TTUHSC El Paso Associate Academic Dean Among Women Worth Watching in STEM

EL PASO, Texas — Cynthia Perry, Ph.D., associate academic dean for admissions and associate professor in the Department of Medical Education at the Foster School of Medicine, was named to the 2023 Women Worth Watching in STEM list by Profiles in Diversity Journal®.

This is the fifth year the magazine has recognized women based on their contributions, leadership, mentoring and achievements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The prestigious list celebrates the advancements women have made in breaking barriers in the STEM fields.

Dr. Perry joined the Foster School of Medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso in 2013 and was named associate academic dean for admissions in 2022. She has devoted her experience and passion to lifting females up the STEM ladder.

“It’s important to increase the number of women in the STEM fields, so our future generations have someone to look up to,” Dr. Perry said. “Too often, the STEM fields are portrayed as too difficult for women. But younger generations need women to show them it isn’t too difficult, and it’s attainable.”

Dr. Perry said the responsibility is even greater in our Borderplex community, where women may have fewer opportunities to pursue their educational dreams.

As a Title V Hispanic-Serving Institution, 48% of TTUHSC El Paso students identify as Hispanic and are often first-generation students. Meanwhile, 22% of the Foster School of Medicine’s class of 2025, the school’s largest class to date, are native El Pasoans, with 28% hailing from counties along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Diversity in the health care professions has been shown to improve patient-provider relationships. Reducing language barriers and strengthening trust encourages patients to ask questions about their health and attend follow-up appointments for ongoing conditions.

Dr. Perry is trying to increase the number of leaders in medicine from underrepresented communities, especially females, through pathway programs, community outreach and mentoring. She also conducts research on predictors of student enrollment in higher education, which helps provide valuable data for programs such as Texas’ Joint Admission Medical Program. Also known as JAMP, the program was created by the Texas Legislature to support economically disadvantaged students pursuing careers in medicine.

Dr. Perry also led efforts for MedFuture, a joint initiative between the University of Texas at El Paso and TTUHSC El Paso that will create a pathway for highly qualified students in our Borderplex to earn admission to both an undergraduate program and medical school in their hometown, right out of high school.

Efforts like hers are building female representation at TTUHSC El Paso. Among the Foster School of Medicine students enrolled in 2022, 52% were female, a number that mirrors El Paso’s female population of 51%.

“Just by being a woman in STEM, I can help others pursue big things and big careers,” said Dr. Perry, who was surrounded by strong female role models throughout her education and career. “When I was a college student, my first mentor broke down barriers for me and showed me there’s no limit to what we can do as women, all through example and leadership.”

Dr. Perry earned her Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego, and her B.S. from the University of Arizona. Her passion for JAMP and other pipeline programs extends to her memberships in organizations such as Women in Medicine and Science and the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. She is a member of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, the International Association for Medical Science Educators, and a reviewer for the Medical Science Educator journal.

Dr. Perry said the inclusion on the Woman Worth Watching in STEM list is an honor and a wonderful opportunity for visibility, bringing her work and career full circle.

“Recognition is really important for women, particularly because we don’t often throw our hat in the ring, but we’re certainly worth the acknowledgment,” Dr. Perry said. “This is another way for me to be a woman the younger generation can look up to.”

About Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso

TTUHSC El Paso is the only health sciences center on the U.S.-Mexico border and serves 108 counties in West Texas that have been historically underserved. It’s a designated Title V Hispanic-Serving Institution, preparing the next generation of health care heroes, 48% of whom identify as Hispanic and are often first-generation students.

Established as an independent university in the Texas Tech University System in 2013, TTUHSC El Paso is celebrating 10 years as a proudly diverse and uniquely innovative destination for education and research. According to a 2022 analysis, TTUHSC El Paso contributes $634.4 million annually to our Borderplex region’s economy.

With a mission of eliminating health care barriers and creating life-changing educational opportunities for Borderplex residents, TTUHSC El Paso has graduated over 2,000 doctors, nurses and researchers over the past decade, and will add dentists to its alumni beginning in 2025. For more information, visit www.ttuhscepimpact.org.