When Coal Ridge High School senior Yahir Garcia walks across the graduation stage this spring, he will carry more than a diploma. He will also carry a long-held goal shaped by family, community and a desire to make health care more accessible.

Garcia will be one of 10 students statewide selected for one of Colorado’s most competitive medical pathway programs.

Garcia has been accepted into the University of Colorado Denver/CU Anschutz Medical Campus BA/BS-MD program, a highly competitive pathway that allows students to complete their undergraduate degree while holding a conditional seat in medical school.

“Knowing you have a reserved spot in medical school, as long as you meet the expectations, gives you reassurance,” Garcia said. “It takes a lot of the pressure of applying to medical school off and lets you focus on learning, growing and becoming the kind of doctor your community needs.”

Garcia’s path toward medicine was shaped early by family experiences that required him to take on adult responsibilities at a young age. As a bilingual student, he often translated for his parents during medical visits.

“I was always scared that if I misunderstood something, it could be detrimental to their health,” he said. “That’s a lot of responsibility for a kid.”

Those experiences, combined with moments when his family faced serious medical emergencies without insurance, sparked a desire not only to pursue medicine but also to remove barriers that prevent families from accessing care.

“My goal is to come back and serve my community,” Garcia said. “So kids don’t have to carry that burden and families don’t feel intimidated by the health care system.”

Garcia’s acceptance into the BA/BS-MD program reflects the academic readiness, perseverance and leadership emphasized in the Garfield Re-2 Graduate Profile.

At Coal Ridge High School, Garcia has served as president of the National Honor Society and recently founded the Health Care Careers Club, creating opportunities for other students interested in medical careers.

“I didn’t always know where to look for programs or internships,” he said. “I want to help other students find those opportunities earlier than I did.”

Garcia also volunteered at Valley View Hospital’s foot and ankle clinic, gaining firsthand exposure to patient care. He is a multi-sport athlete, competing in soccer and track, and balances those commitments with part-time work as a lifeguard and hotel front-desk associate. Those experiences helped him develop time management, professionalism and collaboration skills.

The CU BA/BS-MD program was created to address physician shortages in Colorado by supporting students with strong ties to the state, especially those from rural and underserved communities.

“That mission really stood out to me,” Garcia said. “The program is about growing doctors who will come back home and serve.”

This fall, Garcia will begin his undergraduate studies at CU Denver as part of a cohort that will move through college and medical school together. He is interested in pursuing primary care or emergency medicine.

“I’m interested in primary care or emergency medicine, somewhere I can interact with people and be there when they need someone they can relate to,” he said.

For Garcia, success is not just about personal achievement.

“That’s always been the goal,” he said. “To come back, serve and make things better for the families who are coming after me.”