Why Medicine?
On July 30, 2011, a drunk driver crossed four lanes of a busy San Antonio street and broadsided my motorcycle. I was first impaled by my handlebar, then thrown 100 feet, fracturing both of my wrists and shattering my jaw. Had the tip of the handlebar—still in my bicept—plunged only a few tenths of an inch deeper, it would have fatally severed my left brachial artery. The next six months were a blur, with seven surgeries, physical therapy, and numerous post-op visits with physicians. I did not know it at the time, but the accident was the turning point that gave me the desire to become a physician.
Before the accident, I intended to follow in my parent's footsteps, join the military, and complete my officer training. That changed after the accident, and I pursued a series of health-related occupations: volunteer EMT, Paramedic, High School EMT teacher, and instructor at UT Health. These experiences have fueled my desire to become a physician in three ways. First, service as an EMT taught me that I want to serve others through medicine to honor the paramedics who saved my life. Second, service on the Community Paramedic Program team taught me that I want to be a vital part of a team that helps patients by focusing on health promotion and disease prevention. Third, teaching has affirmed that I genuinely love learning and want to continue my medical education.
After the accident, I enrolled in an EMT course. I thoroughly enjoyed the coursework, and upon graduation, I volunteered as an EMT in Wilson County, TX. Our team had patients who suffered severe trauma, heart attacks, strokes, and various other medical conditions. This experience was eye-opening. This was the first time in my life that I saw members of my community in medical distress. Even as a volunteer, I knew that I wanted to continue to serve others in their most challenging situations. However, I soon realized that my EMT training was limiting. As a result, I enrolled in the UT Health San Antonio Paramedic program in 2012.
My year at UT Health passed quickly. I received my paramedic license in 2013 and was hired as a Mobile ICU Paramedic in a hospital-based EMS system in Sonora, TX. Because Sonora is rural and underserved, I enjoyed functioning in both the clinical and paramedic settings under physician supervision. Working side-by-side with these physicians enabled me to better understand their typical duties and responsibilities. Due to the proximity of the 6-bed emergency department to the inpatient rooms, I was able to monitor my patients’ outcomes and assess the results of our initial treatment. This became the highlight of each shift for me. It was very different from my experience at an urban hospital because it allowed me to see how our work improved the health of our patients.
This experience was supercharged by the Community Paramedic Program. As part of a CPP team, we visited recently discharged patients in their homes. During our twice-weekly visits, we took vitals, performed health assessments, and checked on compliance with discharge orders. One patient, Jesse, was morbidly obese and struggled with constant bladder infections. We worked with the hospital nutritionist and Meals on Wheels to improve his diet. We coordinated with a local church to clean his home, which was unsanitary, and we helped him comply with his doctor’s orders. Over a year, we helped Jesse gain the skills he needed to manage his health, and he improved. This is why I’m eager to practice medicine— I saw firsthand the importance of understanding the patient and their environment and treating them comprehensively.
Upon receiving my degree in Emergency Health Sciences from UT Health in 2015, I was hired as an instructor at UT Health School of Health Professions, where I taught Army Flight Medics and firefighters. One year later, I began work in a new role creating and teaching a unique problem-based learning high school EMT curriculum, in conjunction with UT Health. Through medical education, I have learned that I can instill compassion for our patients in my students. I also believe I have developed the qualities required of a physician: leading and teaching small teams, effectively communicating with individuals of diverse backgrounds, and adjusting my methods to meet the needs of an audience.
My path to medical school has not been typical. A personal tragedy led me to become a paramedic, an instructor at UT Health, and the creator of an EMT program at Brennan HS. All of these experiences have taught me that I am most fulfilled when serving others in their most vulnerable moments and that I am eager to be part of a multidisciplinary team that approaches patient care as a collaborative effort.
I’ll close with a story. While working in Sonora, I had a patient, Mrs. Martinez, with whom I had a great relationship. She insisted on calling me “Dr. Jimenez,” despite my explanation that I was just a paramedic. When I asked her why, she said with a warm smile, “I see you as a doctor, and that is what you will become.” I think Mrs. Martinez was right.
