The Heart Behind Healthcare

The Future is Bright

Ali Villagran, B.S. ’17, M.D.

Ali Villagran, B.S. ’17, M.D., knew from a young age that she’d pursue medicine. 

“One of the things that drew me to Baylor was that it was not only a Christian institution but also took science, research and academic excellence seriously,” Villagran said. “I’d applied to some other major academic research powerhouses and small liberal arts Christian colleges, but Baylor was a great middle-ground that gave me the benefits of both. Once I was accepted to the Baylor2Baylor Medical Program, I knew that was it.” 

The Baylor2Baylor Medical Program is a combined eight-year baccalaureate/medical doctorate program for selected high-achieving undergraduate students through which students complete their degrees at Baylor and then immediately transition to Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. As an undergraduate, Villagran credits her education in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC) and Medical Humanities program for establishing a foundation for approaching the holistic health of a person. Today, she’s in residency at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

“I’m in a program that provides training in pediatrics, adult psychiatry and child psychiatry, and I’m planning to do something that combines those fields,” Villagran said. “I’m excited to try to find a way to combine my training in pediatric medicine and child psychiatry.” 

When Villagran first started medical school, she believed she’d pursue pediatrics, but as she continued her medical rotations, she was drawn more and more to psychiatry. 

“With psychiatry, I felt like I got to meet with people where they were and hopefully provide a little bit of light and hope for them,” Villagran said. “I think that’s what brings so many of us into medicine in the first place — wanting to feel like we’re helping people.” 

One of the things Villagran noticed throughout her experience was how often physical health and mental health were siloed from one another in the healthcare system while constantly witnessing how they’re interconnected in the care needed by individuals. 

“My training program will put me in a unique position where I can see both sides of that and work to try to bridge that divide,” Villagran said. “We can bring the two together where we’re treating the whole person and not just mental health and not just physical health — because it’s all your health, your well-being.”

As she’s continued her residency, Villagran has experienced incredible leadership and mentorship — something she hopes to incorporate as she continues her career. 

 “Medicine can feel incredibly hierarchical, but we were reminded in my residency program that we’re all in it together — medical students, nurses, techs, etc. Every opinion was valued, and we were encouraged to speak up,” Villagran said.

This leadership and Villagran’s experience at Baylor continue to influence her today. 

“From Medical Humanities to the BIC program, it all helped me to have a broader view of the world and the diversity of thoughts and backgrounds,” Villagran said. “It’s all impacted the way I approach my patients — with an open mind and readiness to meet them where they are and learn more about who they are outside of whatever medical problem I’m seeing them for. I have a lot of my experiences at Baylor to thank for the fact that I chose to do what I’m doing.”