The Explorers
Walk along with us and explore the steps University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences students take on their journey to discovering their education, careers and themselves.
Changing lives on and off the field
“I saw how medicine can change somebody’s day-to-day life, whether it be restoring their mobility or curing them of an illness.”
Warren Austin
In August 2023, Warren Austin, a third-year medical student from the Carrick neighborhood of Pittsburgh left the classroms of Oakland for the greener turf of Steelers training camp. He was the first local participant in the NFL’s Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative, dividing his time between the training facility at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe and the clinic at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. The NFL created the program to address the issue of underrepresentation in sports medicine.
The First Step:
Opportunity
Austin’s first exposure to various medical fields came through an uncle of his, who is an obstetrician-gynecologist in Indiana.
“I had some opportunities in high school to see a bunch of specialties there and get more exposure to medicine in a rural kind of setting,” he says. He shadowed doctors in fields including orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, rheumatology and gastroenterology.
“I saw how medicine can change somebody’s day-to-day life, whether it be restoring their mobility or curing them of an illness. And that intrigued me and guided my decision on what I wanted to do with my career.”
The Second Step:
Initiative
Austin credits his parents with raising him and his brother with strong values and an appreciation for education. “The big thing I learned was with opportunity and taking initiative; how do you maximize opportunity?” he says.
After finishing his undergraduate at Pitt, he worked at UPMC Mercy as a cardiac monitor tech, which gave him experience seeing patients on the clinical side and in the field of cardiology.
“I’d come in the room as an EKG technician to get a test from them,” he recalls. “But sometimes I’m the first person there in the room all day, and they just need someone to talk to. Being able to build up that communication with patients definitely is something that’s been an invaluable experience to my time now as a medical student.”
The Third Step:
Mentorship
Austin’s research advisor and mentor is MaCalus V. Hogan, Dr. David Silver Professor and Chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, and a foot and ankle consultant to the Steelers.
When the NFL sent out a flier about the diversity pipeline program, Austin said, “I talked to my mentor and expressed interest in it as something that I wanted to apply to. I was fortunately selected as one of the participating medical students in schools across the country.”
“Everyone deserves exposure to opportunity, particularly those who are working hard and excelling and have a goal in life. And Warren Austin fits that criteria,” says Hogan, who noted that the program strengthens the partnership the Steelers already have with the School of Medicine.
Working with Aaron V. Mares, associate professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, and head team primary care sports medicine physician, Steelers, “opened my eyes to another side of sports medicine,” Austin said. “You’re taking care of the players as a patient. I could see myself pursuing that.”
Austin added, “As a representative of Pitt Medicine, I wanted to leave a good impression on the team as someone willing to learn and willing to help.”
The Next Steps
As an undergraduate, Austin was a mentor and a tutor for high school students at Pittsburgh’s Obama Academy in East Liberty. “Once I matriculated into med school, I worked with a program that connects us with undergraduate students at the University of Pittsburgh who are interested in medicine, being there basically to point them in a certain direction,” he said.
Austin continued: “I would always love to be a mentor. No matter what phase I’m in of my education or my career, I think it’s invaluable. I feel like you can’t get anywhere without somebody’s guidance or somebody leading you in the right way.”
About the School of Medicine
The School of Medicine’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of individuals, communities and populations through cutting-edge research, innovative educational programs in medicine and biomedical science, and leadership in academic medicine.
We strive to implement this mission with the highest professional and ethical standards in a culture of diversity, inclusion and cultural humility. Our commitment is to foster an environment that enables all students, faculty, staff and the communities we serve to develop to their fullest potential.
