Hiyun Lee: ‘I want to create lasting change’
Hiyun Lee knew she wanted to combine STEM, community service and leadership — and was accepted into an accelerated program that reserves a seat in medical school for incoming undergraduate students.
Hiyun Lee had a spot in medical school reserved for her through the University of Arizona’s Accelerated Pathway to Medical Education program, and matriculates with the Class of 2030 this month.
Hiyun Lee discovered her path to becoming a physician through a passion for leadership, advocacy and serving her community.
As a middle and high school student in Chandler, Arizona, Lee imagined a future in academia, drawn to physics and mathematics. As the first person in her family to pursue a career in healthcare, medicine wasn’t initially on her radar. Instead, she immersed herself in community leadership, serving on the City of Chandler Mayor’s Youth Commission, the Arizona Youth Arts Council and later representing Arizona on the national stage as the state’s Distinguished Young Woman, a scholarship program.
“I really loved getting to go out into the community, listen to people and then bring what I heard onto larger platforms to advocate for change,” Lee said.
That passion found its direction during the Saturday Scrubs program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. Listening to physicians describe careers that blended patient care with community leadership, something clicked.
“There was a way to combine STEM, everything I’d been passionate about regarding community service and leadership, and directly serve people in a clinical setting,” she said. “From there, it just made sense.”
That realization eventually led her to the University of Arizona’s Accelerated Pathway to Medical Education (APME), an early assurance program that allows incoming first-year undergrads to start working toward a bachelor’s degree while securing a reserved seat in the College of Medicine – Tucson. The program gives students early exposure to medical education, mentorship opportunities and a strong support network before they begin medical school.
“It literally said the words ‘community service’ and ‘leadership,’” Lee recalled. “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, yes.’”
Through APME, Lee entered medical school with more than academic preparation. Early clinical experiences, faculty mentorship and a supportive cohort gave her confidence, while public health projects centering on fall prevention and skin cancer prevention reinforced her belief that meaningful change begins long before a patient enters an exam room. Today, as a new member of the College of Medicine – Tucson Class of 2030, Lee hopes to build a career that combines compassionate patient care with broader community impact.
“I hope patients know they’re going to receive the clinical care they need,” she said. “But for me, their care doesn’t stop there. I want to take it one step further, find their needs outside the hospital and use the platform, education and connections I have to help create lasting change.”
Born and raised in Arizona, Lee says returning to serve the community that invested in her makes the journey even more meaningful.
“These are the people who made me who I am,” she said. “I’m really excited to give back where I can.”