Dr. Amy Luu started thinking about becoming a physician at age 5. Realizing that dream was the result of a “village effort” of hard work, tireless support from family, teachers, and mentors, and a healthy dose of privilege and luck, says this year’s winner of the TAFP Dallas Chapter Outstanding Graduate Award. She next heads to a family medicine residency at McLennan County Family Medicine in Texas.

Dr. Amy Luu

What this award means: “I don’t take for granted any bit of the support and resources that have led to me getting to where I am today and being able to pursue family medicine, and that includes the help that comes from this award. It truly does mean a lot to me that someone offered this award as a meaningful expression of their belief in my and others’ potential to change the world, and I am so appreciative of that encouragement.”

Mentor comment: “Amy Luu completed the CART (Community Action Research Track) Program and gave 157 hours – double the required amount – of her time for service learning activities. She also served as President of the Family Medicine Interest Group and was able to meet her goal of earning a Distinction in Community Health. Her thesis topic was ‘Church leaders’ perceptions of teen pregnancy in their community.’ Amy is hardworking, dependable, and organized, as is evidenced in her achievements during medical school.” – Dr. Nora Gimpel, Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine and Vice Chair for Community Health

Background and family: “I was born in Texas, but I lived much of my childhood in South Korea before moving back to the U.S. in late elementary school. Ethnically, my family is Vietnamese and most of my cultural traditions stem from that background. I love that I am able to draw from the richness of perspectives from all three of these different cultures, which very much informs the person I am today. My family is in Arlington, where I’ve lived for most of my life with my dad, mom, and two brothers.”

What led to your career path: “My leanings toward medicine came from the combination of an innate drive to nurture and form long-term relationships with others, a fascination with science and the human body, and a normal human desire to relieve suffering. However, my true commitment to medicine – and particularly family medicine – was solidified by my own family medicine doctor, who has demonstrated to me the importance, meaning, and power that comes with being a health partner and advocate for your patients and community every step of the way for their entire lives.”

College: “I was a neuroscience major and psychology minor at Vanderbilt University.”

UTSW activities: “I was President and Vice President of the Family Medicine Interest Group, Clinic Operations Manager at the Monday Clinic, an American Academy of Family Physicians Student Membership Ambassador, and a UTSW Texas Academy of Family Physicians Liaison. I also volunteered with United to Serve and the North Texas Alliance for Reducing Unintended Pregnancy in Teens.”

Surprising fact: “I was home-schooled for some time in elementary school!”

Future plans: “I particularly feel called to dedicate my life to underserved communities that need care the most, and I feel strongly about being involved in the larger picture of community health in order to better understand and address the many facets of an individual’s well-being. I am also excited to be a more comprehensive resource for the communities I both serve and am a part of by practicing full-spectrum family medicine and including obstetrics in my future practice.”

About the award: The TAFP (Texas Academy of Family Physicians) Outstanding Student Award is given by the Dallas Chapter to one student annually.