Doctor Duet

On a desk in Dickinson, ND, there are two framed acceptance letters from the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences.  Joel Blanchard, M.D., is the proud father of two current medical students. 

Richelle Blanchard is a third-year medical student, studying at the medical school's Southeast Campus in Fargo and Miran Blanchard is a first-

year medical student.

The siblings grew up around medicine and discovered their passion for it at an early age.  Born in Canada, the Blanchards lived in Saskatchewan until moving to Dickinson in 1992.                    

Joel, who was a family practitioner in Canada, provided emergency room care in Dickinson for 14 years.  He recently joined the Medcenter One Walk-in Clinic North in Bismarck.  

"When we lived in Canada, our dad was always so busy that on weekends we would spend time with him while he was reading ECGs," remembers Miran.  "We always tried to

guess if they were normal or not and to show him what wasn't normal in them.  We were probably five to eight years old." 

"You could tell that he really liked what he did," remembers Richelle of her father's career as a physician.

"People would stop us in the store to say hello to him and send us cookies, all because he was their doctor." 

"It is not unusual to have siblings going through medical school within a few years of each other," said Judy DeMers, associate dean for student affairs.                          

"There is often times a family influence in medicine and the first sibling's interest clears a path for the other sibling to develop their own interest." 

Still, the siblings agree that neither their father nor their mother, Marie-Anne, who was a nurse herself, pressured them to go into medicine.

"It was just a natural interest for us," explains Richelle.  "We would go to medical explorers classes… anything where we could learn more about medicine." 

DeMers said having an older sibling who has just been through what you are going through has its benefits.

"They have someone to go to about format or types of possible exam questions, the ideal order for their clerkships, what to expect in interviews and what residencies to look at," she said. 

Miran has reaped the benefits of having a sister just two years ahead of him in medical school. 

"You know what to expect," he said.  "If I have a question I can always ask her and get a better idea of what I'm heading into." 

The siblings’ similarities continue beyond medicine.  Both graduated from UND with Bachelor of Science degrees, Richelle in 2004 majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry and Miran in 2006 majoring in chemistry and biology with minor in anthropology.  Both have studied the piano extensively, traveled and studied abroad and have well-rounded educations overall. 

"They are the whole package of what medical schools look for," said DeMers about both Blanchard siblings.  "A varied background in the liberal arts is important because most doctors have to relate closely to patients.  Having a variety of experiences, like Miran and Richelle do, supports your under-standing of what is happening in the world." 

But wait… there's more.  One more, actually.  The youngest Blanchard, Stephane, will be a freshman at UND in the fall and it seems dad could be adding one more framed UND medical school acceptance letter to his desk someday. 

-Amanda Scurry

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