Dr. Janice Jiang: Dr. Richard Mays Smith Award
Watching her grandmother suffer from lack of access to health care inspired Dr. Janice Jiang to pursue a career in medicine, where she could become a strong advocate and make the greatest direct impact for underserved patients. She is one of this year’s recipients of the Dr. Richard Mays Smith Award. Next up is heading to an internal medicine residency at Stanford University Programs in California.
What this award means: “I’m so humbled and honored to be recognized among such an amazing group of peers. I hope to always be the type of physician that this award embodies – competent, compassionate, and always putting my patients first.”
Mentor comment: “Janice is the consummate professional and has consistently maintained this approach throughout her medical education – she is honest and direct, principled and organized, confident and humble, and not ‘swayed by the crowd.’ She is a model for her classmates on persistence and forward-thinking. She is book-smart, socially aware, and unfailingly honest – exactly the type of physician needed in internal medicine.” – Dr. Angela Orlino, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
Background and family: “I was born in Dallas at the old St. Paul University Hospital to two hardworking immigrant parents from Wuhan, China. I spent my early childhood in China before coming back to the States and finishing elementary, middle, and high school in the DFW area. I also have a little brother who is an aspiring computer scientist and a wonderful, loving husband who has been my constant source of support throughout medical school.”
What led to your career path: “I was raised by my maternal grandparents for a large part of my early childhood. When my grandmother was diagnosed and ultimately passed away from liver cirrhosis, watching her suffer because of lack of access to health care made me want to become a doctor who could advocate for patients like her in the future.”
College: “I graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in biology from UT Austin. I was also a TA for the UT ballroom dance class and on the leadership of Epic Movement (the Asian American branch of Campus Crusade).”
UTSW activities: “I spent a lot of time volunteering at Union Gospel Mission’s Center of Hope shelter for single women with children. I served as a free clinic manager my first year at UGM. As a second-year student, I became a Schweitzer Fellow, and I implemented a mindfulness-based stress reduction and a positive parenting class at the Center of Hope shelter. In addition, I’ve volunteered for three consecutive years on the Southwestern Christian Fellowship El Paso spring break mission trip and served as a clinic team leader as a third-year medical student. I am also a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and was selected to be one of the 2019-20 co-Presidents of AOA’s UTSW Gamma Chapter, where I helped organize events, select members, and oversee our eight wonderful subcommittees.”
Surprising fact: “My husband and I were both UT social dance TAs in college – that’s how we met – and we’ve used our skills to help choreograph four (and counting) wedding dances for our close friends!”
Future plans: “I plan to become an internal medicine doctor who is a clinician, educator, and clinical researcher. I want to use my skills, training, and passions to directly impact patient lives, to train future generations of clinicians, and to continue to improve how medicine is practiced nationally and even internationally.”
About the award: The award is given annually to one or more graduating medical students who excel academically during clinical rotations and who exhibit an interest in and compassion for patients.