Burnett School of Medicine at TCU Student Fulfilling a Family Dream
Angela Abarquez, MS4 at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University, will be the first doctor in her family when she graduates in May.
FORT WORTH – On any given day of the week, you can find Angela Abarquez, MS4, lacing up the gloves and strapping on leg pads as she fights her way through a grueling Muay Thai kickboxing workout at a gym in Fort Worth.
“I just really love it,” said the fourth-year medical student at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University. “It’s a really good way for me to destress from medical school.”
Stress levels are high for the California native as her dream to become a physician gets closer to reality. She will be the first doctor in her family and fulfill a dream that her aunt once had.
“It means a lot to my family,” Abarquez said. “My aunt really wanted to be a physician, but my dad’s family didn’t have enough money to send her to medical school in the Philippines.”
Abarquez’s dad and his three siblings were raised by a single mom and lived in a hotel room. Her grandma served as a principal at a school, so education has always been important to the family.
“Hearing Dr. Abarquez will be powerful,” said Abarquez. “It represents everything my family has done to give me what they didn’t have.”
Her family now has a scholarship fund at the school where her grandma worked, and they sponsor a few scholars each year.
“One day, I hope to sponsor a student’s education as a tribute to the gift of education my family gave me,” Abarquez said.
As for her aunt, she is a nurse practitioner and will be on hand for Abarquez’s Commencement in May.
But first, Abarquez will find out what residency program she will match in on March 20.
“I’m really excited for Match Day,” said Abarquez. “I can’t wait to have my family by my side in that moment.”
She applied for Internal Medicine programs and hopes to stay in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She eventually wants to become a gastroenterologist.
“I’m excited to have the next level of responsibility for patients,” said Abarquez. “I think Burnett School of Medicine at TCU has done an excellent job in making sure we can confidently carry out patient interactions. It’s an important skill that I’m glad our school taught us.”