School of Health Professions honors student awardees
On Nov. 1, the School of Health Professions presented six students with awards to recognize their remarkable service, leadership, research, clinical skills, and overall excellence. Learn more about their inspiring stories and exceptional work below.
Congratulations to the following award recipients:
John Schermerhorn, M.D., Student Service Award
This award is named for Dr. Schermerhorn, who served as Dean of the School of Health Professions from 1971 to 1986. He guided and shaped the school, then known as the UT Southwestern School of Allied Health Professions, through its early years. The Schermerhorn Award is presented to students who have made outstanding contributions in service activities related to their profession.
Shelby Fraser
Degree: Master of Physician Assistant Studies (2024)
Ms. Fraser spent her early childhood in South Africa, which fueled her love for the natural world and her desire to understand how it works. At age 7, she returned to the U.S. where her fascination with biology and animals flourished.
After earning an undergraduate degree in zoology from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and a master’s in ecology from Oklahoma State University, she became a high school science teacher and cross-country coach. One day during practice, a student athlete suddenly passed away from an undiagnosed heart condition. The incident motivated her to switch careers to one where she could better support the health and safety of others.
In 2022, she enrolled in the Physician Assistant Studies Program at the School of Health Professions, where she served as President of the First Generation & Nontraditional Students Club and the UTSW student representative for the American Academy of Physician Associates.
She has volunteered for United to Serve, the UTSW Health Professions Recruitment and Exposure Program (HPREP), Union Gospel Mission Clinic, PA Peer Mentor Alliance, and the School of Health Professions Student Engagement Advisory Committee.
She enjoyed her obstetrics/labor and delivery rotation and served two years as the Committee Chair for Pregnancy Education with United to Serve, helping to organize annual health fairs in Dallas for underserved populations. “My involvement in United to Serve has been incredibly fulfilling and allowed me to combine my passion for education with community outreach. In my first year, our booth won the ‘Most Engaging Booth’ award for our outreach efforts,” she said.
Upon graduation, she hopes to work with a collaborative medical team that is passionate about caring for the community. “Hopefully, my clinical experience, along with my background in educational instruction, will lead me to a career in physician assistant instruction and education at an institutional level,” Ms. Fraser said.
L. Ruth Guy, Ph.D., Student Leadership Award
This award honors Dr. Guy, who co-founded the School of Medical Technology, which became part of the UT Southwestern School of Health Professions in 1969. Dr. Guy was an innovator in medical technology and blood banking who helped develop a rape test kit in the 1950s. She was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame in 1989. This award is presented to students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills.
Alison Klein
Degree: Master of Prosthetics-Orthotics (2024)
While pursuing an undergraduate degree at the University of Alabama, Ms. Klein was still undecided on a career path. One day a friend told the Houston native about her father’s career as a prosthetist and suggested Ms. Klein shadow a local clinician. After one day of exposure to his craft, she knew she had discovered something special. “There is truly no other field that combines health care, engineering, and artistry the way orthotics and prosthetics do,” she said.
After graduating in 2023 with a B.S. in kinesiology and a minor in Spanish, Ms. Klein began the Master of Prosthetics-Orthotics (MPO) Program at the School of Health Professions. She benefited greatly from a lab skills course that enabled her to work alongside and learn from the program technicians as they fabricated different devices. “I think it really helped improve my hand skills and ability to think outside the box when it came to complicated device design,” she said.
She said she also enjoyed working with and developing solutions for patient models, whose interesting stories and valuable feedback elevated her learning experience.
Ms. Klein is co-President of the MPO Class of 2024 and has served on the Student Advisory Committee and the Student Leadership Council. In addition to volunteering with organizations promoting adaptive athletics in the DFW area, she educated students about career opportunities in the orthotics and prosthetics field through HPREP and the STARS (Science Teacher Access to Resources at Southwestern) Symposium.
