A daughter of Korean immigrants, Dr. Jenny Weon went from studying business at UT Austin to discovering a love for research in a lab at UT Southwestern. Her next adventure is a career in pathology, starting with a residency right here at UTSW.

Dr. Jenny Weon

What this award means: I was stunned when I heard I was selected for this award. It is meaningful to me because the people I met from the Department of Pathology have all been very welcoming and supportive – from residents and fellows to faculty. I was very impressed by the breadth and depth of knowledge of the pathologists I worked with and their commitment to teaching. I am truly honored and thankful to have been chosen for this award by people I admire.

Mentor comment: Jenny epitomizes the physician-scientist, and we have been delighted to see her discover the avenue of pathology as the foundation for her career in academic medicine. She discovered pathology late in her medical school career, but immediately displayed talent and enthusiasm for the specialty. She excels at the communication between pathologists and clinical caregivers, and she possesses the analytical skills necessary to draw a diagnosis from slides and stains. We fully expect her to be an outstanding resident and eventually an equally outstanding physician-scientist in pathology. – Dr. Charles Timmons, Professor of Pathology

Background and family: I was born in Chicago and grew up in Houston. My parents are first-generation emigrants from Korea who grew up near the end of the Korean War. My father is a retired marine engineer and my mother is a retired nurse. My parents did not get to choose their careers due to postwar hardships, so I’m grateful that they supported me and provided me the opportunity to pursue my own interests. I’m the first physician from my family.

What led to your career path: I knew I wanted to be a doctor when I saw the emotional and financial pain my family suffered from the loss of my grandmother to lung cancer. I studied business at UT Austin because I heard physicians have trouble with the financial aspects of medicine, and then I enrolled in medical school at UT Southwestern. I loved the lab research work I did during my first summer so much that I almost didn’t want to go back to medical school! I decided to add a Ph.D. to my M.D. degree to open the door to future research work.

Surprising fact: When I’m not at school or work, I enjoy biking around White Rock Lake with my significant other, Dr. Philip Cheng, who has been accepted to the Ophthalmology Residency Program at UT Southwestern. I also enjoy taking photographs and creating art in my spare time.

Future plans: I will pursue training in anatomic pathology. I hope to stay in academia and continue basic science research. I’m also interested in medical student recruitment to pathology as a specialty.

About the award: The award was established by friends and colleagues of Dr. Stembridge, the former UTSW Pathology Chair who died in 2000. The $1,500 award is given to the most outstanding graduating medical student whose performance in the sophomore pathology course was exemplary and who is interested in a pathology career.