Dr. Michael Koch's Dedicated Four Decades of Service, Teaching and Mentoring
After a prolific 42-year career, almost half that as chair of the Department of Pathology at the Sanford School of Medicine, Dr. Michael Koch can take credit for copious amounts of valuable contributions in educating and mentoring 20 classes of medical school students.
At the SSOM, Dr. Koch was vital to the Department of Pathology. He was a major architect of the successful Pillar I curriculum, instrumental in doubling available resident positions and crucial in establishing the endowed Richard Jaqua Excellence in Pathology Scholarship.
After an undergraduate degree in mining engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, Dr. Koch’s career plans deviated to medicine, and after completing graduate-level requisites for medical school, he graduated summa cum laude from the USD School of Medicine in 1986. His training was a general surgery internship at Keesler Air Force Base and a pathology residency at SSOM.
Dr. Koch’s decorated military career in the United States Air Force spanned five years, and he worked his way up to the rank of major, serving at Ellsworth, Minot and Keesler Air Force Bases and participating in several deployments, including one to the Middle East during the Gulf War. Positions of staff pathologist and pathology lab director in Atlanta, Georgia, Fargo, North Dakota, and Sanford Health in South Dakota round out his dossier; he’d return to the SSOM in 2002 to take the position of associate professor and chair of pathology. Since the early 2000s, Dr. Koch used his private pilot licensure to fly to remote locations in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota, providing teaching, outreach and mentoring across the state and beyond.
SSOM classmate Dr. Craig Uthe described his longtime colleague’s career as successful, student-focused and highly educational, and said he was an incredible resource for others. “The work he did seemed effortless,” said Dr. Uthe. “He was born for this career. I’m sure he put work into it, but we never saw that part of it.”
Other honors and accomplishments over the years for Dr. Koch include serving as founder and advisor of the Student Club for Ongoing Pathological Education; numerous Golden Apple and Basic Science Teacher of the Year awards; the 2014 Outstanding SSOM Alumnus for his teaching efforts; nearly 50 peer reviewed articles published and nearly 1,000 citations in pathology literature. He was granted professor emeritus status by the University of South Dakota upon retirement. Dr. Koch has been board certified by the American Board of Pathology in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology since 1996.
Dr. Tim Ridgway, dean of the SSOM, worked with Dr. Koch for the past 16 years. “Dr. Koch’s impact on students who came through these doors cannot be overstated,” he said. “I was fortunate to witness the transformation of learners who benefited from his dedicated and passionate approach to teaching foundational and clinical pathology. He will be missed by all of us.”
With a decidedly influential career in the rearview, Dr. Koch will turn to spending time with family, hunting, fishing, flying and restoring motorcycles and cars, all activities he enjoys that have been on the back burner. A Lake Preston, South Dakota, native, Dr. Koch and his wife, Mary, raised their four children in Sioux Falls.
The Sanford School of Medicine, and all who learned at the side of Dr. Koch, are thankful for his steadfast service and leadership.
“If I am remembered for something, I hope it’s my interest in and support of the students,” Dr. Koch said. “Hopefully I made a difference. It’s been a great adventure, and truly satisfying.”
After an undergraduate degree in mining engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, Dr. Koch’s career plans deviated to medicine, and after completing graduate-level requisites for medical school, he graduated summa cum laude from the USD School of Medicine in 1986. His training was a general surgery internship at Keesler Air Force Base and a pathology residency at SSOM.
Dr. Koch’s decorated military career in the United States Air Force spanned five years, and he worked his way up to the rank of major, serving at Ellsworth, Minot and Keesler Air Force Bases and participating in several deployments, including one to the Middle East during the Gulf War. Positions of staff pathologist and pathology lab director in Atlanta, Georgia, Fargo, North Dakota, and Sanford Health in South Dakota round out his dossier; he’d return to the SSOM in 2002 to take the position of associate professor and chair of pathology. Since the early 2000s, Dr. Koch used his private pilot licensure to fly to remote locations in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota, providing teaching, outreach and mentoring across the state and beyond.
SSOM classmate Dr. Craig Uthe described his longtime colleague’s career as successful, student-focused and highly educational, and said he was an incredible resource for others. “The work he did seemed effortless,” said Dr. Uthe. “He was born for this career. I’m sure he put work into it, but we never saw that part of it.”
Other honors and accomplishments over the years for Dr. Koch include serving as founder and advisor of the Student Club for Ongoing Pathological Education; numerous Golden Apple and Basic Science Teacher of the Year awards; the 2014 Outstanding SSOM Alumnus for his teaching efforts; nearly 50 peer reviewed articles published and nearly 1,000 citations in pathology literature. He was granted professor emeritus status by the University of South Dakota upon retirement. Dr. Koch has been board certified by the American Board of Pathology in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology since 1996.
Dr. Tim Ridgway, dean of the SSOM, worked with Dr. Koch for the past 16 years. “Dr. Koch’s impact on students who came through these doors cannot be overstated,” he said. “I was fortunate to witness the transformation of learners who benefited from his dedicated and passionate approach to teaching foundational and clinical pathology. He will be missed by all of us.”
With a decidedly influential career in the rearview, Dr. Koch will turn to spending time with family, hunting, fishing, flying and restoring motorcycles and cars, all activities he enjoys that have been on the back burner. A Lake Preston, South Dakota, native, Dr. Koch and his wife, Mary, raised their four children in Sioux Falls.
The Sanford School of Medicine, and all who learned at the side of Dr. Koch, are thankful for his steadfast service and leadership.
“If I am remembered for something, I hope it’s my interest in and support of the students,” Dr. Koch said. “Hopefully I made a difference. It’s been a great adventure, and truly satisfying.”
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