After graduating, she will begin a residency at Hanger Clinic in Houston. She looks forward to becoming a compassionate and trustworthy caregiver. “I want my patients to be confident that together we can solve any problem that comes their way,” she said.
Raul Caetano, M.D., Ph.D., Student Research Award
This award was established in honor of Dr. Caetano, who served as Dean of the School of Health Professions from 2006 to 2014. Dr. Caetano has published many peer-reviewed papers, including extensive research into alcohol problems in U.S. ethnic populations. This award is presented to students in recognition of noteworthy research they conducted during their education.
Andrew Nasr, D.P.T.
Degree: Ph.D. Applied Clinical Research (2024)
Born and raised in Grapevine, Texas, Mr. Nasr became familiar with the physical therapy field when he received treatment for sports injuries as a high school athlete. In 2009, he graduated from the University of North Texas with a B.S. degree in kinesiology and earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy at the School of Health Professions in 2012. He began his professional career as a physical therapist the following year.
Eager to remain current with the latest research in his area of orthopedic and sports physical therapy, he completed a physical therapy residency in orthopedics at the Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston in 2015. He became a full-time orthopedic and sports physical therapist clinician in UTSW’s Department of Physical Therapy, where he developed a clinical expertise in shoulder-related conditions.
As his interest in the research side of physical therapy continued to grow, he began the School of Health Professions Applied Clinical Research doctoral program in 2022. After graduating, he hopes to secure a full-time faculty position where his research can lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying rotator cuff tears and other shoulder-related conditions. He also hopes to get back into the clinic and work closely with patients again.
“The biggest reward as a physical therapist is listening to a patient’s story and hearing how limited they may be by pain and/or fear and then watching as you gradually empower them to regain strength and function,” Dr. Nasr said. “I enjoy working with patients after surgery because they are often filled with endless questions, and I like answering those questions and putting their minds at ease. I also enjoy seeing and hearing about milestones achieved throughout the rehabilitation process. I aspire to be a health care professional known for listening to patients and making sure they feel heard.”
Gordon Green, M.D., Student Clinician Award
This award honors Dr. Green, who was Dean of the School of Health Professions from 1991 to 2006. Dr. Green, a pediatrician and Professor Emeritus in the School of Health Professions, also participated in studies of birth defects at the National Center for Toxicological Research and served a six-year tour of duty with the U.S. Public Health Service. He was Director of the Dallas County Health Department and health authority for the city and county of Dallas for seven years. This award recognizes students who have demonstrated exceptional clinical skills during their training.
Aubrey Freese
Degree: Master of Clinical Nutrition (2025)
During her undergraduate studies, Ms. Freese noticed a limited emphasis on the use of preventive measures and lifestyle interventions to manage chronic conditions. The gap underscored the need for a more holistic, proactive approach to health care and fueled this Roswell, New Mexico, native’s pursuit of a career in dietetics.
After graduating from West Texas A&M University in 2023 with a B.S. in health sciences, health care administration and a minor in management, she was accepted into the Master of Clinical Nutrition Program at UTSW’s School of Health Professions. She is currently conducting research with Children’s Health dietitians on the social determinants of eating disorder admission rates in adolescents. “As I am particularly interested in furthering my career in the field of research, this has been an exciting part of my time at UTSW,” Ms. Freese said.
She works in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UTSW, where she provides specialized nutrition care to help meet the needs of infants and their families. As a Culinary Medicine Student Liaison, she organizes volunteer efforts between dietetic interns, medical students, residents, and fellows to deliver evidence-based nutrition education to enhance patient care. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the UTSW Student Association of Nutrition and Dietetics.
She also volunteered at the Agape Multidisciplinary Clinic, United to Serve, and the Richland Collegiate High School Career Fair, where she provided valuable insights into potential career paths for students.
