The compassion of a pediatrician who helped Dr. Amanda Marie Galvan and her mother with a family matter led her to pursue that specialty as a career. Now, Dr. Galvan would like to give back to others, in particular helping other children in the area where she grew up in the Rio Grande Valley.

Amanda Marie Galvan, M.D.

What this award means: The Pediatrics faculty at UT Southwestern are phenomenal, and I am so honored to have been selected for this award. I am inspired and motivated to continue to advocate for children and their families.

Mentor comment: As a learner, Mandy was consistently commended for her growth mindset. She has a tremendous acumen for the adverse childhood experiences faced by many in high-risk Latin communities, and I have no doubt she will be a force of change increasing access to medical care for these children. – Soumya Adhikari, M.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics 

Background and family: I am originally from the Rio Grande Valley. I am a first-generation college student and medical student. My mom and grandma are both stay-at-home moms and are my role models as strong, independent women. I have a younger sister and brother whom I love very dearly, and they are among the reasons I chose pediatrics. My husband is currently a medical student, and we have a 3-year-old corgi that keeps us both on our toes.

What led to your career path: Growing up, I had a wonderful pediatrician who helped my mom and me through a difficult personal family matter. It was my pediatrician’s strong compassion and guidance that initially drew me to pediatrics. Similarly, after hearing countless stories of people in my life not being able to access care or the lack of education in their care, I felt inspired to work toward making this less ubiquitous. Even today, I draw on those experiences to continue my journey and know that everything I am working toward is to provide my home community with a better future.

College: I graduated from Texas A&M University with a double major in biomedical sciences and English. I was a teaching assistant for medical microbiology and a tutor for various science subjects. I was also on a kickball team and volunteered at the local food bank and hospital.

UTSW activities: I created a Spanish elective for medical students to increase the number of physicians who can communicate with Spanish patients and families. I also was a coordinator for the Future Doctor Pipeline Program, which aims to increase the number of youth going into medicine. In addition, I did research on making immigrant child health care in Dallas more equitable and research that aims to improve outcomes and reduce disparities in Latino children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Surprising fact: I recently rediscovered my love for reading during medical school and have read about 10 books this year! I hope to have read 50 books by the time the year ends.

Ultimate career goal: My goal is to return to the Rio Grande Valley as an outpatient or hospital pediatrician. My home community means so much to me, and I am so excited to give back by providing high-quality, equitable care.

Future plans: I am interested in general pediatrics or hospital medicine, next headed to my residency in pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. I love general medicine and value taking care of the entire patient. I hope to continue to be an active advocate for all children and try to increase diversity in medicine.

About the award: The award recognizes an outstanding graduate who has the personal character and dedication to serve, as well as be an advocate for, children.