Doctoral Student Selected for ACSM Diversity and Leadership Training Program

Published April 13, 2023                                                                                                                                  By Darlene Muguiro                                                                                                                                        UTEP College of Health Sciences

Manuel Gomez, a first-year student in the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences PhD Program, was recently notified by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) that he was selected to join the 2023 cohort of its Leadership and Diversity Training Program.

Annually, ACSM solicits applications worldwide for its highly competitive training program, intended to engage student members from underrepresented minority groups in activities that support degree completion, career opportunities and future positions as fellows and leaders within the organization. Students who are selected for the program participate in mentored experiences under the direction of a professional ACSM member and travel to annual meetings to network with other members who are presenting their research.

Gomez said he became aware of the program through Dr. Francisco Morales Acuna, a 2020 graduate of the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences PhD Program and former training program participant. The two are connected through Dr. Alvaro Gurovich, director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program and ACSM Fellow.

Despite having previous exposure to the program, and support from Gurovich and Dr. Gabriel Ibarra-Mejia, assistant professor of Public Health, Gomez says he was humbled when he received the invitation, particularly because of its highly competitive nature. He’s grateful to have the opportunity to represent young Hispanics in sports medicine research, and within ACSM itself.

“I think that ACSM developed this program to get us together so we can meet people with the same struggles and the same background, and so we can see that we’re not alone. As a Latino, it’s kind of hard to push into a new career, especially in sports medicine, and trying to make a change in the world,” he said.

Gomez will begin the training program at the end of May. He expects that his experience will help him advance his dissertation research, which focuses on endothelial function, vascular reactivity, blood flow patterns, cognitive function, and brain oxygenation of cardiovascular-impaired patients. In addition to his goals of fostering collaboration and securing funding, he envisions building a community of sports medicine professionals and biomedical engineers, not only at UTEP, but also throughout El Paso and West Texas. Following graduation, he hopes to obtain a postdoctoral position and eventually work as a tenured professor.

Gomez encourages graduate and undergraduate students who are interested in professional development to begin applying for fellowships early in their academic careers.

“The opportunities within ACSM and for other fellowships are out there; you just need to look for them and work on developing your support system,” he said. “Mentorship is key, and you’ll know you’ve found the right mentor when you never want to leave the lab.”

###

Go Miners!

For more information about the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences PhD Program, please visit: www.utep.edu/chs/ihs/.

Photo courtesy of Manuel Gomez