Tell me about yourself.

I am currently a Medical Laboratory Officer in the United States Army.  I am married with three children and enjoy working out and cooking. I graduated high school in 1999 from Cooper High School, Abilene, Texas.  I was the first in my entire family to attend college and completed my undergraduate degree in 2004 in biochemistry at McMurry University.  I was a collegiate athlete in both track and cross country. Seeking a challenge in my life and myself, I joined the Army in 2006 and have been a productive leader ever since. I have deployed twice as a Laboratory & Blood Support Officer in a combat support hospital, once to Kuwait and Iraq. I have always wanted to continue with my education, and this opportunity may have come at a later time in my life, but I can genuinely say that it is never too late to achieve your dreams.

What is your hometown?

I claim Abilene, Texas, because it was a place to call home. It is where I graduated high school and completed my undergraduate degree.  Originally, I was born on Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. With my father being in the service, we moved around a lot.

Why did you choose UT Health San Antonio?

The program. During my interviews, I felt that UT Health San Antonio was interested in me, and I was not just a body. Also, my family and I love San Antonio.

What drew you to your program?

The program’s diversity in its discipline drew me.  There are multiple disciplines in the Integrated Biomedical Science program but they all crosstalk and work together to achieve answers. Innovation, research, and the advancement of medicine and science can no longer be achieved by one discipline alone. In science, we have to be a “Jack of All Trades” and not only understand the fundamentals but become experts of all scientific disciplines. This diversity allows the person to see a bigger picture from different angles and solve many more problems. This program will allow me to gain advanced knowledge in multiple disciplines, advance in my education, and contribute to the future success of the military.

What are your career goals?

As an Army Officer, this is an opportunity to continue developing myself as a leader. I want to continue to support the military by becoming an expert in advanced theoretical and practical biomedical skills with knowledge of diagnosis and disease status processes to enhance the Army’s medical treatment and research fields.