Watching family members struggle with illness and receive care that was not evidence-based inspired Dr. Lucy Cai to pursue medicine and become a champion for her patients. Her goal is eventually to work with medically complex, underserved populations and interventions for difficult-to-treat infections.

Lucy Cai, M.D.

What this award means: I’m so grateful to have been selected for this award. As I reflect on my four years of medical school, I remember the many faculty and residents who embodied the ethos of medicine through their dedication to lifelong learning and compassionate care. Their examples will continue to inspire me as I begin training as a resident physician.

Mentor comment: Lucy is passionate about understanding normal physiology, the pathophysiology of disease processes, the mechanisms of various medications, and how they treat the pathology of illness. She uses a deeper understanding of pathophysiology to make intelligent, well-thought-out management plans. – Kehinde Odedosu, M.D., Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine

Background and family: My parents emigrated from Wuhan, China. They are passionate about history and anthropology and would often tell me stories about ancient societies and historical events. The stories always helped me keep life in perspective.

What led to your career path: I grew up in Plano, Texas, and attended the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science for high school, where I found a passion for biology and chemistry. I witnessed how family members struggled with different illnesses and made enormous strides after receiving empathic and holistic medical care. Later, I witnessed the consequences of when care was not evidence-based, which highlighted the difference that quality medical care can make. These experiences affirmed for me that health is the foundation for our well-being and encouraged me to pursue a career as a physician.

College: I graduated from UT Austin in 2018 with bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry and psychology. I completed a public health internship along the border, where I studied factors that predict medication adherence in patients with diabetes. I also worked as a reporter for UT Austin’s newspaper, The Daily Texan.

UTSW activities:I served as a peer mentor for first-year medical students and volunteered at hepatitis B-free clinics and fairs. I worked as a contact tracer early on during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was an eye-opening experience, and I’ve also been involved in research on intranasal vaccines and phage therapy.

Surprising fact: I love horseback riding and working with horses – they have such unique personalities and interesting group dynamics. Cantering on a horse always feels like flying!

Ultimate career goal: Illness can be a lonely and vulnerable experience. As a physician, I hope to guide and support my patients through these difficult periods with clinical acumen, humility, and compassion.

Future plans: I will be pursuing a residency in internal medicine at Scripps Green Hospital in California. Currently, I plan on completing an infectious diseases fellowship after residency. I would like to work with medically complex and underserved populations as well as continue my work on interventions for difficult-to-treat infections. Ultimately, my goal is to work in a setting where I can contribute to research and clinical care.

About the award: The Dr. Richard Mays Smith Award is given annually to one or more graduating medical students who excel academically during clinical rotations and exhibit an interest in and compassion for patients.