Leadership Q&A

Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D. President, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

You might say medicine is in the blood of Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D. With a father, uncle, grandfather, and four siblings who are physicians, it's not surprising that Dr. Cigarroa became a renowned pediatric and transplant surgeon. But he has also done something no one else in his family, or elsewhere, has done - become the first Hispanic to head a U.S. academic health science center.

In October, Dr. Cigarroa was named president of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. It's a particularly appropriate place for a Hispanic leader: The center has been named a "Hispanic-Serving Institution" by the Department of Education, a designation reserved for institutions with 25 percent or greater Hispanic undergraduate enrollment and a record of outreach to Hispanics through faculty hiring and student nurturing.

Dr. Cigarroa received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and completed his residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and fellowship at Johns Hopkins University.

Q: You come from a long line of physicians. How did that affect your decision to practice medicine, and how do you think your experience differs from that of many other Hispanics in this country?

A: Even as a young person, I can remember making rounds with my father and uncle, both physicians, and a close family friend, Dr. Mario Ramirez. It did, indeed, have a profound impact on me. I was able to understand the concept of service during the many late-night house calls we made. I also remember my father emphasizing that time spent with a patient was of primary importance, and that regardless of anything else a physician might have on his or her mind, nothing should interfere with the attention given a patient during a visit.

If my experience differs from other Hispanics', it might be that I was fortunate to be in a situation in which my family could afford to pay for my education. But that has made me even more passionate about finding scholarship funding for those young people who today have all the ambition that I had as a young person, but who have fewer resources. I am determined that limited finances will never keep a talented, bright young person out of a medical career.

Q: What are your goals as president?

A: My primary goal is to take this university to the top tier of nationally ranked institutions. That will require a great infusion of funds. The academic marketplace is competitive and costly, but we must attract and retain the best academic physicians and scientists to inspire and teach the next generation and to advance the frontiers of medical discoveries. I also want to increase our endowments for scholarships and ensure that our students reflect the needs of our rapidly growing area. Diversity among our faculty, staff, and students is important. So is excellence. Fortunately, the two are not mutually exclusive. I am committed to both.

Q: How do you feel about becoming the first Hispanic to head a U.S. academic health science center? How does this historic role shape your objectives for the center?

A: I am both honored and humbled to be the first Hispanic in the nation to head a U.S. academic health center. I believe my goals for this university would be the same, even if I were not in this "first in the nation" category. Excellence in our research, teaching, and clinical service is something all academic physicians embrace. Of course, I am aware that history has placed me in a position to be a role model for others. I have already spent a good deal of time with young people, and if they can be inspired by my having reached this position, then I could not be more pleased. Many people inspired me to excel, and I believe I have a responsibility to inspire others whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Q: How can academic medicine's leadership encourage students who are Hispanic or from other underrepresented minority groups to enter medicine?

A: I believe the leadership of academic medicine should cast the widest possible net, and in so doing, we will ensure the diversity that is so needed in medicine. I realize that in some medical schools the number of underrepresented minority students is decreasing, but we have actually seen an increase, even after the Hopwood decision. One reason for our success is our partnerships with high schools and colleges. For years we have supported educational pipeline programs - such as Med Ed, a program designed to encourage and recruit area high school students into the health care professions - and our success has been tremendous. We also ensure that there are mentoring opportunities for students once they enroll.

Failure to succeed is usually not due to a lack of ability; it usually comes from a situation in which a student is a product of an environment so far removed from academic medicine that it is hard for many of us to imagine what a giant leap it is for some of our students to even be in medical school. With appropriate encouragement, we find the success rate very high.

Q: What are some of the center's outreach efforts to the Hispanic community as well as to faculty members and medical students?

A: We have sponsored summer science and math camps as part of our Med Ed program. We have outreach programs that bring promising young people, even in their junior high and senior high years, to campus and let them spend time with health care providers, laboratory researchers, and medical students. We have programs that allow students to shadow physicians or other health care providers. We also provide workshops on essay writing and interview skills. In terms of our faculty, we have mentoring programs that help young faculty members on the tenure track be evaluated and counseled very early in their careers.