Class of 2004
Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine
Program/Major: Surgical Critical Care, Trauma Surgery
Lillian Liao, MD, MPH
The Office of Alumni Engagement proudly spotlights and recognizes alumnus Lillian Liao, MD from the Long School of Medicine.
Where did you complete your residency? When did you complete your residency? What is your specialty?
General surgery residency 2004-2010 • UT Health Science Center San Antonio
Surgical Critical Care Fellowship 2010-2011 • UT Health Science Center San Antonio
Specialty: Trauma Surgery, Surgical Critical Care
What is your greatest professional accomplishment?
I was given the opportunity as a young faculty member to lead the Pediatric Trauma and Burn Program. The goal as the Trauma Medical Director was to become a Level I Pediatric Trauma Program verified by the American College of Surgeons. Until now, Pediatric Trauma Programs were led by Pediatric Surgeons rather than Trauma Surgeons. In August 2016, our program became the first Pediatric Trauma Program in the country verified by the ACS that is led by Trauma Surgeons. We also became the only Pediatric Level I program in San Antonio and South Texas. This verification is the work of many people on the trauma team and I am honored to be a part of it.
What was the most valuable lesson – inside or outside the classroom – you learned at the Health Science Center?
The most valuable lesson or tool I learned as a medical student at the health science center was how to collaborate with others. Our school fostered an environment of collaboration and sharing of information. Whether it was studying for the microbiology test or applying for residency, our class had the motto of “all for one and one for all.” Learning this skill early on in my training proved to be one of the most valuable assets as a Trauma Surgeon who has to work with multiple sub-specialists, nursing staff, and pre-hospital personnel in order to provide optimal care for the critically injured patients.
What was your most rewarding experience at the Health Science Center?
There are so many experiences to recount, but perhaps the most rewarding was helping with the delivery of a baby on the Obstetrics service on my own birthday.
What do you remember most vividly about your time at the Health Science Center?
From meeting our first patient [our cadaver in anatomy] to Dr. Keaton’s lecture comparing beer and urine, from the first time I visited our “elder professors” in a skilled nursing facility to Match Day 2004, the beauty of staying on as faculty at the school that trained you is that every day there are reminders of times gone by.
What advice do you have for current students?
Find a specialty you love on the best day and the worst day because medicine is a career, not just a 9-5 job.
Why do you give back to the Health Science Center?
It is the “Pay-it-forward” attitude my predecessors/mentors instilled in me as a young resident/faculty. I have a unique perspective of the process from being a student to an intern, from being a resident to a junior faculty. I myself have been the beneficiary of those who came before me, providing guidance and perspective. It is only right to give back.