Match Day Student Profile: Amber Sandoval-Menendez

For four years, students at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix have worked toward Match Day — the day they learn where they will spend the next several years as resident-physicians and a major step toward building their career in medicine. Match results are released nationally at ceremonies coordinated to occur at the exact same time across the country. Members of the Class of 2020 will receive letters that reveal where they will go for their residency training at precisely 9:00 a.m. Friday, March 20. The UA College of Medicine – Phoenix is profiling several students in advance of Match Day 2020.

Meet Amber Sandoval-Menendez

Amber Sandoval-Menendez grew up in Albuquerque, N.M., and moved to Arizona to attend Barrett Honors College at Arizona State University. She graduated with a degree in kinesiology, which allowed her to integrate her interest in the human body with a desire to work closely with people.

Path toward Medicine

While a sophomore in college, Sandoval-Menendez’s mother underwent surgery which required multiple revisions. The experience exposed Sandoval-Menendez to medicine in a whole new light.

“I learned from being at her bedside that being a doctor is about more than providing patients with answers and treatments, but also about providing support and care for them and their families,” she said. “I knew I wanted to be someone — like the doctors who cared for my mom — who had a unique skillset to be there for people during vulnerable times. That solidified my decision to pursue medicine.”

Choosing a Specialty

Sandoval-Menendez became interested in surgery because of her mom’s experience.

“My mom’s surgeon was the first person to take me into an operating room, and I can vividly remember the excitement I felt as I watched her transform a life with her hands. This sparked my passion for surgery that was then fully ignited during my surgery clerkship as an MS3.”

She listed the following elements that attracted her to surgery: “the ability to work with my hands, to provide definitive management, to use medical knowledge to care for patients, to work in varied practice settings and to stabilize acutely ill patients.”

Extracurricular Activities

Sandoval-Menendez worked as a Clinical Anatomy tutor and co-leader of the student-led Independent Procedure Simulation Program, where she helped teach colleagues how to perform procedures on simulation trainers.

Her most notable volunteer experiences were providing care for the underserved and homeless at the Wesley Community and Health Center and the SHOW clinic. She also served on the planning committee for the college's Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research Gala, which won a 2017 Outstanding Fundraiser Award.

Outside of school, Sandoval-Menendez can be found shooting hoops on the basketball court, hiking her favorite local mountain trails or preparing meals and desserts for friends. She has used her drawing skills to create medical illustrations as a way to study for exams.

Why the College of Medicine – Phoenix

Sandoval-Menendez said she fell in love with Phoenix while attending ASU, and she hopes to live in the Valley for a long time. She learned about the College of Medicine – Phoenix by attending outreach events hosted for pre-medical students.

“I was always so impressed by the close-knit and welcoming nature of the school; the culture really shined through. I also was intrigued by the opportunity to train at a variety of clinical sites,” she said. “I knew I would receive a well-rounded education with exposure to unique patient populations, all while feeling supported by a medical school that focused on wellness and collaboration.”

Favorite Medical School Memory

“I have many wonderful medical school memories and know that I will always look back fondly on this period in my life,” she said. “I am grateful for the support system I’ve cultivated throughout medical school.”

Sandoval-Menendez said hiking in national parks including Arches, Bryce Canyon, Zion and the Grand Canyon with her best friend during third-year were highlights.

Advice to Current or Future Medical Students

Be present: Medical school is such a limited period in your life and although arduous at times, it’s full of wonderful, life-changing and purposeful memories and experiences that can be easy to miss if you’re not paying attention.

Don’t reinvent the wheel: Medical school will present endless opportunities and challenges that allow you to refine your skills for learning and acquiring new information. Throughout that process, don’t forget that you got here on your own merit. Use the skills that have gotten you this far as a foundation for your continued learning.

Don’t lose who you are: You are more than a medical student, and you should continue to include other things in your life that bring you joy besides medicine. Have a strong sense of self and other interests that will cultivate your ability to bring compassion and empathy to your patients.

Seek mentorship: Some of my most cherished relationships in medical school stem from mentorship. Although it can be intimidating to reach out and seek guidance, there are a plethora of people who are not only waiting to help, but also excited by the opportunity to provide guidance to future doctors. Don’t let this wonderful community pass you by out of fear or ego.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions: While there is an art to this as you progress, there are only finite opportunities to learn from each experience. Don’t be afraid to exercise your intellectual curiosity.

• More Match Day 2020 Student Profiles.