UCLA Journal of Radiation Oncology FALL 2023 - Flipbook - Page 37
UCLA RADIATION ONCOLOGY JOURNAL
ASTRO MEDICAL STUDENT FELLOWSHIP AWARD
ANTONIO FRANCO
A: My upbringing influenced my career path in
various forms through the many experiences
and lessons learned at home. No one in my
direct or extended family, which is large on
both sides, is in the medical field. My dad is
a forklift driver at a Kroger warehouse, while
my mom stayed at home to raise myself and
my two younger siblings. Despite their limited
formal education, they always encouraged us
to excel in school and our professional futures.
Higher education was expected since we were
kids. Being raised in a family of immigrants,
I was acutely aware of the sacrifices and
struggles my parents faced . Whether it be the
need for a translator to facilitate my mom’s
conversations with her PCP or my dad working
odd hours at night and during weekends, I
was infused with greater motivation to excel
in school and “aim high.” Excelling in school
emerged as a way to work for my own future,
but also and more importantly as a form of
gratitude and a desire to help my parents.
Moreover, having strictly been taught as a
kid to speak Spanish at home and English
outside, I realized that my experience could
serve as a bridge for many people in various
circles. Culturally and linguistically, I learned
to communicate and connect with people who
don’t know any English or any Spanish. More
specifically, there are some lessons that my
parents shared with us that I strongly believe
brought me to medicine. Since I was a kid, my
mom would often say, “Si no vives para servir,
no sirves para vivir,” which roughly translates
to “If you don’t live to serve others, you don’t
know how to live.” From small things like
doing chores for others around the house to
E: When did you become interested in
medicine?
A: There wasn't one particular instance in
which I became interested in medicine, I've
had many experiences that confirmed my
journey. In middle school, I clearly remember
how enthralled I was with the dissection of
a frog and a sheep’s eye. This fascination
for biology continued throughout high
school, where I seriously began considering
bioengineering and a STEM career. Around
junior year, I discovered the story of a 20th
century pioneer in the field of biochemistry,
Dr. Moscati. Reading a book about the “doctor
of the poor,” as they called him in Naples,
became a key moment in my evolving interest
in medicine. This doctor’s life served as an
inspiration for who I wanted to become. A
thought he shared with one of his mentees,
which had a great impact on me is the
following quote: "that you must treat not
only bodies, but also souls, with counsel that
appeals to their minds and hearts rather
than with cold prescriptions to be sent into
the pharmacist." His story, philosophy of
life, and the way he practiced medicine have
been foundational during my journey in
medicine. As I continued on to college, all my
experiences--from volunteering at a clinic for
uninsured patients, to going on several service
trips to Cuba during breaks, and eventually
working as an ER technician--further
confirmed my initial inspiration.
E: How did your upbringing, if at all,
influence your education/career path?
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