FIU graduates pursue doctor dreams at new medical school


MIAMI (April 23, 2009) – Patricio Lau was accepted by nine medical schools, but his heart was set on the one that would allow him to blaze a trail – as one of  FIU’s first medical students.

Lau is among 43 aspiring doctors, chosen from a pool of 3,332 candidates, who will begin classes at Florida International University’s College of Medicine in August. On Monday, Lau, 23, will graduate from FIU with a dual degree in biological sciences and chemistry, making him one of several FIU graduates or soon-to-be graduates who will begin their medical studies at University Park in the fall.

“Being one of FIU’s first medical students is a great honor,” said Lau, who was born in Nicaragua and came to the United States when he was 15. “We will have the opportunity to shape a brand new program and pave the way for future medical students. I am excited about all of the opportunities waiting for us.”

At Monday’s commencement ceremony, Lau will be joined by Diana Morlote Triana, who will be receiving her degree in biological sciences. Morlote, 23, an Honors College student with a 4.0 grade point average who co-authored a paper published in the Journal of Human Genetics on “Genetic insights into the origins of Tibeto-Burman populations in the Himalayas”, was drawn to the College of Medicine because of its emphasis on training sympathetic doctors who want to serve their community.

Central to the College of Medicine’s innovative curriculum is NeighborhoodHELPTM, a program through which medical students will join with FIU students in nursing, public health, and other disciplines to work with underserved families in Miami-Dade.

“This will allow me to combine my love of science with my desire to help people,” said Morlote, who was born in Cuba and lived six years in the Dominican Republic. “These are the reasons why I want to become a doctor.”

Both Lau and Morlote have already overcome challenges on their way to medical school. They both came to the United States as teenagers and had to learn English.

For inspiration, Morlote looks to her cardiologist father and dentist mother, both of whom are in the process of re-establishing their careers in the United States.

Lau, who is the first in his family to graduate from a university, recalls struggling financially upon his family’s arrival in Miami and living in cramped quarters with relatives. Today, he is trying to set an example for his younger sisters and brother.

“Patricio and Diana represent the bright, talented, and caring students that we will welcome to our College of Medicine in the fall,” said College of Medicine Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Barbra Roller, who works closely with FIU students seeking admission to medical school. “We are proud of them for working hard, setting their goals high and achieving their dreams.”

 –FIU-

Media Contact: Madeline Baró,  305-348-2234

About the FIU College of Medicine:
The College of Medicine was approved in 2006 by the Florida Board of Governors and the Florida Legislature.  In 2008, it received preliminary accreditation by the Liaison Committee for Medical Education of the AAMC and will admit its first class in the fall of 2009. Among the innovative elements of the FIU College of Medicine is a program called NeighborhoodHELPTM, which will send medical students along with their counterparts in social work, nursing and public health, into the community from the onset of their academic programs. The FIU College of Medicine is expected to have a multi-billion-dollar economic impact on Miami-Dade County, bringing thousands of jobs to the area and eventually contributing millions to the state coffers every year. For more information visit http://medicine.fiu.edu/

 

About FIU:

Florida International University was founded in 1965 and is Miami’s only public research university. With a student body of more than 38,000, FIU graduates more Hispanics than any other university in the country. Its 17 colleges and schools offer more than 200 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations and law. FIU has been classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a “High Research Activity University.” In 2006 FIU was authorized to establish a medical school, which will welcome its first class in 2009. FIU’s College of Law recently received accreditation in the fastest time allowed by the American Bar Association.

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