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Published April 26, 2024
By Darlene Muguiro
UTEP College of Health Sciences

Alondra Arias’ UTEP story includes a few twists and turns. The native El Pasoan and College of Health Sciences alum initially began her education as a biology major intending to go on to medical school. But after taking the required introductory chemistry and anatomy classes, she began to feel a pull for more variety in her curriculum, noting that her friends’ ability to take classes in psychology, public policy and anthropology made her feel like she was “missing out.”

Arias decided she wanted to change her major, but struggled initially to find the right fit, and even spent a short amount of time as a nursing major. But after attending an advising session at the College of Health Sciences and learning about the relatively new Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences program, she found the depth she was looking for and subsequently enrolled in the program’s intro course.

“What I really appreciated about that class was that there were so many people from different walks of life, with different interests,” she said. “The breadth of topics that you’re exposed to really helps you become a well-rounded clinician.”

Along with the change in content, Arias also benefited from the program’s community-engaged courses, which include a service-learning project where students identify a local organization to partner with. She selected an organization serving people with different cognitive abilities, and visited their housing facility several times each week to interact with the residents and engage them in different activities.

Arias says that a major turning point in her career happened while taking Dr. Gregory Schober’s health policy course, which served as the foundation for a budding interest in health research. She immediately approached him to inquire about opportunities to participate in his research, and ultimately assisted in Schober’s study on food insecurity among UTEP students and in the El Paso community.

“I was intrigued about the project and how he combined public policy, health, and social and environmental factors, and the interconnection among all of those factors. I wanted to learn more about that for my practice as a future physician,” she said.

Shortly after graduating from the BS in Rehabilitation Sciences program in fall 2020, Arias worked as a medical scribe for a local doctor and then moved into a position in clinical research for the pediatric neurosurgery department at El Paso Children’s Hospital, where she has been able to explore the theoretical side of medicine.  She was also recently accepted to the Burrell School of Osteopathic Medicine, and will begin classes in fall 2024. The school incorporates osteopathic manipulative medicine, which aligns well with her holistic view of health care. 

“When I see myself treating patients in the future, I see myself being as preventive as possible, before I would prescribe a medication or refer them for a medical procedure, and I really feel like this school values that mind-body connection,” she said.   

Arias will present with Schober at a conference in May on a study looking at how poor physical and mental health impacts political participation, using data from the El Paso community. She anticipates that she’ll continue to look for ways to incorporate research in public health and public policy into her professional practice as a physician.

“Dr. Schober’s mentorship has been essential in the development of my interest in research and in having a continued interest,” she said. “He really understands the struggles of being a first-generation college student and trying to navigate the system to look for opportunities. He’s been essential in helping me to feel competent in conducting research and overcoming the ‘imposter syndrome,' so I will definitely look for those opportunities in the future.”

Arias says the best piece of advice she would offer current students is to take advantage of the college’s and faculty’s many relationships with community agencies, which help students connect concepts learned in the classroom to real life.

“If I could go back and tell myself one thing, I would say to be intentional in seeking out opportunities by involving yourself in community events or research, things outside the classroom that really help you apply what you’re learning. This also helps you in the transition to the professional world after college,” she said.

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Go Miners!

For more information about the Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences, please visit: /chs/bsrhsc/