Two graduates of the inaugural class at the UTRGV School of Podiatric Medicine are following the same professional paths as their fathers.
Dr. Isabella Strash and Dr. Stephanie Bender earned Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degrees from UTRGV and were hooded by their fathers during the school historic commencement ceremony in May.
For Dr. Walter Strash, hooding his daughter Isabella was both a professional and family milestone. Isabella grew up watching her father work as a podiatrist in San Antonio and began shadowing him during high school.
Now that she has completed her degree, Isabella plans to continue training and eventually work alongside her father in the operating room, bringing modern surgical training back to the family practice.
Stephanie Bender is continuing a similar family tradition. Her father, Dr. Joseph F. Bender, practices in Edinburg and McAllen and serves as a clinical assistant professor at the UTRGV School of Podiatric Medicine.
The Bender family legacy will continue further when Stephanie younger sister, Victoria, graduates from the same school. The sisters were introduced to their father work as children and later shadowed him as teenagers.
Stephanie said the experience showed her the importance of patient care, humility and work ethic. She is especially focused on preventive care, noting the importance of reducing diabetic amputations through education and access to treatment.
UTRGV leaders said the stories reflect the broader mission of the state first school of podiatric medicine: expanding specialized foot and ankle care in South Texas and training physicians who can serve the region.
Source: UTRGV Newsroom
