Two life experiences shaped where Dr. Luming Chen is today: the first, work at a research lab as a high school freshman and the second, the compassionate hospital care she received giving birth to her twins. Her passion for research and medicine solidified a journey to medical school while her appreciation for the care she received in the operating room led to her specialty as an anesthesiologist.

Luming Chen, M.D., Ph.D.

What this award means: This award is a tremendous honor. I am grateful to the faculty and residents in the Department who have welcomed, challenged, and guided me along the way. This award inspires me to continue to strive for excellence as an anesthesiologist and a scientist.

Mentor comment: Luming has demonstrated many of the characteristics that I admired and respected about Dr. Jenkins – a true compassion and respect for her fellow man, a caring spirit, and a servant leader’s heart. She also has an infectious spirit and an engaging smile that allows her to immediately connect with those whom she interacts with in her daily personal and professional life. – Charles Whitten, M.D., Professor and Chair of Anesthesiology & Pain Management

Background and family: I was born in Hunan, China, and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, when I was 8. I was raised by loving parents who instilled in me the values of hard work, education, and perseverance. My husband and twin 4-year-old daughters are my biggest sources of inspiration and adventure.

What led to your career path: I was first exposed to research in the lab of Dr. Dean Li at the University of Utah as a high school freshman. Working four years in that lab, I learned how to perform survival surgeries in mice to induce acute lung injury. This led me to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. program after college. I then joined the UTSW Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) in 2015 and completed my Ph.D. under the mentorship of Kim Orth, Ph.D., Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. My first exposure to anesthesiology came when I received a combined spinal-epidural for my cesarean section during the birth of my twin daughters. On my clinical rotations, I was impressed with how anesthesiologists act quickly and decisively in acute emergencies. I want to become an anesthesiologist so I can develop and hone skills to help people during their vulnerable moments in the OR and in the ICU.

College: I graduated cum laude from Yale University with a Bachelor of Science in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. There, I served as the Head Coordinator of the Asian American Cultural Center, Executive Director of Student Leadership Board for Inaugural Asian American Reunion, and President of the Yale Pistol and Rifle Association. I was awarded a DAAD RISE (Research Internships in Science and Engineering Germany) scholarship, a Mellon Undergraduate Research Award, and a U.S. Fulbright Student Award to spend a year in Sarawak, Malaysia, to conduct independent research after graduation.

UTSW activities: I served as a volunteer for UTSW free clinics, a volunteer phlebotomist for DFW Hepatitis B screening, and student coordinator for MSTP Works-in-Progress Seminars. During graduate school, I was a student chair for MSTP Grand Rounds and in my clinical years, I was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and served as co-founder and co-President of StethoscoParents.

Surprising fact: I used to practice Chinese traditional dancing and I even danced as a little fur ball – aka child of light – in the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Future plans: I intend to pursue dual cardiothoracic anesthesiology and critical care fellowships. Afterward, my goal is to forge a career as an anesthesiologist-scientist in an academic setting.

About the award: The award recognizes students seeking careers in anesthesiology who excelled at UTSW Medical School, take an empathetic approach to patient care, and exhibit the characteristics of leadership, scholarship, and thirst for knowledge exemplified by the late Dr. Jenkins, who established and served as Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Management from 1948 to 1981.