Before Alyssa Denaro began learning to care for patients at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), she was learning to serve in uniform.
Inspired by her parents, both Navy veterans, Denaro joined the Texas Air National Guard while attending The University of Texas at Austin. As a public health technologist at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston, she helped clear personnel for deployment, administer vaccinations, conduct pilot hearing tests, test drinking water, and support the health and safety of military personnel.
The experience strengthened her interest in a career that combined science and service.
“I really enjoyed my experience working in public health, and that’s when I decided medical school was my goal,” Denaro said. “My mother was a physical therapist, so I saw both service and healthcare from her perspective. That’s where I got the idea to join the Air National Guard.”
Learning the value of teamwork
During her three years in the Air National Guard, Denaro gained more than experience in public health. She also learned how much people depend on one another to accomplish a mission.
“In the military, no matter what level you are or what your role might be, you are important,” she said. “People rely on each person at each level to do their job, because someone’s life might depend on it.”
She saw a connection between that sense of responsibility and the work of a healthcare team.
“I could see that it would be the same way in medicine. Leadership is important, but empathy and reliance on the team are what makes it all work,” she said.
That perspective helped shape her next decision. During her junior year at UT Austin, an officer at Ellington Field encouraged her to consider transferring to the U.S. Air Force Academy. He offered to write a recommendation, and Denaro decided to pursue the opportunity.
“I had decided that medical school was my goal, and I would do whatever it took,” she said.
Starting over to pursue her goal
Transferring to the Air Force Academy meant leaving UT Austin and beginning her undergraduate education again as a freshman, known at the Academy as a “doolie.” Although she already had three years of college experience and was serving in the Air National Guard, the transfer required her to navigate a different application process and meet the Academy’s age requirements.
“I was right on the cutoff for age to transfer,” she said. “The application process is different. I was already in the National Guard, but I had to start all over again.”
The decision was a significant detour, but it kept her moving toward the career she wanted. In 2024, Denaro graduated from the Academy and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.
Her next step was medical school. For Denaro, choosing UTMB meant more than pursuing her education. It was also an opportunity to return to the community where she grew up.
Bringing her commitment home
“I decided on UTMB because this is home for me,” she said. “I grew up around here, and I always loved Galveston.”
During her junior year at the Academy, Denaro shadowed healthcare professionals at UTMB Health. The experience reinforced her interest in the institution and its people.
“I loved the people I was with, and the work that I did,” she said. “It was important to me that I could come home and give back to the community where I grew up.”
At UTMB, Denaro joined the Family Medicine Interest Group, which has given her opportunities to work with community members through efforts to provide free vaccinations. The experience combines practical learning with another interest that developed during her military service: helping people understand and access preventive care.
“That’s been such a standout experience for me, working with people through that organization,” she said. “It’s giving us medical experience, and educating people about vaccinations, but it’s also great to be part of a medical resource that provides vaccines to people who might not otherwise have access to them.”
The group’s emphasis on connecting people with resources and information is especially meaningful to her.
“That group tries to provide resources and education to people, and those are two of my favorite things to do,” she said.
For Denaro, the path from the National Guard to the Air Force Academy and now medical school has reinforced a consistent purpose: serving others. She hopes to continue that work close to home, with the possibility of completing her residency at UTMB.
“For me, this is about coming back home, pursuing my passion, and taking care of people from my home,” she said. “I’d love to do residency here at UTMB. I’ll go where I’m chosen, but I’d love to stay here.”