Name: Alexandra Victoria Elizondo Hometown: San Antonio, TX Year in Medical School and Graduation Class Year: MS2, 2025 Undergraduate School:
Rice University
University of North Texas Health Science Center Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Do you serve on any student interest groups/organizations/activities? If so, which one(s)?
Minority Advancement in Medicine
Medical Students for Choice
Osler Prefect
Surgery Interest Group
Texas Medical Association Medical Student Section Region 3
Women's Health Interest Group
Walk with a Future Doc
What inspired you to become a doctor? When did you know you wanted to be a doctor?
I knew I wanted to be part of medicine at a young age, from the first time I volunteered in a medical setting at 7 years old. I used to go with my grandmother to the nursing home where she worked and spent nearly every year of my childhood volunteering there. It was specifically a nursing home for Catholic nuns and clergy, and I think growing up in that kind of environment helped me realize my call to serve wherever I can in the medical field. I grew up in a family of nurses and healthcare workers. Still, no doctors – inspired by my family and their commitments to my hometown, I knew I wanted to push myself as far as I could go and hopefully become our family’s first doctor and uphold the family legacy of serving.
Why did you choose UTRGV School of Medicine?
I decided on the UTRGV SOM for the recognized diversity of its students, its commitment to serving those experiencing health disparities in the RGV, its ability to craft a legacy, and its proximity to a richly cultural Hispanic population. In addition, I felt so excited and honored to meet my classmates and learn from them – we all come from different walks of life and have much to offer one another.
What specialties of medicine interest you the most? Why?
As a first-generation aspiring physician, I must learn about working in medicine. However, my academic experiences have allowed me to find what drives me – patient advocacy. I would be happy to serve in my community in a capacity that will enable me to address health inequities. Bearing this in mind, I am drawn to OB/GYN for advancing women’s health, psychiatry for combating mental health stigma, neonatology for caring for our most vulnerable, and so many others. I am excited to see what specialty is right for me.
What areas of research interest you the most? Why?
I most interested in reducing health disparities by improving patient health education and the education of aspiring healthcare workers. Topics within medicine can seem incredibly complex and intimidating. Still, it is exciting and satisfying to find ways to make medical knowledge accessible to all to help patients engage meaningfully in their health management.
How has the UTRGV School of Medicine fostered your interest in pursuing a career in medicine?
The UTRGV School of Medicine has provided me with an incredible opportunity to find my purpose within medicine. Although I have only completed one year of medical school, my experiences within the classroom and with the faculty and staff have strengthened my resolve to serve others through medicine as a physician. I am learning how deeply satisfying it is to find affirmation in your career of choice, and I know I will always be grateful to the UTRGV School of Medicine for allowing me this opportunity and providing the tools I need to become not just the physician but the student, community member, and advocate I aspire to be.
What are your plans for engaging in research this year?
This year, I hope to utilize the research mentoring and opportunities available to me to learn more about effectively combating health disparities. I plan to do this through a meta-analysis of current research into improving health literacy within minority populations, primarily Hispanic, and then utilize future knowledge gained to design an interventive research project on the same topic.
