Meet a Roadrunner: UTSA's Ashley Dickens accepted to Harvard Medical School

Ashley Dickens

Ashley Dickens

Share this Story

(May 29, 2013) -- Meet Ashley Dickens, who has the distinction of being one of the first UTSA Roadrunners accepted to attend the prestigious Harvard Medical School in the fall.

Dickens' journey began in 2006 when she enrolled at UTSA after graduating from Ronald Reagan High School in San Antonio. An Honors College student, Dickens graduated with tier-one honors after completing her biology degree.

"I was required to take honors seminars, so I took special courses on the holocaust, science and psychology," said Dickens. "These were some of my favorite courses because they taught me about the humanities and societal issues that really got me interested in working with people."

Throughout college, Dickens worked at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio. After graduating from UTSA, she helped her family take care of her grandmother, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

"I really got to see her interactions with her doctors and our family physician and observed the trust that was necessary," said Dickens. "She would listen to our family physician and trust his recommendations. He was there to comfort her when she brought forth concerns about meeting strange doctors. I really admired that relationship."

Dickens relocated to a Dallas hospital and then moved on to work in research at UT Southwestern Medical Center. While in Dallas, she decided to do volunteer work as a patient sitter at Children's Medical Center.

"I met some of the most wonderful children there that, by their attitude, you would never have guessed they were sick," Dickens said. "It was incredibly inspirational to me, and that's when I knew I that as a doctor I wanted to be able to work among these kinds of patients and their families to help them feel better."

Dickens contacted the UTSA Health Professions Office, and they assisted her to complete the application process and gather letters of recommendation. A stellar student, her choices came down to Harvard Medical School and seven other universities. Dickens chose Harvard because of its status in the medical community and the opportunities it could provide in the future.

"Whether it be medicine, law or public policy, by becoming a Harvard student, not only are there medical opportunities, but in any interest or facet that I may discover five to 10 years from now, doors would also be open to me," she said.

Since it was established in 2006, the UTSA Health Professions Office has assisted many students to get accepted into strong Texas medical schools. However, Dickens is the first they have been able to assist to get into Harvard Medical School, recognized as the nation's leader in training physicians.

------------------------------

Do you know a UTSA student with a great story to share? Email us at social@utsa.edu and your submission will be considered for the next installment of Meet a Roadrunner.

 

 

Events



Spotlight

UTSA Bold Promise CTA

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.