Carolina Solis-Herrera, MD, Class of 2017
What brought you to UT Health San Antonio?
Since a young age, I had a persistent intrigue about science and an intrinsic yearning to have a positive impact on health. This compelled me to search for the opportunity to develop into a physician-scientist. A world-renowned Diabetes Research Center, like the Diabetes Division at UT Health San Antonio, was the ideal setting to pursue my passion for clinical research. Since then, along with an outstanding team, I have had the honor to contribute to significant discoveries in the area of diabetes.
What is your favorite part and most challenging part of your job?
The favorite part of my job is to have the ability to be a physician-scientist and educator, which is only possible working in a prominent academic center. This allows me the opportunity to provide high-quality care in our clinics, teach the next generation of clinical endocrinologists and through research, understand better the pathogenesis of diabetes and develop new therapies for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
As the landscape of medicine and the latest information in the area of diabetes evolve quickly, it is of high importance to stay abreast of the latest discoveries and to constantly incorporate these advances into our research to develop relevant and novel hypotheses that may translate into significant human health impact.
What is your most rewarding experience at UT Health?
For me, being a clinician-scientist is the most rewarding component of working in UT Heath.
The melding of advanced clinical research with the art of medicine translates into world-class care in our clinics. Helping our patients succeed in their health goals is the ultimate rewarding experience.
How are you giving back to UT Health?
In addition to patient care and research, I have the privilege of teaching the next generation of clinicians and research scientists. I have always enjoyed preparing trainees to thrive in intellectual and professional settings, discussing and disseminating relevant topics in health care and science and being able to see them grow toward their own successful independence. My hope is that in the future they transmit their gained knowledge to future generations.
Share a message for students and alumni.
I’ve always been inspired by the Arthur Ashe quote “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” Mostly because we all start at different places personally and professionally, but where we go is determined, for the most part, by the small decisions we make on a daily basis and sprinkled-in with those large decisions that come along infrequently. Keep your eyes on your goal and work toward it. Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. The potential for greatness lies in each of us.