Medicine runs in the family for Dr. Sara Hassan Youssef, whose father completed his residency here at UT Southwestern and inspired her interest in the field. Dr. Youssef’s diverse cultural background played a role in her ability to connect with patients and eventually home in on the field of family medicine.

Dr. Sara Hassan Youssef

What this award means: “This award is meaningful to me as it emphasizes the importance of primary care in not only managing medical conditions in the community but also in preventing complex diseases from developing in high-risk patients.”

 

Mentor comment: “Sara has been very committed to community service since her pre-med years and this has led to a passion in her serving the underserved. She volunteered with several community organizations and became an advocate for those with minimal resources. Physicians who have worked with her commented on her intangible characteristics regarding her work ethic and compassion for patients.” – Dr. Zaiba Jetpuri, Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine

Background and family: “I was born in New York, but moved with my parents to Dallas at the age of 5 for my father’s residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation right here at UTSW! My mother is from Guatemala and my father is from Egypt, and I feel so fortunate to have such a unique cultural background as it has allowed me the ability to connect with many people. I have one younger sister whom I consider to be one of my best friends and who is graduating from high school this year. I recently married my loving husband, who has been a huge part of my support system throughout medical school and who is finishing up his intern year in family medicine.”

What led to your career path: “Witnessing the joy that my father gets from his career as a physician initially intrigued me to pursue a career in medicine myself. Then, as a graduate student in business school, I was able to learn about the managerial side of health care as well as the shortage of primary care physicians in our country, which helped shaped my commitment to family medicine. Additionally, my volunteer and research experience in community medicine has allowed me the opportunity to build rapport and advocate for patients, which has become the cornerstone of my ideal primary care practice.”

UTSW activities: “I have held leadership positions with the Pediatric Interest Group and the Dermatology Interest Group. I have volunteered at the Agape Clinic, a medical student-run free clinic, since my first year of medical school. I helped mentor pre-med students through the Pre-Med Mentorship Program as well as the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students. I am a student member of the Family Medicine Interest Group, the Islamic Medical Association, and the Latino Medical Student Association.”

Surprising fact: “I can speak Spanish and Arabic, thanks to the efforts of my amazing parents who made it a priority to teach me their native languages.”

Future plans: “As of right now, I see myself serving my community as a general primary care physician. However, one of the things that drew me to family medicine in the first place was how broad the field is. I look forward to starting residency with an open mind and pursuing any specific interests that I may form during my training, whether that be through a fellowship or through focusing my elective time to a particular area within family medicine.”

About the award: The award honors Dr. Lancaster and her husband, Dr. Edgar Lancaster, who in 1953 opened the Grapevine Clinic and Hospital, the first clinic in Grapevine and the forerunner of Baylor Scott & White Medical Center at Grapevine.