On this episode of the I Look Like a Doctor podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Mauricio "Jimmy" Franco. He is a pediatrics resident (PGY1) at the UCSF-PLUS pediatrics residency. During our discussion about Dr. Franco's background and journey to medicine, we touched on many amazing and high-yield topics. Tune in to hear us talk about non-linear journeys, working during pre-med, finances, GPA, MCAT, medical school application experience, study strategies, finding your narrative, wellness, moving away from home, choosing a non-science major, multi-faceted identities, building your dream mentor team, personal statement writing, and more! This is a longer episode than usual but well worth the listen.

Short Bio as written by Dr. Franco:

My name is Mauricio “Jimmy” Franco, I was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Lancaster, CA. I am the brother of three strong mujeres and the son of Guatemalan immigrants. This mezcla of identities and experiences has helped mold me into an outspoken Queer Centro Americano.

Beyond my role in medicine, l I am a writer, photographer, and activist. Finding balance in my life through community work, wellness, and family has helped me sustain my commitment to achieving a career in medicine while also nurturing my full self. I have carved a path that centers on social justice and health equity as the backbone to how I approach medicine as well as mentorship. I spent 15 plus years co-leading initiatives to transform mentorship in Latinx communities and LGBTQIA+ advocacy. My life’s mission is to support those around me to live authentically and to uplift the many journey’s a person can have in becoming a physician. If you are struggling with imposter syndrome know this; I graduated undergrad with a 2.57 GPA, completed a postbacc program, took the MCAT twice, completed a Master of Science in Global Medicine, and applied to Medical school twice before being admitted to medical school. I believe our journeys have the power to transform medicine and uplift others to live without shame. Medical school had its challenges, but I am proud of what I have accomplished and carry the many lessons I have learned from the communities I serve. After graduation from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, I will be training as a pediatrician. I matched at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) where I will continue to learn how to integrate health equity and public health into my role as a physician. Medicine needs to be radically transformed and I am grateful to my mentors for showing me that I can be a queer Guatemalan and show up as my full self wherever I go.

Music by Francis Tongpalad

Check out the rest of his work:

Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/1w_u

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/3VwEfXzbnf11lhaYAuuMtU

Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/artist/w-u/1526729708

Bandcamp - withuu.bandcamp.com

Audius - https://audius.co/1w_u