ElevateMeD Scholar: Owen Sáenz

Meet Owen Sáenz

ElevateMeD Scholar 2024-25

Owen Sáenz talks about what drew his interest to emergency medicine and how he will use empathy, resilience and being bi-lingual to benefit patients.

• Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas

• Medical Education: The University of North Texas Health Sciences Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine

• Undergraduate Education: University of North Texas in Biology with a Chemistry & Psychology Minor

• Current Career Plan: My career plan is driven towards the field of Emergency Medicine (EM).As an EM doctor, one of my goals is to make a positive difference in underprivileged communities like the ones I called home. Throughout minority and low-income communities, access to quality healthcare remains a pressing concern. As a future physician, I am driven to address these disparities, leveraging my passion and expertise to uplift those in need. Furthermore, I aspire to serve as a mentor and advocate for aspiring physicians from similar backgrounds, providing guidance and support to navigate the challenges inherent in pursuing a career in medicine. It is within this field that I see the opportunity to not only save lives but also the platform to champion the rights of the marginalized and underserved.

• Specialty Interest: Emergency Medicine

• I am most proud of the work it has taken me to reach where I am today. Being the first in my family to graduate high school in the United States, in addition to being a first-generation college graduate, alongside my siblings, was no easy feat. With no person to illustrate the path to education, our journey was stacked with barriers and numerous challenges. Nonetheless, my family and I have collectively surpassed all the negative statistics placed on us, and now turn our experiences into opportunities to serve, heal, and mentor others.

• You might be surprised to know that I was featured in the newspaper as a kid. Living in the Phenox projects of Denton, Texas, I would often adventure the complexes do get myself in whatever travieso situation I could. On this one occasion, I decided to wear my superman outfit and found myself trying to fly. I went to every staircase and jumped as far as I could, mimicking the way superman did it in the shows. A journalist happened to witness my incredible flying skills and decided to capture a picture of it. Now, the newspaper clipping hangs famously at my moms, showcasing the boy in the projects who could fly.

• ElevateMeD is… more than a scholarship. It’s an opportunity to create change amongst a non-diverse field which just so happens to provide services to a diverse community. I often speak on the numbers that trouble our community and how Latinos and African Americans numbers in medicine do not reflect the patient population. With the conferences, mentorship programs, networking opportunities, and leadership development, ElevateMeD creates a platform to change that. ElevateMeD is a community that enriches underrepresented minorities, and reminds everyone that trees grow in the barrios / ghettos too.