After graduation, she plans to become a certified eating disorder specialist and work with eating disorder patients. Ms. Freese aims to use her career to continue pursuing her passions that include preventive care, health equity, cultural competency in health care, hunger relief initiatives, and sustainability in food systems. Her long-term goals include earning a doctorate degree in nutrition and dietetics or nutritional epidemiology and teaching at the graduate level.
Rising Star Award
The Rising Star Award is awarded to a student deemed to have shown overall excellence.
Luis Loya
Degree: Master of Physician Assistant Studies (2024)
As a child, Mr. Loya developed a deep passion to seek a greater understanding of the world. The El Paso, Texas, native watched his grandparents struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and was intrigued by the complexity of their conditions. The vast and unexplored world of medicine fed his desire to pursue a career that would allow him to combine his love of learning and desire to help others.
After earning a B.S. in clinical laboratory studies from Texas Tech University Health Science Center, he began the Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program at the School of Health Professions. He has thrived in his UTSW educational experience, learning from recognized leaders in their fields. “The insight and guidance of the faculty goes far beyond the foundational knowledge of medicine. Their expertise and mentorship have been invaluable in preparing me for a career dedicated to patient-centered service,” Mr. Loya said.
He helped promote inclusion for the Class of 2024 in Physician Assistant Studies and also served as a member of the School of Health Professions Student Engagement Advisory Committee. As President of SHPride, he supports the unique needs of students in the queer, transgender, and HIV+ communities. During Pride month, he established an annual campuswide donation drive to support underserved LGBTQIA+ individuals, patients with HIV, and the homeless. He has volunteered with HPREP, United to Serve, and the Union Gospel Mission Clinic.
After graduation, he hopes to work as a physician assistant in Dallas where he can provide comprehensive care and advocate for its diverse patient population. “I want to be the provider who takes time to listen to my patient’s struggles with the health care system, whether it’s accessing care, finding the right resources, or simply feeling heard by their providers. My goal is to be the change they are looking for and to help restore their trust in the medical community,” Mr. Loya said.
Alumni Memorial Scholarship Award
For many years now and on behalf of President Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., UT Southwestern Medical Center Alumni Relations and the Office of Student Financial Aid have made donations to the Alumni Memorial Scholarship Fund in memory of all alumni who have passed within a given year. The scholarship is awarded to an academically excellent graduating student in the current academic year.
Fabian A. Calderon
Degree: Master of Prosthetics-Orthotics
As he grew up in El Paso, Texas, Mr. Calderon enjoyed learning about science and the human body. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were prosthetic and orthotics clinicians who sparked his interest when he saw what a difference they had made in people’s lives.
Mr. Calderon graduated in 2021 with a B.S. in biological sciences with a medical concentration from the University of Texas at El Paso. He then began working alongside his father as a technician and volunteered with the Mexican Federation of Private Associations Foundation (FEMAP) Binational Orthopedic Clinic, where he fabricated orthotic and prosthetic devices for underserved children and shadowed the physicians, therapists, and orthotists in their work. By the time he began the master’s program at the School of Health Professions at UTSW, he had already developed a strong foundation in prosthetic and orthotic knowledge.
“Our patient model experiences have been a highlight of my time at UTSW,” he said. “Getting to work with these patients has allowed me to synthesize what I’ve learned in the classroom and the lab. Hearing their stories has provided me with valuable knowledge and advice that I will take with me as I progress in my career.”
The School of Health Professions introduced him to research through his investigations into treatment outcomes of infants with a cranial remolding orthosis. “I hope to continue to do research in the future by building on the skills I have acquired at UTSW,” Mr. Calderon said.
While at UTSW, he volunteered with United to Serve and represented the Prosthetics-Orthotics Program in the School of Health Professions Student Engagement Advisory Committee and served as co-Chair for the Department’s Residency Day event. He is currently applying to residency programs, seeking an opportunity that will allow him to continue growing as a clinician. “I hope to become a leader who advocates for my patients and goes the extra mile to find creative solutions to meet their goals,” he said.