Luis Valdez

Luis as a medical student

Pronouns: he/him/his

Luis as a child

• A few basic facts about me:

  I’m currently a medical student at UT Houston McGovern Medical School.

• What kind of identities do you inhabit?

  I am a first-generation high school graduate and a Latino immigrant. I am a medical student, a husband, and a father to my beautiful 3 month old daughter.

• The path to medicine is not easy. Can you tell us why you decided to pursue it?

  I first encountered the inequities that exist within medicine in the United States as an undergraduate student doing a summer research project in the Rio Grande Valley. I worked with individuals who frequently went to the ED for treatment of their chronic conditions due to lack of access to a PCP. Prior to that, I had lived these inequities in Mexico during my childhood. Working with the underserved population in the valley really opened my eyes to the need for physicians that look like us. I have a passion for serving others and knew that pursuing a career in medicine was the right track for me.

• Can you describe a challenging moment in medicine that made you rethink your career path?

  Studying for the MCAT was a very stressful period of time for me. I was having to work, shadow, and study for the MCAT at the exact same time due to needing an income to stay afloat. I studied for the MCAT by reading old prep books that I was able to borrow from a friend of mine. So many people I knew were enrolled in courses to prepare for this test or had a lot of materials and time to study. It was very frustrating having to study for this exam knowing that I didn't have access to a lot of helpful materials that could have prepared me better for the test. I decided that I needed to prove to myself that I could do this even with the limited resources that I had and studied as hard as I could. My family and friends were key to getting me through this rough time and I am here because of them. Their motivation and support is what kept me going and helped me overcome this challenge.

• How do you see a career in PM&R as advancing equity?

  All specialties in medicine could benefit from having a more diverse workforce. PM&R is no exception to this. When it comes to access to rehab services, we know that minority populations are not able to access these services as easily. As PM&R physicians, we will be advocates for our patients and should fight to ensure that they are able to receive the care that they need and can maximize their function and independence. Diversity in our workplace will only serve to improve outcomes for populations that are marginalized and underrepresented. Also, many minority students have a hard time getting exposure to medicine, let alone a smaller specialty like PM&R. I personally did not learn about this specialty until later in medical school and I want to make sure we shine a light on physiatry and make sure URM students know about the wonders of PM&R so we can increase diversity in our specialty.

• Can you tell us a little bit of your aspirations - either for your career or for the field of medicine (if you’re a medical student?)

  At the moment, Im interested in sports medicine and hope to help patients recover from sports/msk injuries. I've played sports throughout my life and this has been a great outlet for me. Not only has it helped me physically but also mentally. Because I understand the importance of exercise and the role it can play in mental health, I want to make sure I help individuals be able to remain as active as possible. Aside from that, I want to help diversity the field of PM&R by staying involved in organizations such as Representation in Rehab and serving as a mentor in the future.

• Where can we find you on social media?

  Twitter

  Instagram

  Peloton: @ImLuisValdez

Last updated 05/2022