Meet McGovern’s newest faces
The 2022-23 school year is in full swing at McGovern Medical School, as the Class of 2027 wrapped up their orientation and students returned to campus Aug. 7.
The incoming class features 240 medical school students from 71 different undergraduate colleges. The average age of each student is 23 years old, with the youngest student being just 19 years old, and the oldest being 43.
More than 5,500 potential students applied for enrollment at the Medical School, while 1,107 were selected for interviews before eventually selecting 131 female and 109 male students to make up the MS1 class. Students were selected from 48 different undergraduate programs, including unique majors such as anthropology, communications, economics, English, finance, philosophy, and history.
More than just statistics however, the Class of 2027 includes 240 different stories, backgrounds, and paths leading them to campus at McGovern Medical School. Each unique first-year medical student helps make up the Newest Faces of McGovern Medical School, and throughout their first semester on campus, we will highlight 14 of the students making up the class.
Two of those students include Dakhil Alim and Frank Ramirez, who are considered non-traditional students due to the paths they took to medical school. Alim, a former substitute teacher with three children, has held multiple jobs before entering medical school, while Ramirez has worked at McGovern Medical School since shortly after completing his undergraduate degree at UT Rio Grande Valley.
A trio of students in Caroline Crain, Kayla Evans, and Jaden Custard have also already gathered a background in the health care industry, prior to beginning their medical school journeys. After his mother’s encounter with cancer, Custard obtained his EMT license. Crain has already been a member of the UTHealth Houston family, receiving her master’s of public health degree in December 2022, while Evans holds an undergraduate certificate in Spanish for Health Professions and has been able to shadow physicians.
Perhaps one of the biggest hurdles of medical school may be the pressure it takes for someone to succeed in their studies. However, Shea Silhan is one incoming student who may already be used to that kind of pressure. Silhan served as the United States captain for the national trampoline team, which competed around the world.
Travis Johnston and Hannah Thompson will each begin their time at the medical school with deep interests in research. Each have already garnered an extensive research background, with Johnston already receiving a PhD in neuroscience, while Thompson seeks an MD/PhD with a desire to help underserved populations.
One of the McGovern Scholars in the Class of 2027 is Brylee Lavoie, who is also working to receive her master’s of public health degree. As a child, Lavoie would visit nursing homes and hospitals to play the guitar and was inspired by the way she could help someone feel a small bit of comfort in a difficult situation.
Maame Effrim and Vilma Caballero are each first-generation immigrants, with their families immigrating from Ghana and Honduras, respectively. While their families may have come from different places geographically, both Effrim and Caballero are inspired by their families for persevering through difficult times and teaching them to always push through.
Andy Kim also draws inspiration for medical school from a family member. Kim’s interest in medicine was spurred during his childhood when he witnessed the care and compassion physicians showed while caring for his older sister who was diagnosed with autism.
The ability to have an impact on other people’s lives is a motivating factor for each Connor Crowe and Neel Aligave. Crowe, a member of the McGovern Medical School Joint Admission Medical Program, aspires to be a part of something that is full of meaning and improves the lives of people. For Aligave, his motivation comes from a desire to mentor, something he did frequently as a military student in helping underclassmen ROTC cadets transition from high school to college.
To learn more about each of the Newest Faces of McGovern Medical School, click here.