Camila Hurtado, MS: ‘I’ve been given so much in Tucson — I want to give back’
Camila Hurtado created her own roadmap to medicine, inspired by her patients and mentored by faculty at the College of Medicine – Tucson. She is now poised to become an ear, nose and throat surgeon.
Anna C. Christensen
When she was 16 years old, Camila Hurtado, MS, moved to Tucson from Colombia to live with her aunt. Soon after her arrival, a visit to a doctor helped ignite her interest in medicine.
“At a young age, I faced challenges that required me to be resourceful and resilient,” she recalled. “My first time seeking care in this country, I experienced firsthand what it was like to receive such skills and compassion from somebody. Encountering someone who attended to my needs with not only knowledge and skill, but with comfort and reassurance, left a lasting impression.”
It took some exploration before Hurtado found her path. As a community college student, she took jobs as a medical scribe and caregiver — with the latter role proving to be especially life-changing.
“I met my first patient when he was 100, and he lived until 105. He was very healthy but started experiencing dementia. My second patient was in her 70s and had experienced strokes, so I supported her while she was doing her recovery and physical therapy,” she remembered. “My role as a caregiver was pivotal in shaping my understanding of compassion in patient care. While I was deeply committed to my patients, I often felt limited in my ability to fully meet their needs. This experience inspired me to pursue medicine, where I could develop the skills and training necessary to provide more comprehensive care.”
Camila Hurtado (center) with her mother, Neyda Guzman, and sister, Luciana Hurtado.
Kris Hanning
Around the same time, Hurtado’s mother and sister joined her in Tucson. It was a joyous reunion, though it came with extra duties — which Hurtado credited with making her stronger.
“I had to balance my responsibilities at school and work, and also guide them through the same transition I had gone through three years before — in addition to trying to be a competitive student for medical school,” she said. “It made me a resourceful person and helped me be proactive in seeking opportunities and mentorships.”
After transferring to the University of Arizona, Hurtado double majored in physiology and medical sciences along with Spanish translation and interpretation — and continued to forge her own path to medical school.
“I didn’t have a clear roadmap to medicine. Medicine was unfamiliar territory to me because I was a first-generation college student,” she said. “My family is my strongest support system, but they didn’t have the experience to guide me through that process. A lot of it was me figuring it out by trial and error.”
Opening the door to medical school
After receiving her undergraduate degree, Hurtado continued working as a caregiver and scribe. She learned about a College of Medicine – Tucson program called Pre-Medical Admissions Pathway (P-MAP), an intensive one-year preparation course for promising students who have faced considerable obstacles. She was one of 10 applicants accepted into the 2021 cohort.
“Sometimes we don’t believe in ourselves or see the potential we’re capable of,” she said. “P-MAP came into my life at a time when I needed somebody to see the potential in me and believe that I’m capable of doing the hard things. I met great mentors who helped me build my discipline to face the fast-paced curriculum of medical school.”
Through P-MAP, she earned a master’s degree in cellular and molecular medicine, and, armed with the study skills she had honed, felt prepared to matriculate with the medical school’s Class of 2026.
“Med school is really hard. It’s easy to get caught up in the difficult moments,” she said. “That’s when it was important to be surrounded by a strong support system to remind you of your ‘why.’ I focused on the impact I was making for my patients.”
Discovering her passion
Hurtado knew early on that she was interested in surgery, but didn’t narrow her focus until one of her mentors, Audrey Baker, MD, associate professor of otolaryngology, invited her to the operating room to observe a neck dissection.
“I was so amazed by the surgeries they do — so delicate, so complex, so many nerves and vessels you have to be careful of,” she recalled. “I was excited about the anatomy. I was inspired by the patients.”
Hurtado was drawn to otolaryngology — also known as ENT, for ear, nose and throat. A surgeon in this field could find herself performing precise operations to help patients hear, speak, breathe and swallow, or treat conditions ranging from infections to cancer.
Camila Hurtado (third from left) with the other members of her Societies group, small cohorts within each class that receive close mentorship from a faculty member. Hurtado’s mentor was Dr. Audrey Baker, second from left (in orange).
Mitch Masilun
“I started to see the profound impact they have in patients’ lives, not just to remove cancer or restore function,” she said. “A lot of these patients go through arduous surgeries undergoing reconstructions of the face, and they lose a bit of themselves. These surgeons work hard to give them back some of what they lost.”
Through research, Hurtado found additional ways to directly impact patient care. She published two papers, the most recent of which examined tonsillectomy complication rates in toddlers.
“The current guidelines say inpatient monitoring is recommended after a tonsillectomy for children under 3,” she said. “We found that kids between the age of 2 and 3 have a similar respiratory complication rate as those above the age of 3, suggesting those kids might not have to stay for monitoring based on age alone.”
She finds it gratifying to know that her research can help improve the patient experience, in this case, by possibly sparing youngsters — and their parents — from overnight hospital stays.
“Before medical school, I thought research was daunting. The more my mentors guide me through the process, the more I’m enjoying it,” she said. “It was exciting to see, up close, an idea go all the way to publication — and see how research can impact patient outcomes.”
Looking forward to graduation
With only a few days left until she receives her medical degree, Hurtado is looking forward to marking this milestone.
On March 20, the Class of 2026 learned where they will receive their residency training. Camila Hurtado announces her results to the crowd.
Celeste Lizarraga
“It feels surreal. My mom and I used to talk about this like it was some faraway, crazy dream. I can’t believe it’s here,” she said. “And it’s not over yet — I still have more years of training.”
Five years to be precise. This summer, Hurtado will begin residency training in otolaryngology here at the College of Medicine – Tucson and Banner – University Medicine.
“It was my top choice program,” she said. “I’m excited to stay in Tucson. I get to continue to train with amazing physicians, amazing mentors, and I get to stay close to my family and friends.”
Reflecting on the long road that got her here — the professional experience she gained as a caretaker and scribe, the mentorship she received in P-MAP and medical school, and the excitement she found in the operating room — Hurtado is hoping to remain in academic medicine, where she can support the next generations of surgeons coming after her while continuing to treat patients.
“I want to teach and be a mentor to others, to give back what my mentors offered me,” she said. “I’ve been given so much here in Tucson. I want to provide the best care for my patients and give back to our community.”