CHS Doctoral Student Becomes Fifth Stanford PRISM Inductee
Published June 28, 2023 By Darlene Muguiro UTEP College of Health Sciences
The Stanford University PRISM (Postdoctoral Recruitment Initiative in Sciences and Medicine) program can count one more CHS doctoral student in its ranks. Michael Sanchez, a PhD candidate in the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences (IHS) program, is the most recent recruit, and is the fifth IHS PhD student in a four-year timeframe to have been invited. He follows the footsteps of IHS alums Francisco Morales-Acuna, Juan Aguilera, Amy Nava, and Samuel Montalvo.
PRISM provides a venue for late-stage graduate students from diverse backgrounds to visit the campus, and ultimately aims to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in postdoctoral positions at Stanford. Sanchez said he was intrigued by the opportunities that a possible admission to PRISM could provide for his future career in academia. While he admits being initially intimidated by the competitive process and Stanford’s prestige, he decided to “take a leap of faith” and apply.
As part of his application, Sanchez was required to identify several potential research mentors and conduct virtual meetings with each to explore possible matches prior to the PRISM deadline. Sanchez’s picks included Dr. Katrin Svensson (research focus: metabolic regulation), Dr. Matthew Wheeler (research focus: understanding at the molecular level how physical activity makes us healthier), and Drs. Arash Momeni and Derrick Wan (research focus: plastic surgery).
Upon hearing he was accepted to PRISM’s 11th cohort, Sanchez immediately began planning for the five-day visit. The schedule included several activities with previous PRISM cohorts and other postdoctoral researchers, allowing him to interact with IHS alums Samuel Montalvo, who served as his guide on campus, and Amy Nava. Sanchez says these interactions were crucial for himself and others in the cohort who weren’t entirely sure what came next in the process.
“PRISM will get you to the campus to interview with the laboratories, but funding is not guaranteed. But previous PRISM scholars would tell us not to worry, and encouraged us to apply for PROPEL funding, which can provide up to two years of full funding,” he said.
Now back at UTEP, Sanchez is planning his final dissertation defense, which focuses on the impact of compression garments on inflammatory biomarkers post-surgery. After that point, his next move will depend on the funding timeline for PROPEL and other opportunities with laboratories outside of PRISM. He says that regardless of where he ends up, his experience was invaluable, and he is proud to have represented UTEP, bringing the university’s name to the forefront once again, and to have been among representatives of many of the nation’s top research institutions.
“My experience was very enriching. Hispanics are commonly underrepresented in the research areas of medicine and science – only 2% will receive a PhD – so it was truly impactful to see myself and others like me represented in such a high-status institution as Stanford.”
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Go Miners!
For more information about the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences PhD Program, please visit: www.utep.edu/chs/ihs.