Among The Lundquist Institute’s first high school summer fellows program cohort, Dr. de Virgilio now offers mentorship program of his own

Just before his first birthday, Christian de Virgilio, MD, was diagnosed with infantile hemolytic uremic syndrome – a condition where a baby’s red blood cells break down rapidly and renal failure sets in as a result of a life-threatening E. coli infection. In need of medical attention, his parents had to decide if they would rely on the public hospital that accepted their health insurance or pay upfront and out-of-pocket for aid at the nearby private hospital in their hometown of Cordoba, Argentina.

“I had renal failure at the time and needed dialysis and blood transfusions,” said Dr. de Virgilio, investigator at The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. “So, my father sold his car to pay for my care at the private hospital,” he added.

Growing up, Dr. de Virgilio would hear his parents retell the terrifying event, deepening his appreciation for the medical team that saved his life and his desire to become a physician. When they left Argentina in pursuit of economic opportunity, Dr. de Virgilio and his family would make the South Bay region of Los Angeles County home.

Dr. de Virgilio’s path toward medicine eventually led him to The Lundquist Institute, known for its groundbreaking translational research on developing new treatments and therapies to improve human health. In 1978, the institute launched its High School Summer Fellows Program (HSSFP), designed to encourage rising high school juniors and seniors to explore careers in biomedical science. Among the first cohort was a young and still determined Dr. de Virgilio, who credits the program for his acceptance to the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

“When you look at studies on underrepresented students in surgical careers, you’ll learn that a common barrier they experience is a lack of mentorship and sponsorship,” Dr. de Virgilio said. When he participated in the HSSFP, Dr. de Virgilio found an instant connection with his mentor, the late Juan Lechago, MD, who attended medical school in Argentina and lived there for many years.

“Dr. Lechago taught me many things, including what it meant to be an academic physician who balances research with clinical care and education. He also taught me how to be a great mentor and sponsor, and I’m convinced that his letter of recommendation was instrumental in my acceptance to medical school at UCLA,” he said.

Today, Dr. de Virgilio has dedicated over 30 years as a physician, educator, and researcher. In addition to serving on faculty, he is also the Chair of the Department of Surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where he completed his residency in general surgery.

As an investigator at The Lundquist Institute, Dr. de Virgilio has focused his research on hemodialysis access, gallstone pancreatitis, necrotizing soft tissue infections, and surgical education. He also wrote a surgical textbook, Surgery: A Case Based Clinical Review, that is used by medical students around the country.

To support undergraduate students pursuing medicine, Dr. de Virgilio partnered with his undergraduate alma mater, Loyola Marymount University (LMU), to create the Harbor-UCLA-LMU Summer Research Fellowship as a pipeline to medical school.

Hosted at The Lundquist Institute and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, the seven-year-old Harbor- UCLA-LMU program emphasizes immersion with opportunities to network at conferences, perform research, attend lectures alongside current medical students, shadow in clinics, and observe surgeons as they care for patients. Like the HSSFP, the program’s foundation is based on mentorship, with a participant from the first cohort now pursuing her residency in Otolaryngology, a medical specialty focused on the head and neck.

“I already knew I wanted to be in medicine when I joined the High School Fellows Program all those years ago,” said Dr. de Virgilio. “But the program connected me with someone who had succeeded in academic medicine, someone I could connect with on a personal level, who was willing to support me in my path to medicine,” he added.

As Dr. de Virgilio puts it, a successful medical career requires a mentor or sponsor. “My professional philosophy has always centered around education and mentorship. I decided early on that I would prioritize both in my career, especially for the underdogs like me,” said Dr. de Virgilio.

For students interested in learning more about The Lundquist Institute’s High School Summer Fellows Program, visit https://lundquist.org/hssfp. Applications to participate in this summer’s program are due April 16.

Follow The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation on social media platforms at @thelundquistinstitute and Dr. de Virgilio on X (formerly Twitter) at @drdevirgilio.