Allison Gutierrez grew up in San Diego, California, and completed her undergraduate study at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She took a year off after college to do some research before deciding to come to the east coast for medical school. Allison chose Drexel in part because of its legacy school, Woman’s Medical College, the first medical college for women in the country, and its continued support of women in medicine. During her first year, Allison started Mothers and Baby Dragons, a unique Drexel-based program that aims to help local, underserved pregnant women by connecting them with Drexel medical students for the course of their pregnancy. In 2016, the program matched about 75 women with medical students and Allison expects that number to continue to grow. For her work, Allison was awarded the 2016 Excellence in Public Health Award by the United States Public Health Service. Allison plans to go into OB/GYN after she graduates in 2018. She is a member of the United States Navy and hopes to go to a naval hospital after graduation.

 I grew up in San Diego, and then from there I went to my undergraduate at the University of California, Santa Cruz. I took a year off to do some research, and then I came to Drexel for medical school.

 There wasn't really a specific moment when I decided that I wanted to be a doctor, but I'm really interested in helping people and I'm also really interested in the science behind medicine. I chose Drexel because of the Woman's Health Pathway. Being pregnant and like that whole aspect of women's health is so exciting to me and the joy that the patients have. And so now I'm looking into OB/GYN as my specialty.

 I think that being accepted at Drexel was really crucial to my career and overall profession. And also when I came to interview here, I just saw how much of a tight community Drexel fostered and just the friendly environment. I didn't want to be in an environment where people were so aggressive about their career that it got in the way of the community. We have a lot of people from different backgrounds, even people who came from different careers before coming here. And so these are people I imagine myself being friends with for my entire life or just to go out after an exam and have some fun. There are just so many great opportunities that you will have when you're here at Drexel. I would have become a completely different person had I not chosen Drexel and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. 

 
 Back to Top