Gabrielle Emilia Gard, M.D.

What this award means: It is an honor and privilege to be selected for this award. The Department of Radiation Oncology is truly one of a kind and provides unparalleled support, opportunities, and mentorship to students. I will be forever grateful to all of the wonderful faculty and residents I have worked with, especially Robert Timmerman, M.D., Chair and Professor of Radiation Oncology; Kiran Kumar, M.D., M.B.A., Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology; Mona Arbab, M.D., Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology; Nina Sanford, M.D., Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology; and Lin Zhu, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology, who have been some of the best mentors of my career and are invaluable factors in my success.

Mentor comment: Gabrielle exemplifies the qualities this award was created to recognize. As her specialty adviser, research mentor, and clinical educator, I have been continually impressed by her intelligence, work ethic, humility, and enthusiasm for learning. She has led impactful research in radiation oncology, excelled in the clinic, and consistently demonstrated maturity, compassion, and professionalism beyond her years. She is an outstanding representative of our specialty and a highly deserving inaugural recipient of the Award for Excellence in Radiation Oncology. – Dr. Kumar

Background and family: My mother emigrated from Iran after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, and my dad is from the Midwest. My parents supported themselves through pharmacy school and chose to work in public healthcare at Parkland Memorial Hospital. My mom is the Manager of Parkland Investigational Drug Services, and my dad was the Associate Director of Inpatient Pharmacy at Parkland and created the pharmacies for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Ambulatory Surgical Center, and Women’s and Children’s Services.

College: I graduated from Southern Methodist University (SMU) summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry with distinction, minoring in mathematics and Spanish. I was selected for several prestigious research fellowships such as the national Goldwater Scholars, Hamilton Scholars, and SMU Engaged Learning Fellows, as well as other recognitions that include the Hyer Society, Dedman College Scholars, and the SMU 2022 Outstanding Senior Woman Award.

What led to your career path: My parents have greatly inspired me to pursue a career in medicine. They are such wonderful role models, instilling in me essential qualities for a physician: a strong work ethic, a generous spirit always striving to serve others, integrity to always act righteously, and a humble nature knowing that mercy, empathy, and compassion are the backbone of patient care. I feel called to become a radiation oncologist because, for me, the specialty is the perfect combination of oncology, physics, mathematics, and longitudinal patient care. Furthermore, my mentors have each been influential in choosing my career path, and I aspire to become like Dr. Kumar and Dr. Arbab, who champion expert and empathetic patient care with unwavering support and advocacy for students.

UTSW activities: I founded a new free clinic – Agape Musculoskeletal Clinic – and organized a team of dedicated faculty who provide free musculoskeletal specialty services to the underserved. I was also greatly involved in medical education. For instance, I was elected Curriculum Committee representative for my class and served for four years on several medical education committees, advocating for curriculum changes to strengthen the student experience. Additionally, I was one of the students selected to meet with the surveyors for our 2026 Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accreditation site visit. I also was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society as a junior and the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS), chaired the AOA Transitions to Clerkship Committee, and served on the GHHS Student Affairs Committee. Finally, I conducted extensive oncology and medical education research.

What word describes your UTSW experience: Transformative.

One tip for medical school success: Emphasize quality over quantity. Do things you enjoy well and achieve depth in those rather than spreading yourself too thin.

Favorite way to relieve stress: Taekwondo! I have been practicing since I was 8 years old and will be testing for my fourth-degree black belt soon. Not only is it a challenging exercise but the core values have become a way of life: respect, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and an indomitable spirit.

Surprising fact: My great-grandfather courageously served in the American Expeditionary Force in France during World War I, and to honor him, I organized a trip to “follow in his footsteps” with my dad, visiting all the towns in France that my grandfather traveled through during his service. It was a very humbling experience, and I have a deeper understanding and appreciation for all the things he went through to serve our country.

Future plans: I am incredibly excited to be starting my preliminary internal medicine year at Texas Health Dallas soon, followed by radiation oncology residency at Harvard. I aspire to be a physician-scientist: treating patients while collaborating with basic science researchers and running clinical trials informed by those findings. I also plan to have a career in academic medicine, educating and mentoring our next generation of physicians.

About the award: The Award for Excellence in Radiation Oncology is presented to a graduating medical student pursuing a career in radiation oncology who has demonstrated exceptional promise through excellence in clinical care, research and scholarship, innovation, leadership, and professionalism.