Esther Quintero, OMS III at A.T. Still University-SOMA, Awarded $5,000 Founders' Scholarship
June 20, 2017
How does it feel to be a two-time Founders' Scholarship winner?
It is an honor to be a two-time Founders' Scholarship winner. I feel very privileged to belong to the TOMF community as well as the Tucson community overall. This scholarship will allow me to decrease my debt burden, which will aid in my journey to helping underserved communities as a future physician.
What have you learned or achieved in the past year that excites you?
This past year has been one of the best years of my life because I have had the opportunity to explore different fields in medicine. It has been an exciting year because I discovered or perhaps confirmed my love for Family Medicine. This is particularly exciting for me because deciding to pursue a career in Family Medicine facilitates and enriches my goal of helping everyone in underserved communities.
Has your path in your medical career changed over the past year-different intended specialty, etc.?
My path has changed in terms of specialty. I intended to pursue a career in Pediatrics, and now I intend to become a Family Medicine Physician. My plans to prepare myself to be the best physician I can be so I can serve underserved communities including my own in Tucson remains strong.
How you have changed over your years in medical school thus far?
I consider myself to be incredibly privileged to be part of selected few who will have the gift to help others achieve wellness. I also consider myself very fortunate to be part of an amazing group of humans at A.T. Still University SOMA, who have enriched my sense of kindness and compassion with their countless actions and words. I have grown as a person and as a professional in great amounts. It has been difficult to coordinate life and medicine as well as the challenges that come with it. It is not all happy moments. However, I have learned to treasure every moment and the teachings those moments hold, which have made me better for my patients. Although, I believe that the more you learn, the more you realize how little you truly know, I am excited to continue to grow and learn, and in return be able to offer a better me to my patients every day.