White Coat Profile: Patrick Mayolo

The White Coat Ceremony marks the first time a medical student will don his or her white coat, the defining symbol of a physician. The coat bestows a great honor, and with it comes a responsibility to uphold the trust of every patient they will encounter. The Class of 2023 will receive their white coats Friday, July 19, during a ceremony that begins at 3:30 p.m. at Symphony Hall in downtown Phoenix.

Meet Patrick Mayolo

Patrick Mayolo completed his undergraduate degree at the United States Military Academy in 2019, earning a BS in Life Science. “People frequently ask me why I decided to attend West Point, because I did not come from a military family. In fact, I am the first to serve. As a teenager, I was anxious to choose a university and career that would challenge me in unique ways and to foster growth and development. I knew West Point and a career as an Army officer would provide such challenges.”

Path Toward Medicine

His passion for medicine comes from his natural intellectual curiosity and desire to serve others. At West Point, he was involved in neural regeneration research.

“My team hypothesized that bio-mechanical stressors associated with tissue development in adolescence turn on intracellular signal pathways that trigger responsive axon growth. We were able to mimic these bio-mechanical stressors with mammalian fetal dorsal root ganglia in a bioreactor chamber and then analyze the intracellular contents via immunohistochemistry techniques and western blotting.”

Choosing the College of Medicine – Phoenix

“The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix fosters a culture of academic excellence without sacrificing team cohesion. The relatively small student body is ideal for collaboration and building meaningful relationships that will transcend medical school and endure throughout our careers as physicians. I hope to become a contributing member of this team by sharing my diverse experiences as a member of the military and unique talents. Together, we will strengthen our community, inspire innovation in one another and collectively pursue our goal of becoming the next generation of leaders in medicine.”

Volunteer and Research Experience

After high school and before he enrolled at West Point, Mayolo completed a two-year the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission in Cuiabá, Brazil. During his time there, he participated in a variety of volunteer activities, including ecclesiastical services, teaching English classes, building homes and running addiction recovery programs.

Interesting Fact About Him

Mayolo has wrestled his entire life and was team captain of his college team. “I was determined to continue my athletic career at the collegiate level. As a freshman in college, I walked on to the Army West Point Wrestling team. When I joined the team, I was nervous that the demands of the sport would interfere with my academic pursuits. Although the commitment was significant, competing for the program turned out to be one of my most rewarding experiences to date.”

What does the white coat mean to you?

“To me, the white coat is not about my personal achievements. Rather, it represents the countless individuals who contributed in some way to my development over the years. Earlier this year one of my best friends, Peter Zhu, was tragically killed in a skiing accident. Peter was a standout premedical student and personal mentor. Together, we studied rigorously for the MCAT and other premedical courses. As I don the white coat, my thoughts will undoubtedly turn to him and his family. I intend to make the most of my medical education and am especially grateful for the opportunity to continue my development.”

To support students like Patrick, please consider making a gift to the Class of 2023 White Coat Campaign.