University of Iowa student Tyler Draayer came to campus from Lawton, Iowa, expecting great academics. He discovered so much more.
Story: Sara Epstein Moninger
Photography: Justin Torner
Published: Feb. 2, 2026
Tyler Draayer knew he could count on the University of Iowa to prepare him for a successful medical career. What he didn’t expect was how fully his student experience would shape him — in the classroom, in the lab, with patients, and even onstage with his violin.
A native of Lawton, Iowa, Draayer had never been to Iowa City before he enrolled as a biology major and chemistry minor on the pre-med track. Nearly four years later, he’s immersed himself in opportunities that have stretched his skills far beyond the classroom — from mentoring fellow students and working with patients, to conducting groundbreaking research.
“What sets a good doctor apart, especially today, is the ability to communicate and teach clearly about medicine,” he says.
He’s honed his own teaching skills as a peer mentor in the UI Honors Program, where he helps other students master challenging course material. He’s also gained real-world medical perspectives as a patient care technician in University of Iowa Health Care’s neuroscience unit, a role that has allowed him to refine his bedside manner.
In addition, Draayer contributes to important research as an undergraduate assistant in Karen Cyndari’s lab. The team investigates how the immune system responds within the joint space during infectious and inflammatory arthritis. They examine how osteoarthritis may be linked to degranulating cells, providing major implications for joint space health.
“I had no idea what research was going to be like when I first came here, but I found a lab that I absolutely adore,” says Draayer.
Cyndari, who is an assistant professor of emergency medicine in the UI Carver College of Medicine, with secondary appointments in immunology and epidemiology, has become an important mentor for Draayer as he prepares to apply to medical school.
“Tyler brings his curiosity and focus to the lab,” she says. “He came to me not just to learn techniques, but to do meaningful work that could one day lead to improved patient outcomes.”
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Draayer, a lifelong violinist, brings this same level of focus to his Iowa musical performances. In spite of his jam-packed schedule, he still finds time to perform with the Campus Symphony Orchestra, finding it “relaxing and therapeutic.”
Draayer loves the campus community so much that the first medical school application he plans to submit will be to Iowa. For him, the university has been more than a place to study — it has been a place to grow.
“I grew up in a very small town, with a graduating class of about 50, so coming to Iowa City was a pretty big adjustment,” he says. “But I didn’t feel like I was stepping onto a different planet. Iowa brings together people from everywhere, and it has given me opportunities to discover who I want to be as a doctor.”