News
Classmates continue their journey together
Scott Wagar
04/07/2015
Two Bottineau High School graduates who have attended school together through the majority of their formal education will now become residents together at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Bianca Lamb and Andy Mills, 2007 Bottineau High School graduates, will graduate together from the University of North Dakota Medical School this spring and will then conduct their residencies at Mayo Clinic.
For Lamb and Mills, who were classmates in Bottineau through grades K through 12, and then in medical school at Grand Forks, are now excited to be together once again at Mayo Clinic.
“This is just amazing. I always knew Andy would be successful in his career and it has been so fun to go through this process with someone I’ve been friends with for so long,” Lamb said.
“Andy is a one-of-a-kind guy. He is in the top of our medical school class and matched into one of the most competitive, if not the hardest specialty, yet you would never hear him even mention any of it. He might be a little embarrassed if you put that in the paper, but he truly deserves the recognition,” she added.
“Having known Bianca since I can remember, I think it is exciting to be conducting our residency training at the Mayo Clinic together,” Mills said.
“Having grown up together, attending grade school, middle school, junior high and high school together; we have shared many memories throughout the years,” he continued.
“After high school, we attended different undergraduate schools only to be brought back together in medical school. In thinking of the odds, it is truly remarkable to be still going to the same place after so many different transitions. It will be very welcoming moving to Rochester, Minn., knowing Bianca as well as several other of my medical school classmates who will be training there as well,” Mills stated.
After graduating from BHS, Lamb attended Texas A&M where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in animal science in 2011.
“I decided I wanted to leave North Dakota after high school and ride on the NCAA equestrian team for Texas A&M University,” Lamb said. “I loved Texas, but knew I wanted to come back to North Dakota for medical school, which was a great decision for me as the quality of my medical education has been exceptional.”
Mills attended UND where he earned a double major in biology and the honors program with a minor in chemistry.
At Mayo Clinic, Lamb will conduct her residency in general pediatric training, and is considering specializing in neonatology, which would be an additional three more years, which she hopes will take place at Mayo Clinic if she decides to specialize in neonatology.
Mills will have a six year residency in reconstructive plastic surgery and is considering a fellowship in hand surgery which would take an additional year at Mayo Clinic.
Lamb and Mills said that they feels blessed to be at Mayo Clinic with a longtime classmate and close friend.
“I’m excited to be going to the Mayo Clinic with Andy. Andy and I have a great relationship that started with us as little tykes playing in the dirt,” Lamb said. “I’m quick to tell people that Andy used to chase me with snakes in cross country practice (He defends himself by saying he only wanted to help me run faster) and we still have that relationship where we give each other a hard time, but I know I can talk to Andy about anything and have a great conversation.”
“I am very excited to have a high school classmate joining me at Mayo Clinic. It will be very nice to have a familiar face down there and hope that we will stay close as we will soon be physician colleagues together,” Mills said.
“Throughout medical school, Bianca and I have remained close. It was always great to reminisce our high school days as well as talking about what new was happening in Bottineau and trying to keep up with our old high school classmates. It really was an outstanding experience sharing my journey through medical school with a close friend whom I have know essentially my entire life,” he stated.
As they begin their residency at Mayo Clinic, Lamb and Mills have already started thinking about their lives outside of their residency.
“Many years and decisions stand between now and where Andy and I will actually settle down, but who knows. Maybe we will continue this trend of following each other around and end up practicing in the same North Dakota town,” Lamb said.
“Once residency training is done, I plan on returning back to North Dakota and hope to be living as close to Bottineau as I can,” Mills said. “I also hope that I will be able to set up an out reach clinic with St. Andrew’s Hospital in the future to not only help the community of Bottineau, but to also come back to enjoy and experience the town that I call home.”
No matter where Lamb and Mills end up in life as physicians, one thing is certain, they will have an eternal friendship that will keep their heartstrings attached to one another whether they live on the same block or around the world from one another. Their close friendship will keep them together.