high praise for Colin.

"We are so proud to learn that Colin was accepted into such a prestigious program,” Dean said. “Whether in the classroom or on the playing field, Colin is one of the most reliable and dependable Pilots. This is exemplified by his 4.2 GPA and his family's legacy of support for De La Salle. I am very excited to see what the future holds for Colin as he pursues his next step."

D’Hondt has been accepted to Michigan State University and plans to apply to the Lyman Briggs Medical Scholars Program. The program requires students to maintain a 3.5 GPA for special consideration for the MSU Osteopathic Medicine program. 

He is also considering other universities and will make a final decision later this spring.