Dr. Daniel Galvan’s journey to medicine is connected to his aim of giving back to the community where he grew up. Initially intent to pursue a career in chemical engineering, he switched gears in college to pursue medicine – a career with more human interaction and direct impact on people’s lives.

Daniel Galvan, M.D.

What this award means: This award has further confirmed internal medicine was the right choice for me. It inspires me to strive to be like all the incredible mentors I have had at UT Southwestern.

Mentors’ comment: Daniel has a knack for putting patients at ease and making them feel heard even while delicately weaving through complex conversations. He is self-motivated and driven; his involvement in multiple longitudinal research projects is a testament to his thirst for knowledge and his eagerness to contribute. Daniel has the makings of an accomplished physician. – Ahmad Anshasi, M.D., Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, and Reeni Abraham, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine 

Background and family: I was born and raised in Mission, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley. I am a first-generation student whose father works in the oil fields and whose mother is a stay-at-home mom. My wife, a UTSW medical student, and I got married during medical school but have been together since high school.

What led to your career path: I decided I wanted to go into medicine late into my sophomore year of college. Although I enjoyed chemical engineering, I desired different things from a career. I found that medicine offered all the similar critical thinking and problem-solving that engineering had but also offered more human interaction and the opportunity to directly impact people’s lives every day. Similarly, I sought to help my community and reflected on the limited access to care most people in the Rio Grande Valley have. This inspired me to work toward reducing those barriers.

College: I graduated summa cum laude from Texas A&M University and majored in chemical engineering. I also received the Academic Excellence Award from the Department of Chemical Engineering. I participated in research on topics including lymphangiogenesis and magnetocaloric alloys. I also volunteered at the food bank and local hospital and played city league kickball with my friends.

UTSW activities: I held leadership roles in the Future Doctors Pipeline Program, Cardiology Interest Group, and Latino Medical Student Association. I participated in various research projects on topics including cardiomyopathy in muscular dystrophy patients, IBD, skin cancer risk knowledge in transplant patients, and GLP-1 agonists.

Surprising fact: My wife and I got our pandemic puppy the week of our cardio final. It was not our brightest idea!

Ultimate career goal: My wife and I plan to return to the Rio Grande Valley, practice medicine there, and give back to our community. Ideally, I would like to get involved in teaching medical students and residents. I would also like to be involved in free clinics there and continue to work toward reducing health disparities.

Future plans: I plan to take the great foundational knowledge I have gained at UTSW and build on it. I am going into residency at the University of Colorado School of Medicine with an open mind, but I am currently interested in either hospital medicine or potentially pursuing a fellowship in gastroenterology.

About the award: The award, presented to one or more top medical students in internal medicine, was established by Ross H. and Anne Seymour Hemphill in honor of their son and daughter-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Seymour Hemphill; their daughter and sonin-law, Dr. and Mrs. Bernard Gojer; and Anne Hemphill’s parents, E. Clyde and Florine Allen Seymour. Drs. Hemphill and Gojer are both UTSW Medical School alumni.