Through the ebbs and flows of life, Dr. Crystal Garza finds that her “why” constantly evolves, taking on new shapes from its past iterations. In the wake of the recent loss of her father, Garza began the process of sorting through old photos and pieces of life, eventually stumbling upon her original personal statement for medical school. Reading her own words from 21 years ago, she felt how her father’s determination and sense of perseverance shaped the physician and person she would become. She strives to wear many hats—mother, wife, daughter, sister, doctor, friend—and through her devotion to wearing them all with compassion and strength, she finds her stride.
Garza’s call to medicine came at a young age, in the form of a third-grade school project requiring drawing different organ systems of the human body. “I remember being fascinated by how everything worked together and immediately wanting to understand more,” she said. “Even then, I wanted to become a physician.”
After completing a degree in biology at The University of Texas Pan-American, Garza followed her calling to medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch, graduating with her MD in 2010. A South Texas native, she draws on her familiarity with the challenges communities in this region face around determinants of health. Watching her father and grandmother navigate the healthcare system inspired Garza’s patient-centered, humanistic approach to care over her 16 years in the field…