BY: Esteban G. Burchard, MD, MPH
In June of 1995, I began my medical internship at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston. I was one of the top medical students in my class at Stanford. As a result, I was selected as one of 42 interns nationwide to begin residency at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, which was widely regarded as the nation’s top medical residency program.
I grew up in the hood, without a father, and with a dark-skinned Mexican mother who loved me but was not around much. My childhood was difficult, but I was not a victim. I was exposed and challenged in ways that prepared me to step into the highest levels of academic medicine. A community of people stepped in to guide, support, and help me grow. High school and college wrestling gave me the discipline and direction I needed. It was the critical advantage that helped me stay focused and move forward.
Many teachers, coaches, mentors, and fellow wrestlers supported me throughout my journey. I am especially grateful to my wrestling teammates, whose discipline, toughness, and loyalty helped carry me through some of the most challenging periods of my life.
I did not do this alone. I am especially grateful to Melanie, my life partner for 40 years and my wife for 30 years, for her steady support. I also want to thank Carlos Levexier, my best friend and wrestling teammate, who has stood by me through it all.
I went on to train and teach at UCSF and UC Berkeley. I have published more than 370 peer-reviewed scientific papers and served as an advisor to President Obama on the Precision Medicine Initiative. Today, I serve as Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Pharmacy at the University of California.
When I connect the dots in hindsight, I realize I was perfectly prepared for what lay ahead. No one could have paid for what I experienced. I am proud that I kept going and believed in myself, even when others did not. But above all, I give all glory to God. He prepared me for this journey. This photo reminds me of where I came from, what I overcame, and the many people who walked with me. Now, God has shown me a new path to use the talents he gave me to help humanity.
ABOUT
Esteban Burchard, MD, MPH led the largest U.S. gene-environment study of asthma and drug response in minority children. With a cross-disciplinary team of over 60 clinicians and scientists, they enrolled 16,000 African American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican children, building the most comprehensive dataset of its kind. That research has led to over 370 peer-reviewed publications and over $100 million in NIH, FDA, DoD, and industry funding. The work laid the foundation for PRIMERO (Puerto Rican Infant Metagenomic and Epidemiologic Study of Respiratory Outcomes), a birth cohort study focused on early-life exposures and respiratory health in Puerto Rican infants. In 2021, Esteban’s UCSF faculty peers selected him for the Distinguished Faculty Research Lecture Award in Clinical Science—the university’s highest honor for clinical research.