Dr. Armon Amini endured hardships growing up, but refused to let his past define his future. Community support enabled him to succeed and graduate from medical school, going on to select the specialty of urology. As a new physician, he hopes to master advanced surgeries to help improve the quality of life for patients with urologic problems, which can be very intimate issues.

Armon Amini, M.D.

What this award means: It has been an incredibly difficult journey, and I have had to overcome many hardships to get to where I am today. These experiences are important to me, and I am honored to be recognized for my accomplishments through this award.

Mentor comment: Armon performed in an excellent fashion during his clinical rotation. He was intellectually curious, industrious, and very productive with his research time. We have the utmost confidence he will have a very successful career and wish him well as he starts his clinical training at the University of Alabama Medical Center. – Gary Lemack, M.D., Professor of Urology and Neurology

Background and family: I am originally from Atlanta, Georgia, but moved to Laredo, Texas, at a young age where I was raised in a low-income, single-parent household. My mother sometimes worked three jobs to make ends meet. Despite our hardships, I was fortunate enough to belong to a supportive community, which helped me become the first in my family to attend college and graduate school.

What led to your career path: Coming into medical school, I knew I wanted to pursue a procedural specialty, but I was not willing to give up my interests in clinical medicine. I was introduced to urology through the pre-clerkship curriculum and instantly felt my calling. The ability to be both a clinician and a surgeon for someone’s urologic problems was extremely attractive to me. These urologic issues can be very intimate and bring great detriment to a person’s quality of life. I am eager to begin working toward mastery of the advanced surgeries a urologist can offer.

College: I graduated summa cum laude with honors from Sam Houston State University with a B.S. in biomedical sciences. I was involved with multiple organizations that advocated for individuals with special needs, coordinated the annual Special Olympics bocce ball competition, and served as a peer mentor. Additionally, I was a founding father of my fraternity and served as Vice President of member development. My honors included being named a Sam Houston Raven Scholar, a Sam Houston Wilson-Warner Scholar, and an Undergraduate Academic Achievement Scholar.

UTSW activities: I held many teaching positions, including Spanish instructor for the Basic Spanish for Healthcare Providers elective, diabetes educator for a UTSW free clinic, and a tutor for middle school students in South Texas. I also served as President for the Urology Student Interest Group, an officer for the UTSW Climbing Club, and a mentor for the Health Professions Recruitment and Exposure Program. I volunteer as a belayer for the special needs climbing organization United Rocks and as a judge for local science fairs in Dallas schools.

Surprising fact: I used to fence épée before college and competed in South Texas.

Future plans: I will be starting my urology residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I am interested in genitourinary reconstructive surgery and hope to pursue a fellowship in this field.

About the award: The award honors Dr. McConnell, a former UTSW faculty member who led Urology from a Division into a Department.