Michael P. Go, PT, DPT and Laura Keyser, DPT, MPH were recognized at UCSF Alumni Weekend April 12-13. These alumni exemplify the spirit of UCSF, inspiring future generations to strive for excellence and make a difference in the world. Congratulations on their well-deserved recognition.
Michael P. Go: Alum of the Year
Dr. Go's journey epitomizes resilience and determination. Born into a family with deep roots in Oakland and pushed towards medicine, Dr. Go initially veered away from physical therapy. He jumped many hurdles, mostly because of discrimination. Despite holding degrees from UC Davis and UC Berkeley in economics and public health and hospital administration, he could not find employment in the 70's due to this ethnicity.
Introduced to the UCSF PT program by his cousin Valerie, a distinguished graduate, Dr. Go found his calling. Mentored by Joe Carlson, Dick Lewis, and Irene Gilbert, he was guided by values of integrity and compassion. Training at UCSF gave him an opportunity that led to a lifetime career in PT and he became the first Chinese male to have his own practice in SF.
Dr. Go's gratitude towards his mentors is reflected in his philanthropy, including endowing a scholarship in Irene Gilbert’s name supporting future generations of physical therapy students.
Congratulations on this well-deserved honor and thank you to Dr. Go for everything he does for our profession. Watch Dr. Go’s story of mentorship here.
Laura Keyser: Recipient of the UCSF Alumni Practitioner Award
Laura Keyser, DPT, MPH, completed a master’s and a doctorate at UCSF in 2008, and was recognized for her boundless clinical empathy, understanding, and caring.
As her mentor Kim Topp said, “Laura has a passion for the global health of children and mothers and has dedicated her life to service in communities with few resources.”
Dr. Keyser’s fascination with the human body began as a teenage ballet dancer and ultimately led her to pursue a career in physical therapy. She has committed herself to improving maternal health in underserved communities, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where she spent two years building PT programs and addressing obstetric fistula, a consequence of inadequate maternal healthcare. Her drive to help expand access to specialized PT services for women led her to co-found Mama LLC, which provides open-access training guides for women's PT in multiple languages and countries.
Explore more about Dr. Keyser’s global impact journey in this video.