Creighton University welcomes 120 new medical students at white coat ceremony

PHOENIX - One by one, 120 new medical students at Creighton University donned the white coat and took their student oath.

"This is an exciting day. It's the start of the journey for these young people towards becoming physicians," said Dr. Robert Dunlay, dean of medicine at Creighton University.

Local perspective:

It is a journey medical student Juan Carlos Maron Hernandez has been dreaming of since he was just a young boy growing up in Jalisco, Mexico.

"I experienced a lot of medical negligence and poverty. I grew up around many family members that didn't have access to healthcare. So it was about local knowledge if we had any medical problems," Hernandez said.

The backstory:

The loss of his aunt when he was just 7-years-old would change the trajectory of his life.

"You could see her pain in her face, and I was so mad at my family and my community because they didn't do anything to help her, but it was because we didn't have the resources to help my aunt, and she suddenly died two weeks later," Hernandez said.

Pursuing His Dream:

He decided then to become a doctor.

"I want to become the physician my community always needed," Hernandez said.

At 13-years-old, he and his family moved to the United States, with Juan Carlos working in tomato fields after school to help support his family. He is now an Arrupe Global Scholar, the prestigious five-year dual degree program at Creighton University. Taking the oath to then pursue medicine and global health, he is hoping to be the change he wants to see, and encourage others to do the same.

What He's Saying:

"I didn't have any mentors growing up, I didn't have any physicians in my family. I just knew what I wanted to do and I fought for it. I didn't listen to the nos, and I am here, so I know it is possible. And if it's possible for me, it's possible for everybody else," Hernandez said.

EducationPhoenixNews