Biography

I am a first-generation American born and college graduate, medical student that has a passion for surgery and health equity. It is with great honor and privilege that I am able to serve my community and institution as a researcher and future physician, when my family comes from rural Mexican towns of less than 3,000 people. I did not always believe I belonged in secondary education, let alone become a physician despite my ultimate desire, enlisting into the military out of high school. One of the many valuable lessons I learned in the military was that life is too short to tell myself no before giving myself a fair shot. In community college, I designed a study with the goal of exposing tardigrade gametes to near space conditions and testing their viability upon their return to Earth. This research helped me achieve one of my life-long dreams of conducting research for NASA, where I was invited for an internship at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory investigating electron tunneling in carbon nano tubes. Soon after, I transferred to Northeastern State University where I participated in nano-technology research focusing on silica nano particles. My life outside of academics was often full, working full-time to help support my family. For leisure, my passion for physical fitness and my heritage led me to pursue becoming the best boxer I could be, fighting as an amateur during my undergraduate years. After graduating, I had the privilege to achieve another life-long dream of getting into medical school. I am truly grateful for all the support I have gotten, as I could not be here if not for the amazing people I have been blessed to meet. Looking to the future, I am working towards achieving my other life-long dream of becoming a surgeon. Thank you.