As a child, Justin Olivera, MD student ’25, dreamed of becoming a doctor, just like his father. Now in his second year of medical school, he’s well on his way to fulfilling that dream. With help and encouragement from his mentor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Olivera recently earned one of 10 national Medical Student Diversity Scholarships from the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS).

Olivera’s mentor, Brendon M. Stiles, MD, Professor and Chief, Thoracic Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Department of Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery, Montefiore Einstein, and Associate Director, Surgical Services, Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center, encouraged Olivera to pursue the diversity scholarship and supported him through the rigorous application process.

“Justin is an amazing student and person,” Dr. Stiles said. “His enthusiasm for thoracic surgery is infectious. He deserves this award, and I am thrilled that it will help relieve some of his financial burden as he pursues his ambitions.”

Olivera’s path to thoracic surgery wound through an apple orchard. On an apple-picking outing in 2021, Olivera and some friends bumped into a cardiothoracic nurse practitioner, who recognized them as Einstein medical students. She asked if any of them were interested in cardiothoracic surgery.

“Everyone I was with looked at me, because they knew I was interested,” Olivera said.

The nurse connected him with Joseph J. DeRose, MD, Chief, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Montefiore Einstein. Given Olivera’s interest in thoracic oncology, Dr. DeRose referred Olivera to Dr. Stiles, who volunteered to mentor the promising student.

Dr. Stiles has been mentoring Olivera for the past year. One of his favorite books to quote is Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” Olivera said a key message from the book is to keep moving forward.

“One of Dr. Stiles’ big things is to not get stuck in the ‘waiting place,’ and I think that that’s a lesson for surgery, for research and life in general,” Olivera said. “That became my attitude toward medical school. Put in the work and don’t get complacent. Keep striving for excellence. Dr. Stiles always says, ‘If you expect excellence, you’ll get it.’”

The scholarship program started in 2021 to address the lack of diversity in thoracic surgery. The award provides up to $18,500 per year to support underrepresented medical students planning to pursue a career in cardiothoracic surgery. In addition to significantly easing the financial burden of Olivera’s medical education, the scholarship provides him with up to $1,500 to attend the AATS annual meeting.

“The AATS is super prestigious,” Olivera said. “The scholarship gives me a seat at the table, which is awesome, especially as a medical student. It’s a great opportunity to meet and network with rising surgeons from all over the country.”

Olivera serves as Vice President of the Student National Medical Association and Community Service Co-Chair of Latinx Medical Student Association at Montefiore Einstein. He also hosts a mentorship podcast, Med MentoRx, which features interviews with physicians in various specialties with diverse backgrounds.

“I’m grateful for all the mentoring and the really stellar teamwork that I’ve seen in the general surgery team here at Montefiore Einstein, and specifically in cardiothoracic surgery,” Olivera said. “I hope this investment in me and the future of the field will lead to better treatments, better survival rates and better outcomes for patients.”