Future Doctors

More than 2,000 miles separate Eagle Pass, Texas, where Jose Figueroa spent his early years, and Boston, Mass. where he entered Harvard Medical School in 2006.

While his accomplishments are remarkable, Figueroa exemplifies the many College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics alumni who go on to medical school each year. And increasingly, these NSM alum are heading to top rated medical schools such as Harvard, ranked number one by U.S. News and World Report.

Figueroa, a biology graduate who is now in his third year at Harvard, grew up poor with limited access to health care, but is now determined to make a difference for other disadvantaged children in need of a doctor.

He credits the education he received as an NSM student for preparing him for the rigors of the nation's top medical school.

"My education at the University of Houston was truly extraordinary, and attending UH has been without a doubt one of the greatest decisions I have made in my life," Figueroa said.

Joshua Udoetuk, another NSM alum, also went out of state for medical school, to the number three ranked University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The 2004 biology graduate was originally planning to pursue dentistry. But after working in the lab of associate biology professor Costa Colbert, Udoetuk fell in love with neuroscience and decided to become a doctor.

Because cultural sensitivity and humanism are crucial skills for modern physicians, Udoetuk cites UH's diversity as an important preparation for his medical career.

"There are so many people of many various backgrounds that one learns to adapt culturally – a lesson not learned in books or classrooms," he said. "Additionally the camaraderie among students at UH is unique and always helped me remain down to earth despite the complexity and stress associated with school work and getting into medical school."