Member of the Month

Through our featured Member of the Month, MAFP shares the experiences of members via a question-and-answer format to highlight their qualities and career pathways and showcase the variety of practice settings open to family physicians. To be featured, click the button below to answer 12 questions about yourself. Selected members will be contacted by MAFP. Questions? Email [email protected].

Member of the Month Submission »

October 2023

Nikolaus Fulbright, MD

Meet Nikolaus Fulbright, MD, an active physician with nine years of experience in family medicine. He currently practices at Ascension Providence Hospital in Southfield and South Lyon, with a focus on academic residency practice.

Dr. Fulbright attended Wayne State University Medical School from 2007 to 2011 and completed his residency at the William Beaumont Hospital Troy Family Medicine Residency Program from 2011 to 2014. In his outpatient practice in downtown South Lyon he supervises residents, teaches dermoscopy, and has a special interest in dermatology and dermatologic procedures. He also rounds in Ascension Providence Hospital in Southfield with resident teams and chairs recruitment efforts. His career inspiration stems from primary care physician and educator role models, including David Rodgers, MD, who guided him in academic family medicine.

Which practice settings/types have you experienced throughout your career? My current practice is located in downtown South Lyon, where I serve a suburban-to-rural community with a focus on outpatient care. In this role, I supervise residents and oversee our procedural curriculum while practicing and teaching dermoscopy. Although we offer a wide range of outpatient care, I have a specific passion for dermatology and dermatologic procedures.

For inpatient medicine, I round in Ascension Providence Hospital in Southfield with our resident teams. I previously rounded individually for our practice in the Providence Park Novi Hospital as well to serve our patient population. I also chair our recruitment efforts, which keeps me in contact with our local medical schools and provides opportunities to attend many of the MAAFP events across the state.

What led you to a career in family medicine and was your path inspired by a particular person or event? Very early in my life, I knew that I wanted to enter medicine as a career. I gained inspiration from various role models, including my primary care physician, teachers in high school, and instructors in medical school and residency. One person in particular who was a consistent positive force in this journey was David Rodgers, MD. Dr. Rodgers led small group sessions throughout my medical school training and provided much perspective on a career in academic family medicine.

What has been the most unique aspect/experience of your practice or training thus far? Learning how to best reach out to and teach the different learning styles and personalities of the students and residents we work alongside.

What advice would you give your student or resident self? There are a lot of paths you can choose in Family Medicine. Find the paths that interest you and provide meaning. Then, chase those paths.

What is one professional skill you're currently working on? Leadership within the healthcare system

Why is it important for you to be a member of MAFP & AAFP? Membership provides academic and social opportunities that are consistently beneficial. CME opportunities are provided that help with required aspects of learning. It also offers numerous opportunities to maintain contact with colleagues and other Residency Programs.

What book/podcast/Neflix series are you currently enjoying? Fairy Tale, a novel by Stephen King.

If you could choose one superpower, what would it be? Fast Healing — Fits well with a career in medicine!

Is there anything else you would like everyone to know about you? Pursuing a career in academic medicine has been every bit as rewarding as I could've hoped. While I get to see my own patient panel, I also have the opportunity to provide feedback to and teach learning physicians almost daily. These are both duties that come with a lot of responsibility but a great deal of reward as well. This certainly also ensures that I have to stay on the forefront of evidence-based medicine techniques in a teaching role. It also provides a great deal of social interaction. Individual practice can, at times, limit this with all of the expectations given to a physician. However, I relish the opportunity to practice in all of these capacities and try to pay forward the positive experiences I have had in my training.