Paul A. Gonzales, who is preparing to start his second year in the Physician Assistant program of the UT Southwestern School of Health Professions, has won a national award from the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA).

The AAPA Student Academy PAragon-Student Award is only given annually and Mr. Gonzales is the first male, the first Hispanic, and only the third PA student nationwide to have ever received the award.

Paul A. Gonzales

“I am honored to receive this award,” he said, “and I consider it recognition of the strong grounding we have at UT Southwestern, not to mention that an indication of the breadth of talent among my fellow students.”

A graduate of UT Austin, with a degree in biomedical engineering, Mr. Gonzales was inspired by the example of his sister, Clarissa, to seek a career in health care. Ms. Gonzales is a young adult who has epilepsy, and her sibling has long been “part of the team that took care of her.”

Mr. Gonzales chose his undergraduate course of study with an eye toward becoming a physician or a nurse, but became interested in mental health issues while working as a patient care technician while attending college.

“I’ve had an excellent education,” he said, “I enjoy engineering, math, and science. But making people feel better about themselves and helping them get back on their feet is more rewarding. I look forward to doing just that after graduation.”

Dr. Eugene Jones, who leads the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program, said, “We are very pleased that Paul chose UT Southwestern for his PA education. His leadership and volunteer efforts are widely recognized, and his contributions and service-oriented achievements are many.”

Mr. Gonzales began his studies at UT Southwestern in May 2014, and he immediately jumped into campus life. He became a tour guide, leading groups of his fellow School of Health Professions students around and becoming a sounding board for them. He also serves as the Assistant Editor of “First Rounds,” the student section of PA Professional magazine, and he writes a personal blog that has been well-received in the Physician Assistant community, receiving more than 3,000 views daily.

Prior to arriving at UT Southwestern, Mr. Gonzales was active in the Austin community – tutoring students in math, serving as a Patient Care Technician at St. David’s Medical Center, and assisting in UT Austin’s Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Advising Office.

Mr. Gonzales was nominated for the PAragon Award by peers and faculty in the Health Professions School. Those recommendations, his answers to essay questions, and his superior academic standing all factored into the national recognition.

He also won awards of the National Hispanic Medical Association and the National Hispanic Health Foundation recently, becoming one of the first PA students to have been so honored.

###