Student Spotlight: Alan Gordillo

Tell us about yourself.

I completed my undergraduate studies at Ohio State University, majoring in neuroscience. I’m currently doing a four-week neurosurgery subinternship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. I chose this internship because U Penn has a large case volume, strong research foundation and robust pediatrics training through Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

Why did you choose CCLCM?

I have a longstanding fascination with science and a particular appreciation for surgery because of its hands-on nature and the immediate, visible impact on patient care. Initially, CCLCM was not on my list of potential medical schools because I doubted my chance to be accepted. What I love about CCLCM is the program’s integration with Cleveland Clinic, small class size, financial incentives and the physician-scientist training opportunities it offers.

Tell us about your research.

My thesis research involves glioblastoma, an aggressive and fast-growing brain tumor. The central research question examines how the timing of microglia depletion affects survival and whether sex influences this effect. I collaborated with Dr. Justin Lathia, whose lab specializes in glioblastoma research. Our findings indicate that early depletion of microglia leads to shorter survival, whereas depletion later in the disease prolongs survival equally across sexes.

What are you looking forward to in the future?

I aspire to become a brain tumor surgeon who integrates clinical practice with basic and translational research. My future plans include potentially running my own research lab or collaborating closely with other researchers and leveraging my surgical expertise to contribute to ongoing projects.

Any advice for incoming medical students?

I would advise new medical students to acknowledge and process their emotions in a healthy way during difficult or overwhelming times. Equally important is finding the things you can control in these situations and using them to navigate hardships effectively. For example, my dad passed away in March after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. That experience was incredibly frustrating, overwhelming and unfair. To cope, I let myself feel whatever initial emotions I had. It also helps to seek support from peers, mentors and friends to navigate hardships effectively.

What is a fun fact about you?

I once had a top ten all-time post on the Reddit subreddit Wall Street Bets, an online community focused on stock market discussions and investing.