By Ron Durham

When informed that they would receive one of UT Southwestern Medical School’s prestigious awards, Drs. Saundra Nguyen and Hao-Min Pan had similar reactions. Both were elated and humbled, and both felt there were fellow classmates just as deserving of the honor.

It seems fitting that the two were named co-recipients of the 2017 Dr. Richard Mays Smith Award in Internal Medicine, given annually to graduating Medical Students who excel academically during clinical rotations and exhibit an interest in and compassion for patients.

“Saundra embodies both the spirit of medical wisdom and human understanding,” said Dr. Reeni Abraham, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine. “She is a true healer and the kind of person we all aspire to be.

“Personally, I find Hao-Min to be a remarkable young man,” Dr. Abraham continued. “Always thoughtful, gracious, and striving to better himself, Hao-Min will undoubtedly be a leader in medicine.”

Dr. Saundra Nguyen

Dr. Saundra Nguyen

A first-generation American, Dr. Nguyen as well as her brother were born and raised in Houston. Her parents immigrated when they were young to escape the political turmoil of the Vietnam War. After graduating from Taylor High School in Katy, Dr. Nguyen received her undergraduate degree in Public Health from UT Austin, where her involvement in the Texas Public Health organization helped make a tobacco-free campus a reality.

While at UT Southwestern, Dr. Nguyen has been involved in extracurricular activities rooted in community service, public health, and campus organizations. She was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) for exemplary humanistic patient care and also elected into Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA), a medical honor society focusing on academic scholarship and leadership.

“I was very honored and humbled to hear that I had been chosen for the Richard Mays Smith Award,” Dr. Nguyen said. “I know several classmates who have accomplished great things and who are just as deserving. This award means a lot to me because it recognizes the values of clinical excellence and, more importantly, compassion that I hope to continue to emulate throughout my career. I have had great role models at UT Southwestern, and I hope to inspire others as they have inspired me.”

Dr. Nguyen’s mentors include Dr. Sujata Bhushan, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine. “An amazing clinician who deeply cares for her patients,” said Dr. Bhushan. Another is Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and of Clinical Sciences Dr. Oanh K. Nguyen, who Dr. Nguyen describes as “an amazing role model and the biggest inspiration and influence on me in terms of future career trajectory.”

Dr. Nguyen has been actively involved with the campus’s largest community outreach project: the United to Serve health fair. Coordinated by students, the event brings together health professionals and more than 475 volunteers to provide free screenings, health education, interactive games, and science lessons to the community.

“On her internal medicine ward rotations, Saundra was a role model to all around her,” Dr. Abraham said. “Gracious, curious, and humble, she demonstrated a constant thirst for knowledge and experience and an innate ability to apply that knowledge appropriately.”

Dr. Nguyen, who loves dancing, playing board games with friends, and traveling, will soon begin her residency at San Francisco General Hospital.

“In general internal medicine, I found an intersection between medicine and public health that combines providing quality care for the individual while also seeking to improve the health system to meet the needs of our patients on a larger scale,” Dr. Nguyen said.

“In particular, I am interested in health services, health disparities, or public health research in the future. Through this avenue, I hope to contribute to the efforts of bridging gaps in health disparities, improving access and quality of care for underserved populations, and advocating for evidence-based health practices.”

Hao-Min Pan

Dr. Hao-Min Pan

Part of a first-generation immigrant family from China, Dr. Pan said he has experienced the United States “from coast to coast.” Dr. Pan’s childhood included moving to five different states and enrolling in more than 10 different school districts. He attended high school in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

“My nomadic childhood taught me to appreciate diversity and to be accepting of different beliefs and cultures,” Dr. Pan said.

Dr. Pan attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he switched majors several times before deciding on chemistry. Even at UT Southwestern, Dr. Pan dabbled in several potential specialties before deciding on internal medicine. As the Smith Award would attest, Dr. Pan ultimately made the right decision.

“When I received the congratulatory message, I felt elated and humbled at the same time,” said Dr. Pan, a Junior AOA inductee. “There are many fellow classmates I look up to, and many of them are also entering internal medicine. I can think of many deserving recipients for the award, and thus I am humbled to have received the recognition, and I could not have done it without the support of my peers, mentors, and family.

“It was the culmination of my love for education, mentoring, the sciences, and the privilege of the doctor-patient relationship that ultimately drew me into medicine. I can think of no other profession that better integrates these essential facets of my life.”

Dr. Pan credits faculty mentors Drs. Tom Dalton, Stephen Harder [both Assistant Professors of Internal Medicine], and Dr. Abraham for their encouragement and guidance. “All of these individuals, and others, are physicians I look up to and I am eternally grateful for their support and friendship,” Dr. Pan said.

“Even early in his training, Hao-Min Pan exhibited a commitment to excellence that distinguished him from other very high-achieving Medical Students,” Dr. Abraham said. “In fact, the most common word used to describe Hao-Min in his Internal Medicine Clerkship evaluations was ‘exceptional.’ He consistently demonstrates leadership skills, a strong work ethic, and an inquisitive mind. On the wards, Hao-Min distinguished himself from peers through his broad foundation of knowledge, unwavering professional demeanor, and ability to connect with his patients.”

Dr. Pan also cited the support of his parents and his wife, Tiantian, an actuarial consultant, “who has been supportive of me throughout our entire seven-year journey.” The couple recently welcomed their first child, Felicity, who now is 8 months old.

Dr. Pan will serve his residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

“My wife and child will be relocating there in the coming weeks, and we are all excited to start this new chapter,” Dr. Pan said. “It feels very bittersweet to leave UT Southwestern as my peers, mentors, and the patients I’ve had a privilege of caring for have left a lasting impression on me, and these influences will continue to direct me on a daily basis. Being a student at UT Southwestern was nothing short of a transformative experience, and I’m so fortunate to have been a student here and to have been graced with all of these incredible people.”