By Ron Durham

Dr. Jack Squiers

For years, Dr. Jack Squiers thought he would continue the legacy of his grandfather and become a cardiologist. But ultimately Dr. Squiers chose to blaze his own trail as a surgeon.

Dr. Squiers is the grandson of Dr. Brian Baldwin, a cardiologist who served at St. Paul Hospital for many years before joining the UT Southwestern Medical Center faculty. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps would have been a natural plan, but working with faculty mentors like Dr. Michael DiMaio, a former Professor of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, and Dr. Greg Modrall, Professor of Vascular Surgery, prompted Dr. Squiers to adjust his career choice.

“When I started at UT Southwestern, I was planning to become a cardiologist like my grandfather,” Dr. Squiers said. “I did indeed love the cardiovascular system, but I also fell in love with surgery. I became fascinated with the immediate, tangible impact that surgeons can have on their patients.

“The wisdom required to know when, and whether, to operate on a patient and the creativity to artfully perform surgery – which is unique in every case – were skills that I wanted to develop. As a student working with surgical patients, it was gratifying to participate not only in the operating room, but also in their recovery from surgery.”

That decision has proved to be a good one, as Dr. Squiers has been honored with the 2017 Hudson-Penn Award for Excellence in Surgery, which recognizes a senior Medical Student who has demonstrated excellence in the specialty of surgery. The Hudson-Penn Award, established in 1979, is named for Dr. Lee Hudson, Chief of Surgery at Parkland Memorial Hospital when UT Southwestern was founded, and for Robert Penn, Dr. Hudson’s brother-in-law. The award recognizes academic achievement, outstanding clinical skills, and a caring attitude toward patients.

“To receive this award is humbling,” said Dr. Squiers. “Realizing who some of the previous winners are and what they have accomplished in their careers, in addition to knowing many of my classmates who were also deserving of this award, puts into perspective how special the Hudson-Penn Award is. I’m grateful that I was considered worthy of this recognition by the Department of Surgery.”

Dr. Modrall said Dr. Squiers, who will serve his general surgery residency at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, is a well-deserving recipient of the award.

“Jack is a solid, high-character person,” said Dr. Modrall. “He is quietly confident, rather than being boastful or inappropriately aggressive. He has an excellent sense of humor and blended very well with our surgery residents. In short, he has ‘superstar’ written all over him.”

Dr. Squiers, who said he hopes to apply for a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery after his residency, has equally high praise for Dr. Modrall and credits their work together for helping him ultimately decide on a career in surgery.

“In terms of clinical mentorship, Dr. Modrall was my most important mentor at UT Southwestern,” Dr. Squiers said. “I spent a month with him at the VA, and caring for his patients was when I realized I wanted to become a surgeon. His ability to make a direct, immediate impact on patients was something I wanted to develop as well.”

Dr. Squiers’ collaboration with Dr. DiMaio has been equally productive.

“With Dr. DiMaio, I have conducted clinical outcomes research and also worked for his startup biomedical device company for nearly a decade. Between these two activities, Dr. DiMaio and I have built a relationship that is absolutely the most influential one in my development as a physician. We have published more than 30 papers together, and I look forward to continuing my collaboration with him as I move into residency.”

Dr. Squiers added that collaborations with Drs. Jere Mitchell, Scott Smith, and Mary McGarry were also big influences in his decision to pursue a career in medicine and research.

A graduate of Princeton University with a degree in chemical engineering, Dr. Squiers grew up in Dallas and attended Cistercian Preparatory School in Irving.

Dr. Squiers and his wife, Cristina, have a young daughter, Lucy, and another child due in September.

Dr. Mitchell holds the S. Roger and Carolyn P. Horchow Chair in Cardiac Research, in Honor of Jere H. Mitchell, M.D.