Katie Schultis’ father shows her the way

Katie Schultis got her education in the state where she grew up.

And now she’ll continue her education in the place that gave her father a life-prolonging kidney transplant.

Schultis, 26, will receive her degree Saturday during UNMC’s commencement before heading to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to continue her medical training in urology residency.

She’ll celebrate with her mom and three siblings, but graduation will be bittersweet, she said, without her father, who was her biggest supporter and cheerleader. He died last April.

“Graduation will be hard without him here because he was just so proud of me,” Schultis said. “(Matching at Mayo Clinic) was exactly what I wanted and kind of a culmination of everything I’ve been working toward.”

Schultis’ father, Aaron, was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease when Schultis was 15.

Schultis, who grew up in Diller, Nebraska, saw firsthand the challenges rural Nebraskans face when it comes to seeking medical care. It took longer for her father to get appointments, and he was faced with longer drives to meet specialists.

Schultis already knew she was interested in science, but her father’s experience sparked her interest in medicine.  

Not only did Schultis glean insight into the patient experience from her father’s journey, she also learned from him as a person and auctioneer. She inherited his ability to speak quickly and his sense of humor. She also learned his people skills as she saw him comfort grieving families while organizing estate sales for their loved ones.

“He was so compassionate. In every situation, he was the perfect role model and example for me,” she said. “He was the nicest guy ever. Part of my wanting to help people comes from seeing him interact with others.”

Schultis enrolled in the Kearney Health Opportunities Program in high school. She had previously thought medical school was out of reach, but the program made it clear that it could become reality.

In her undergraduate career at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Schultis became involved in student senate. She carried that passion on to UNMC and became student senate president.

“I had some experience working with students and administrators from my time at UNK. Instead of waiting for change, I’ve always wanted to help people by helping make the change,” she said. “I love UNMC, but I saw potential for positive change, and I’ve really appreciated and enjoyed the opportunities to take the voices of those around me and amplify them and advocate for them.”

Schultis plans to come back to Nebraska after her time in Rochester. It may take some “soul searching” to find work that both fulfills her and serves the state, she said.

“Being from rural Nebraska and having been through a difficult rural health care journey with my dad, I have a soft spot in my heart for rural patients,” Schultis said. “It’s something I’ve carried with me since it was my initial driver into medicine. No matter where I am or what I’m doing, I want to be serving rural patients and populations.”