Dr. Emily R.

Before attending medical school, Dr. Reeson graduated summa cum laude with a BS in neuroscience and a departmental award for exceptional performance from Creighton University. She was awarded the competitive, paid Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship by the Creighton University Chemistry Department and was elected into Alpha Sigma Nu and the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Her undergraduate work was supported by multiple travel research scholarships, allowing her to present her findings at scientific meetings and gain early exposure to academic medicine. Dr. Reeson also held a paid research position within Nebraska Medicine’s Department of Neurological Sciences, where she studied the neurobiology of children with hearing loss. This experience strengthened her foundation in translational research and reinforced her interest in clinically meaningful, outcomes-driven scholarship.

As a medical student, Dr. Reeson was selected for a highly competitive, paid research fellowship within Stanford Medicine’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, where she developed advanced skills in clinical research design, data analysis, and academic writing—skills that allowed her to rapidly transition to independently leading research projects. Dr. Reeson received numerous awards in medical school, including the Creighton University School of Medicine Academic Merit Scholarship, the Medical Dean’s Magis Scholarship Award, and the Ruth Jackson Orthopaedic Society Medical Student Scholarship Award.

As a medical student at Creighton University School of Medicine–Phoenix Campus, Dr. Reeson conducted extensive research across orthopedic surgery, urology, general surgery, and biomedical engineering. She collaborated with Arizona State University, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Mayo Clinic Arizona, and Creighton University School of Medicine, leading projects from concept and IRB approval through data analysis, manuscript preparation, and submission. Her work has resulted in numerous first-author publications in top-tier, peer-reviewed journals and multiple awards for podium and poster presentations at both local and national scientific meetings. Her research aptitude was recognized early by faculty mentors, one of whom described her as “a medical student operating at a level far beyond most residents.”

Dr. Reeson has over 20 publications in multiple journals, including the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, the Journal of Urology, the American Journal of Surgery, and others. She has been the Lead Author on four published articles, four currently under review, and eight ongoing research projects. She also won First-Place Poster at the Association of Women Surgeons Southwest Regional Conference. 

Dr. Reeson has led and supervised more than 15 research projects and is deeply passionate about mentoring students pursuing research, particularly those aiming for competitive specialties or training at institutions with limited research infrastructure. Having navigated these challenges, she excels at helping students develop high-yield research questions, design feasible studies, write publication-ready manuscripts, and successfully present their work. Her greatest strength as a research mentor is her ability to transform what often feels like an intimidating research process into straightforward, achievable goals, using language accessible to beginners. Her mentorship philosophy centers on meeting students exactly where they are—regardless of prior research experience—and providing the structure, clarity, and support needed to succeed.

Dr. Reeson has mentored numerous students in research and is highly attuned to the challenges novice researchers face. Students she has mentored have been accepted to multiple prestigious medical institutions, including Creighton University School of Medicine, University of Iowa School of Medicine, Nebraska Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Loyola Chicago Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, the University of Kansas School of Medicine, and others. She has experience guiding students in research spanning topics in biomedical engineering, chemistry, and neuroscience.

Passionate about coaching students, Dr. Reeson understands the power of high-quality clinical research and the confidence it can instill early in a career. She is particularly committed to showing students that meaningful research productivity does not require stepping away from training for years at a time. Having successfully integrated research into her undergraduate education, medical school, and residency without delaying her career, she is an expert in helping students build sustainable research productivity within demanding schedules.