Christian Dávila:
Overcoming and Succeeding
Christian Dávila is a third-year medical student at the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM) in San Antonio, Texas, but his journey there tested his faith and determination. He was initially rejected from medical school for two straight years.
As an undergraduate, Christian knew that he had a passion to help others and decided that he wanted to become a doctor after shadowing a hospital nurse – his first exposure to a health care setting. However, his pursuit of medicine proved a difficult road.
Christian was born and raised in Laredo, Texas and is of Mexican descent. Anxious to start college, he graduated high school a year early at the age of 16. He relocated to attend the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology.
“For the first time in my life, I felt set back,” he said. “Ultimately, I think my age was why I was rejected previously – I now have the discernment to realize that I just wasn’t ready yet and it was God’s will for me to mature before being accepted to med school.”
After his medical school rejections, Christian decided to pursue a master’s degree to further demonstrate his dedication and willingness to become a doctor. He received his Master of Physiological and Biological Sciences degree at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Middletown, New York. He also took the MCAT again and did twice as well although his score was good the first time.
“I had also learned the ‘tricks of the trade’ of applying to med school and became a better applicant by starting the process earlier and getting more letters of recommendation,” he said.
It paid off. He applied to five medical schools and was accepted by all of them.
“When I was accepted, I was overwhelmed with joy and felt that God was finally giving me access to my calling – I always felt that I was born to be His servant and help others,” he said.
For Christian, UIWSOM was the obvious choice because it is a school of osteopathic medicine, faith-based and close to his family.
“I also felt fortunate to have been accepted by UIWSOM because out of 9,000 applicants, only 150 were accepted,” he added. “Attending a Catholic med school and getting involved with the CMA has allowed me to grow in my faith more than ever before.”
Christian is the first member of his family to pursue a career in medicine. In medical school, he faces the stress of both academic and financial responsibilities, but thanks to his family’s support, he has been able to overcome it.
Despite his many obligations as a medical student, Christian was eager to start the CMA Student Chapter at UIWSOM to connect with his faith, classmates and Catholic physicians.
With the help of the dean of the medical school and vice president of the student chapter, Christian spread awareness of the group’s activities that consists of weekly Bible studies, praying the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet, attending Mass on campus and monthly talks by Catholic physicians.
He launched the student chapter in December 2017 and has served as president since its inception.
The student chapter proved to be an oasis for Christian and other students, with attendance at the monthly talks averaging 15-25 people. Christian says his faith has given him a foundation to live on, and that exercising it through CMA activities has brought him “so much inner joy and balance.”
He is thankful to belong to the CMA and for the resources that it has provided him. Christian hopes to work in surgery and emergency medicine, which he describes as “raw medicine at its finest.”
Undoubtedly, the formation that Christian is receiving at UIWSOM and through the CMA, along with his personal spiritual life – his favorite devotion is the Rosary – will strengthen him as a medical student and as a physician in the years to come.