Student Spotlight: Sergio Vazquez, College of Medicine, Class of 2028
For first-year medical student Sergio Vazquez, attending Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) is more than an academic pursuit—it’s a homecoming.
Born and raised in South Los Angeles, Vazquez is passionate about serving the community that raised him and becoming a physician who reflects the people he cares for.
Hometown: South Los Angeles, CA
Program: Doctor of Medicine, Class of 2028
Specialty of Interest: Internal Medicine
On choosing CDU
For Vazquez, choosing CDU was deeply personal and rooted in both place and purpose. “I wanted to go to a medical school that shared my values—a commitment to social justice, a passion for intervening in health inequities—and CDU checked all the boxes,” he said. “I’m excited by the idea of doing my clerkships in the same clinics and hospitals where I once sat as a patient, and of serving people who look like my parents.”
Academic journey
Before attending CDU, Vazquez earned his undergraduate degree in Sociology modified with Biology from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. While the experience was academically enriching, it also presented personal challenges. “It’s really nice to be back at home now, surrounded by people who look like me, talk like me, and want to see me succeed.”
What drives him
Growing up, Vazquez’s family faced major barriers to healthcare—delayed check-ups, inaccessible transportation, and language barriers. He often served as an interpreter for his parents. “We’d take over an hour by public transportation to get to the clinic and wait for hours just to be seen for 10 minutes. These aren’t isolated experiences. This is everyday reality for many people in South Central. I want to change that and be a physician from the community for the community.”
What makes CDU special
Vazquez’s connection to CDU began long before medical school—he recalls getting a blood test at the University when he was around seven years old. “Even as a first-year student, this school already holds a very special place in my heart. It’s a beautiful oasis that Black and Brown people have built for themselves following the Watts uprising. The legacy of CDU’s founders carries on and I look forward to embodying those values and helping propel this institution to become one of the top medical schools in the country in the next hundred years.”
Proudest achievement
Vazquez was selected as an L.A. Care Health Plan Scholar, a prestigious award that helps alleviate financial burdens for aspiring doctors from underrepresented communities. “This scholarship means the universe to me and my family. It allows me to focus on school without having to stress about my finances.”
Looking ahead
He’s eager for the day when he gets to sit across from a patient who lights up seeing a doctor who resembles them. “That’s something I never had. I look forward to motivating the next generation of physicians. It doesn’t matter if you grew up in South Central, Hawthorne, East LA, Boyle Heights—anywhere in the inner city—you deserve to have a white coat if that’s what your heart desires.”