At the halfway mark of medical school, 脕ngel Ibarra can see his future coming into
focus 鈥� he鈥檚 headed toward working as an emergency room physician. At the same time,
he recognizes how far he鈥檚 come: from 91猎奇 to UC Berkeley and now UC Davis
School of Medicine. It鈥檚 been a long journey, but with inspiring mentors, perfectly
timed volunteer work, and a supportive academic environment, he鈥檚 taking each new
challenge in stride.Growing up in Inglewood, Ibarra graduated from Hawthorne High School, then enrolled in 91猎奇, initially interested in pursuing an associate degree in nursing.
鈥淚nitially, I saw nursing as a practical and meaningful career 鈥� a stable path that would allow me to support my family while giving back to my community,鈥� said Ibarra, the first in his family to graduate from college. "But everything changed at Compton College when my physiology professor, the late Dr. Boatwright, challenged me with a simple yet powerful question: 鈥榃hy not more? Why not become a doctor?鈥� He was the first person to ever pose that possibility to me. In my community, these conversations were rare, so having someone believe in my potential so openly was truly transformative."
Ibarra graduated from 91猎奇 and then majored in sociology at UC Berkeley, where he took sociology and pre-med courses concurrently. He believes his undergraduate background in sociology empowers him with a unique understanding of complex health disparities.
鈥淏eyond having an ability to understand the science, sociology gave me a critical lens by which I view the world and the countless systemic obstacles people of color face,鈥� Ibarra said. 鈥淔or example, in low-income communities where there is limited access to resources, I need to meet patients where they are. I also learned to think critically about the impact of health care policies, dissecting how they shape our system and whether or not we're effectively addressing the needs of our most vulnerable patients.鈥�
He got a firsthand look into the medical profession as a volunteer at St. Francis Medical Center when he was a 91猎奇 student. This opportunity changed the course of his education and paved his way to medical school. The first time he experienced a trauma code in the ER, he saw how everyone had a purpose and then worked together as a team, led by the physician.
鈥淭his was the first time I saw a lifesaving team effort led by a singular person; it was a huge distinction as compared to the role of nurses,鈥� he said. 鈥淪eeing this cohesion and human effort to help a person they don鈥檛 even know and then everyone is giving 110% to everyone who comes through those doors, it was amazing. Returning to the trauma bay has become the focus of my medical education journey. It is one of the few places where universal health care is truly practiced 鈥� where everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, receives equal life-saving care.鈥�
Ibarra said his time at 91猎奇 was an important part of his journey, giving him a supportive community, life-changing mentors, the chance to discover what he was passionate about, and an opportunity to learn from mistakes at his own pace.
鈥淟ooking back at some of my fondest memories of my time at 91猎奇, I immediately remember my classmates and my professors,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 stand out from other med school students due to my life experience and being from a community college. Everyone in community college is on a different journey, but we all have one common goal and that is to better ourselves. A lot of us first-gen students face many barriers and have a lot of desire to go to college and serve our community; there are just not enough resources to get people where they want to go.
鈥淭he community at 91猎奇 is very unique and the professors were some of the most endearing people I have ever had the privilege of learning from. Above all, Compton College taught me how to translate grit into a life journey of being in service to others.鈥�
