Celebrating award-winning empathy and expertise

Compassion, patience and wisdom are attributes identified by the San Antonio Business Journal in selecting its 2025 Health Care Hero Award winners. Among the honorees to be celebrated at a May 22 ceremony in downtown San Antonio are three accomplished health care champions from UT Health San Antonio.

• In the education category: Patrick Nguyen, MD, interim division chief, Division of General and Minimally Invasive Surgery, and medical student clerkship director.
• In the medical researcher category: Susannah Nicholson, MD, associate professor, director of trauma research and the Dr. Ferdinand P. Herff Chair in Surgery.
• In the non-hospital-based physician category: Anoop Nambiar, MD, clinical associate professor and founding director of the Center for Interstitial Lung Disease.

"Drs. Nguyen, Nicholson and Nambiar embody the highest ideals of our institution - compassionate care, academic excellence and an unwavering commitment to the communities we serve," said Francisco G. Cigarroa, MD, senior executive vice president for health affairs and health system at UT Health San Antonio. "Their recognition as Health Care Heroes underscores not only their individual excellence but also the collective mission of UT Health San Antonio to lead in healing, discovery and service across and beyond South Texas."

In their own words, honorees discuss what this award means to them and what continues to inspire their life's work.

Education is a team sport

Patrick Nguyen, MD

Receiving the Health Care Hero award is a bit surreal because to me, I'm simply doing what I believe is expected as a faculty member in the Department of Surgery at the Long School of Medicine - teaching, mentoring and supporting the next generation of physicians and surgeons.

I deeply appreciate the San Antonio Business Journal for recognizing members of the health care community and, in particular, for honoring the role of education in medicine. Every day in San Antonio, health care workers are there when they're needed most - whether it's a school nurse caring for a child, a first responder aiding a grandmother with chest pain or a trauma team working tirelessly to save lives. They make sacrifices daily, often without recognition, to ensure the well-being of others. But behind every health care worker is a team of educators who taught, mentored and guided them. This award is not just a personal honor. It's a testament to the incredible work of all health care educators who dedicate themselves to training and inspiring those who serve our communities.

What inspires your work? I was inspired to pursue surgery during my third-year surgical rotations at University Hospital, where I had the privilege of working with an exceptional group of UT Health San Antonio surgeons. The ability to diagnose a surgical problem, take a patient to the operating room, provide definitive treatment and then guide them through recovery until they're ready to return to their daily lives was incredibly rewarding. The opportunity to save lives - whether stopping life-threatening bleeding, repairing ruptured organs after a traumatic injury or managing other critical conditions - solidified my decision to become a surgeon. Additionally, my passion for training and mentoring future generations of physicians and surgeons, just as my mentors did for me, further motivated me to pursue a career as an academic surgeon.

Why UT Health San Antonio? UT Health San Antonio encompasses so many crucial components of health care in our community, Texas and the United States. I've been a direct recipient of the teaching and service mission of the medical school, and today I contribute by teaching students and residents, providing patient care and serving our community.

I came to San Antonio in 2000 when I was accepted to the Long School of Medicine. I matched into the General Surgery Program here in 2004 and completed five years of general surgery training. Because of my deep appreciation for the UT Health San Antonio community, I applied for and was offered a faculty position in the Department of Surgery. I will never forget receiving my offer letter from Dr. Ronny Stewart on Dec. 23, 2008, and starting my faculty role on July 6, 2009 - just one week after finishing my surgical training. I recently celebrated 15 years as a faculty member, a milestone made even more special as one of my mentors, Dr. Kenneth Sirinek, celebrated 45 years as a faculty member. Since its founding in 1968, The Long School of Medicine has trained physicians who have gone on to care for patients across Texas and the United States. I consider it a privilege to be a part of this institution.

The bench to bedside virtuous loop

Susannah Nicholson, MD

I love being a trauma surgeon and am passionate about finding ways to improve outcomes for injured patients. My clinical experience and observations help inform the vital research that is needed to push trauma care forward. This award serves to reinforce this desire and passion to continue to work toward the goal of zero deaths from trauma. The award is also a true testament to my research team and all their hard work that helps us run a successful research program.

What inspires your work? Our patients inspire my work and motivate me constantly to improve. In trauma, we help people at a true time of need. I have always had a desire to serve others. Research acts as an additional method to help me do this and have a greater impact on our community as a whole.

Several years ago, I took care of a patient who was in college and was in a bad motor vehicle collision. I had to perform emergency surgery on her to help stop internal bleeding. She also sustained a number of other life-threatening injuries, including a traumatic brain injury. She was in the ICU a long time, and we didn't know if she would be able to return to school. She gradually improved and was subsequently discharged after a long hospital stay. In those moments, in the acute setting, it is hard to know what kind of life people will be able to have once they are out of the hospital. I lost track of her, but several years later, she came back to clinic to follow up for another issue, and I was able to talk with her. She had gone on to graduate from college and obtain a competitive internship in Washington, D.C. It was so amazing and inspiring to hear her story. We often don't get to see how our care impacts people, so it was special to see how well she was doing and that she was having success in life. I think about that patient often, and her story reinforces why I do what I do.

Why UT Health San Antonio? UT Health San Antonio represents to me a family of people who have a common goal of optimizing patient care and transforming health care. We truly put our patients first and strive to find solutions to improve their care. Our community is passionate and committed to this goal, and because of this, we are one of the top health care institutions in the country.

Being present for patients and their families

Anoop Nambiar, MD

Receiving this award is a deeply meaningful milestone in my journey. As the only pulmonologist in South Texas specializing in pulmonary fibrosis, I've seen firsthand how critical access to specialized care is for patients facing this complex and often devastating disease. This recognition validates the long hours, the tough conversations and the commitment to being present for patients and their families during some of their most vulnerable moments. It also shines a light on the urgent need for continued awareness, research and resources in our region. I'm truly grateful and inspired to keep advocating for those living with pulmonary fibrosis and to keep working toward better outcomes, because every patient deserves hope and a fighting chance.

What inspires your work? The resilience of my patients inspires me. I see individuals facing a difficult diagnosis with incredible strength and courage. Their determination to fight for more time, a better quality of life and hope - even in the face of uncertainty - drives me every day. I'm also deeply motivated by the responsibility to bring specialized care to a region that needs it. Knowing that my presence here can make a life-changing difference for someone who might otherwise have to travel hours for treatment keeps me grounded and focused. Every small improvement, every breath gained, every moment a family gets to spend with their loved one - that's what keeps me going.

There are many moments in my career that have left a lasting impact, but one that stands out deeply is the journey of my friend, Dot Delarosa. Dot was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis - a life-threatening disease that often feels overwhelming and isolating for patients and their families. Against the odds, she received a life-saving lung transplant that gave her a second chance at life. But what's truly remarkable is what she did with that gift. She founded the San Antonio Pulmonary Fibrosis Support Group and became a fierce advocate for others living with the disease. Dot's strength, compassion and determination continue to inspire me every single day. Her story reminds me why I do this work: To fight for those who are fighting to breathe, to offer hope where there's fear and to stand with patients and families every step of the way. She pushes me to always do my very best - for her, and for every person affected by pulmonary fibrosis.

Why UT Health San Antonio? At UT Health San Antonio, we're doing more than treating disease. We're building a model of care that brings world-class, patient-centered medicine to our region. As the founding director of the Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Program, I'm proud to say we've been recognized as a Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Care Center - one of only 81 Centers of Excellence in the country, one of just five in Texas and the only one serving Central and South Texas. That designation reflects our commitment to a multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis and treatment of ILD and pulmonary fibrosis, combining the expertise of pulmonologists, radiologists, pathologists and rheumatologists to ensure patients receive the most accurate diagnosis and best possible care.

Beyond clinical care, we're deeply invested in teaching community care providers and future generations of physicians as well as researchers to develop safer, more effective treatments for these complex and often life-limiting diseases. UT Health San Antonio is leading the way in delivering specialized care that's not only innovative, but also accessible so that patients don't have to leave their community to receive the highest level of support and expertise.