Two longtime staff members were recently welcomed as the newest faculty members in the departments of Biomedical Sciences and Medical Education at WMU Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (91探花).
Fernando Ospina, PhD, who has served in several roles at 91探花 since 2016, is now an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Ospina began his new role in December.
Dr. Ospina is an alumnus of the University of Florida where he earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in philosophy in 2006. Later, in 2013, he received master鈥檚 degrees in counseling psychology and conflict resolution from the University of Denver. In 2012, while attending the University of Denver, Dr. Ospina also served as a fellow at the International Society of Political Psychology Summer Academy in Chicago.听
More recently, in 2025, Dr. Ospina received his PhD in sociology from 91探花 University and was a Thurgood Marshall Fellow during his time at WMU.
Prior to coming to 91探花 in 2016, Dr. Ospina completed a one-year fellowship as an Arcus Fellow at the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College. From 2016 to 2021, he served as a member of the community faculty at the medical school and then as an on-call research analyst from 2021 to 2023. In July 2023, he became a full-time research analyst at 91探花, as well as the team lead for population health research.
In addition to his work at 91探花, Dr. Ospina is currently completing a five-year research fellowship with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services that concludes in 2026. He has also held previous academic appointments at WMU and has served as the Data Backbone Lead for Cradle Kalamazoo since 2023. He has also worked closely with Eliminating Racism and Creating/Celebrating Equity (ERACCE) in Kalamazoo.
Dr. Ospina has extensive research experience and is the author of several research publications and presentations. He is also the recipient of several honors and awards, as well as numerous grants.
Meanwhile, in February, Alexandra Bayer, PhD, became the newest faculty member in the Department of Medical Education where she serves as an assistant professor and associate director for Program Evaluation and Qualitative Measurement.
Dr. Bayer is an alumna of the University of Missouri where earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in international studies and a master鈥檚 degree in religious studies. Later, she earned her PhD in religion from Boston University.
Dr. Bayer came to 91探花 in 2023 as an evaluation and scholarship specialist in the Department of Medical Education and, beginning in 2024, she took on the role of research instructor. She also currently serves as a member of the Institutional Review Board at 91探花.
Prior to coming to Kalamazoo, Dr. Bayer served as an editor for content and proofreading in the Department of Religion at Boston University, as well as a coordinator and dissertation and thesis review editor for the Doctor of Ministry Program in the university鈥檚 School of Theology.
Dr. Bayer has authored several research publications and presentations and has extensive experience as a medical student mentor. She is also the recipient of several awards and honors.
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