For Dr. Boranai Tychhon, a first-year anesthesiology resident at UT Southwestern Medical Center, the journey to medical school was defined by hard work, persistence, and the power of community.
At just 16 years old, Tychhon graduated from high school and made the life-changing decision to leave her home in Cambodia and move to the United States. Fortunately, her sister had immigrated almost a decade prior and was able to facilitate the cultural transition as Tychhon worked toward an associate degree at Lone Star College before transferring to the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD).
It was here at UHD that she discovered resources that helped her define her career goals. Among those resources was the Scholars Academy, a program within the College of Sciences and Technology designed to guide students toward academic excellence, helping them build a competitive application for graduate and professional schools. Tychhon credits the program for providing her with critical information about becoming a strong medical school applicant, explaining, “Scholars Academy helped me a lot with navigating pre-med curriculum and how to boost my CV, and it highlighted research and volunteer opportunities.” Faculty also supported Tychhon through letters of recommendation.
While her academic record and experiences were solid, Tychhon’s first attempt at applying to medical school did not go as planned. Despite setbacks, she stayed committed to her goal. An earlier internship helping conduct breast cancer research later led to her first job after college as a research assistant at Houston Methodist—a critical step in gaining relevant clinical experience.
When asked what she would advise students interested in medical school, Tychhon emphasized, “Get involved as early as possible. Joining organizations, volunteering, gaining clinical experience—it all helps.” This gives students an edge, but not doing so is by no means insurmountable. As a transfer student, Tychhon only started to obtain volunteer and research experience as a junior. Additional ways to strengthen a medical school application include working as an EMT or pharmacy technician and shadowing healthcare professionals.
Her experience is a remarkable demonstration of how success is rarely a straight line. Medical school—even the application process—is infamously difficult. Tychhon attributes her ability to persevere through this long process to a strong personal support system: “My friends and my family helped me out a lot throughout the whole process. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
From moving across the world to building a strong academic foundation, Tychhon’s journey reflects how one person’s success is never achieved alone—it is built through the support, encouragement, and connections found within a strong community.