Coats of Honor
Future Health Care Heroes Don White Coats, Pledge Service to Our Borderplex Community
Texas Tech Health El Paso Foster School of Medicine celebrates 17th annual White Coat Ceremony as 130 students, many homegrown, prepare to tackle the doctor shortage across our Borderplex
The auditorium fell silent as Devin Martinez stepped forward to receive her Foster School of Medicine white coat, her family's eyes glistening with pride as they looked on.
After watching her loved ones struggle with health care access in El Paso — waiting hours in doctor's offices or unable to secure appointments for months — this moment for Martinez represented far more than a milestone in medical education.
“What inspired me to pursue a career in medicine was the lack of health care providers in El Paso while I was growing up, and even now,” Martinez reflected. “By becoming a physician, I can work to decrease that problem.”
Martinez was one of a record number 130 first-year medical students who donned their white coats during Texas Tech Health El Paso's Foster School of Medicine’s 17th annual White Coat Ceremony at the Starlight Event Center on Saturday, Aug. 9. The event celebrating the school’s Class of 2029, the largest to date, marked their official entry into the medical profession and their commitment to serve our Borderplex.
This year's cohort brings something particularly powerful to the ceremony: deep roots in the communities they aim to heal. Many students are local — born and raised along the U.S.-Mexico border. They chose Texas Tech Health El Paso with a clear mission to return as border doctors, addressing the region's most pressing health care challenges.
Homegrown Healers with Hearts of Service
Wonderful Oyebami embodies this homegrown spirit. Born in Nigeria, but raised in El Paso since childhood, Oyebami attended Mission Early College High School and the University of Texas at El Paso before choosing his hometown medical school.
“Because it’s in my hometown, I want to contribute to El Paso's care and help knock down barriers to health care here,” Oyebami explained. “I know to best do that, staying within El Paso and learning from the med school here would most help me accomplish that goal.”
Oyebami's path to medicine was deeply personal — inspired by watching physicians provide culturally competent care to his father during his battle with cardiovascular disease. His interests include family medicine, psychiatry, and internal medicine, representing a new generation of physicians wanting to understand the communities they'll serve.
The ceremony also celebrated students like Alexandra Gomez from McAllen, Texas, another vibrant border community. Gomez has led community health research, volunteer work, and created self-run programs to support families in Mexico. She’s also conducted research on health equity for people with developmental disabilities.
“My dream isn't about status — it's about serving vulnerable communities with empathy and understanding,” Gomez shared. “I hope to show that a first-generation Mexican American girl becoming a physician isn't an exception — it's a beginning.”
A Legacy of Service Before the Stethoscope
What sets this cohort apart is their extensive commitment to service long before medical school began. Survey data reveals students have collectively contributed thousands of hours to research, community outreach and leadership roles across local, national and international levels.
Many students bring unique language abilities essential for providing multilingual care in our Borderplex. Students report fluency in Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, Portuguese, German, French, and other languages — skills crucial for breaking down barriers to community care.
Their research backgrounds span critical areas affecting border health, from Alzheimer's disease and cancer treatment to maternal health disparities and mental health access. Several students have published research and presented at national conferences, demonstrating their commitment to advancing medicine alongside patient care.
Addressing Critical Regional Needs
The timing of this ceremony couldn't be more significant. Texas continues to grapple with one of the nation’s most acute physician shortages — an issue particularly felt in our Borderplex region. Before the Foster School of Medicine opened in 2009, El Paso County had 75% fewer physicians per 100,000 residents than the national average.
Thanks to the addition of Texas Tech Health El Paso’s medical school and its innovative, service-driven programs, the gap has narrowed. However, the shortage persists at 60% below the national average today.
Richard Lange, M.D., M.B.A., president of Texas Tech Health El Paso and dean of the Foster School of Medicine, emphasized the transformative potential of this locally rooted cohort.
“These students don't just understand the challenges facing our communities — they've lived them,” Dr. Lange noted. “Their commitment to return and serve represents hope for addressing health disparities that have persisted for too long along our border.”
White Coats as Symbols of Advocacy
For these students, the white coat represents much more than just medical training: It symbolizes advocacy, inclusion, and leadership within their communities. As Martinez remarked, “The white coat represents a responsibility to my community. I have been entrusted by it, this school, and my future patients to learn the material and become a competent physician.”
The white coats are sponsored by generous individuals and groups, several without direct ties to the university, who demonstrate their belief and trust in our future health care leaders.
The Foster School of Medicine focuses on community and border health, creating an ideal environment for these students to transform into the community health leaders our region deserves. Through innovative curriculum, including medical Spanish and extensive community-based rotations, students are equipped with skills for culturally competent care.
Their white coats represent promises kept to communities that raised them and hope for a healthy future across our Borderplex.
About Texas Tech Health El Paso
Texas Tech Health El Paso serves 108 counties in West Texas and is a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution dedicated to preparing the next generation of health care heroes. Established as an independent university in 2013, Texas Tech Health El Paso is a uniquely innovative destination for medical, nursing, biomedical sciences and dental education.
Focusing on excellence in health care education, research, and clinical service, Texas Tech Health El Paso has graduated over 2,600 professionals since 2013, including its first cohort of dental graduates in 2025. For more information, visit ttuhscepimpact.org.