An Investment in Future Physicians
Dr. Peter Ramirez ’81 was a member of the first graduating class to earn a bachelor’s degree in medical technology through a joint degree program offered by UTSA and UT Health San Antonio. His education launched a successful career in pathology, culminating in his retirement from South Texas Pathology Associates in 2021. Now, through funding multiple endowed scholarships and naming the university as a beneficiary of his trust, he’s helping future Roadrunners pursue their own careers in medicine.
A native of Laredo, Texas, Ramirez’s passion for science began in high school and led him to earn a full scholarship to Laredo Community College. After completing his associate degree in medical laboratory technology, he transferred to UTSA and enrolled in the joint degree program with UT Health San Antonio. He completed most of his coursework at UTSA with clinical training through UT Health graduating summa cum laude from both schools in 1981.
Following graduation, he became a certified medical technologist and worked in microbiology at University Hospital. There, under the mentorship of Dr. James Jorgensen, Ramirez decided to pursue medical school. To qualify, he returned to UTSA to complete Organic Chemistry II. Thanks to a flexible evening work shift created by his supervisor, he managed to take the class and continue working, which enabled him to apply to medical school. Ramirez entered The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio in 1986 and graduated in 1990. He then completed a five-year residency in pathology and a one-year fellowship in cytopathology. His career included roles at Ameripath San Antonio and South Texas Pathology Associates. In 2009, he was appointed chief pathologist and Laboratory Medical Director at the newly opened Methodist Stone Oak Hospital.
“I know firsthand how financially difficult school can be,” Ramirez said. “I remember stretching every dollar, working campus jobs and relying on student loans to get by. That’s why helping students has become such a priority for me.”
In 2003, Ramirez helped establish the Medical Laboratory Sciences Scholarship Endowment Fund at UT Health San Antonio for clinical laboratory sciences students. In 2012, he created the Peter Enrique Ramirez, M.D. Scholarship at UTSA to support pre-med students, as an annual scholarship, which he later converted to an endowed fund in 2021. Most recently, Ramirez created an additional scholarship, the Peter Enrique Ramirez, M.D. Endowed Scholarship for Medical Students and solidified his commitment to student success by including UTSA and UT Health San Antonio in his estate plans, ensuring support for future Roadrunners in perpetuity.
“Bringing these two institutions together creates incredible opportunities for students,” he said. “It will strengthen academic pathways, expand access to cutting-edge research and make San Antonio a true destination for those pursuing careers in medicine and science. The future is bright, and I’m excited to see where it leads.”
