Alumni
Wake Tech Alum Ready to Treat Patients
Michael Denning Begins Career as Pediatrician
RALEIGH, N.C. (May 6, 2025) - Michael Denning, Wake Tech graduate, is now Dr. Michael Denning, pediatrician!
Denning graduates on May 9 from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University (ECU). He'll begin his pediatric residency at the Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C., in June.
"My goal has always been to work with kids in pediatrics, so I am very excited to be going to Children's National to spend the next three years honing my skills," Denning said.
His impressive path to medical school started as a student at Wake Early College of Health and Sciences. There, he took Wake Tech classes and graduated with a high school diploma and Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees, as well as a Certified Nursing Assistant credential. Next, he went on to ECU, where he earned a bachelor's degree in public health studies and an MBA before earning a second master's degree in public health from Columbia University.
Denning has had a laser focus on his dream to become a doctor since he was teenager. He says he's grateful for the support of his parents, family and friends, as well as the many mentors at Wake Tech and ECU who encouraged him to seek his passion.
"There was never a push from my parents for me to go into medicine," he said. "They were a good mixture of hands on, hands off, and that gave me the space to choose my path. Their advice was for me to find a career that pays the bills, makes me happy, is something I'm passionate about and has an impact on someone else's life."
Denning describes medical school as challenging but not hard. "Things that are challenging will stretch you and can be accomplished," he says. "Things that are hard have the possibility of being impossible."
In addition to the rigors of his studies, he also navigated significant personal adversity during medical school. He lost his mother to breast cancer, and several close relatives also battled serious health conditions.
Denning says those trials helped him learn how to lean on others for support when he needed it most.
"One of the biggest things I recognized during this time is that it's OK to ask for help," he said. "I think a lot of students, especially high-achieving students, are used to figuring things out on their own. And that's something I had to learn. The things I was going through were not normal things. Nobody is super-human, and being able to recognize that there are resources there to support you is so important."
He says the most rewarding experience during medical school was serving as curriculum representative for his class, an opportunity that allowed him to advocate for students' needs.
"I was able to delve into medical education and get a better understanding of how medical schools function and administrators make decisions," he said.
That valuable experience will serve Denning well at Children's National, where he is part of the Leadership in Advocacy Under-resourced Communities and Health Equity (LAUnCH) track. In addition to gaining a comprehensive pediatric clinical experience, he'll also participate in community-based training focused on improving the health of under-resourced children.
"We take time to work on community engagement projects centered around advocacy in the pediatric population," he said. "For me, my interests are injury prevention, gun safety and sexual health. I'm very excited because being able to learn how to be an advocate in the nation's capital is an awesome opportunity."
Denning says his math and writing foundation, as well as study techniques he learned at Wake Tech, have been vital for his success in medical school.
"My education at Wake Tech was rigorous, and if you can make it through Wake Tech, you can make it anywhere," he said. "The expectation set by the faculty and staff at Wake Tech is one of excellence and continuous learning. I was genuinely much more prepared to come to medical school than many of my classmates, and I attribute that to the high standards and expectations of Wake Tech."
He encourages students to soak in all the knowledge and opportunities while at Wake Tech.
"Dream big and recognize that this is a stepping stone for you to be able to accomplish anything you set your mind to," he said. "Lean into everyone you meet, ask the hard questions and seek opportunities."
Denning's big dream is to grow as a health care leader and to one day become the surgeon general of the United States. In the meantime, he's looking forward to practicing in his field.
"I just can't wait to take care of kids," he said. "My goal is to be a consummate pediatrician, so I'm so excited to be able to walk into a patient's room, smile and continue to learn."
