The transition from riding horses in a small Texas town as a boy to caring for patients as a dermatologist seems like a major culture shift, but for Dr. Hunter J. Pyle, the work ethic he was taught growing up on a ranch shaped his determined nature. He aspires to work in academic medicine as a dermatologist, combining his passions for patient care and research.

Hunter J. Pyle, M.D.

What this award means: As the first physician in my family, I’ve felt a special gratitude for the privilege of medical training. I found a natural outlet for this gratitude in teaching and mentoring and doing my absolute best every single day to provide excellent patient care and advance medical knowledge through research. For me, this award is a recognition of those efforts.

Mentor comment: Hunter dedicated a year to developing a skill set in vulvar dermatoses, an understudied area of dermatology with very few experts nationally. Under the guidance of Dr. Mauskar, Hunter provided compassionate care to women with vulvar lichen sclerosus, a condition that causes pain and disfigurement. Hunter continues to excel broadly, pushing himself to be the best physician he can be. – Tamia Harris-Tryon, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Immunology, and Melissa Mauskar, M.D., Associate Professor of Dermatology and Obstetrics and Gynecology

Background and family: I grew up in Blue Ridge, Texas, and have a younger brother and sister. I’m incredibly proud of my family, who taught me the importance of hard work and always caring for those around you.

What led to your career path: Growing up on a ranch taught me that I needed to work hard and take things into my own hands to go where I wanted in life. Shadowing at Parkland Memorial Hospital during college showed me the incredible difference that compassionate clinical care and comprehensive education can make in patient lives and convinced me to pursue medicine. I fell in love with dermatology, a specialty that satisfied both my passion for patient education and counseling and also my basic science and investigative curiosities.  

College: I completed my premedical studies at Johns Hopkins University after graduating with honors from Southern Methodist University.

UTSW activities: I volunteered for UTSW Carnaval de Salud and founded the rural initiative of Learn4Free tutoring, which provides free math and science tutoring and mentoring to middle and high school students in Texas. I also led AOA’s Step 1 Help Squad and tutored several medical school courses. I plan to continue passing the skills I’ve learned on my journey to trainees through mentorship and teaching.

Surprising fact: I grew up on a ranch and love to ride horses. I love our dry Texas summer heat!

Ultimate career goal: My first priority will always be to provide outstanding care, putting patients and their families first. I am a lifelong learner and educator and plan to help train the next generation of residents and physicians. I’ll continue pursuing research to push the boundaries of our medical knowledge.

Future plans: I’m thrilled to be completing my dermatology residency right here at UT Southwestern. Researchwise, I’m interested in the intersection of the skin microbiome and skin disease. I envision a lifelong career in academic medicine and plan to continue being involved in medical education, research, and leadership.

About the award: The award is given to students who have advanced dermatological patient care, research, or teaching in a special way, or who show promise for leadership in these areas.