Academic Medical Centers: A Call to Maintain the Spirit of Excellence and Innovation
In those years, I trained under mentors like Donald Rowley, an expert in B cell regulation, and Janet Rowley, who made a seminal discovery in cancer biology by identifying chromosomal translocations. It was a time of extraordinary progress, and I felt part of a revolution in medicine.
That spirit—the relentless pursuit of discovery, the unwavering devotion to excellence—is what shaped me.
But today, that spirit is under threat. Not only in the United States, where academic medical centers (AMCs) are strained by politics, profit models and bureaucracy—but also in countries like Mexico, where health systems are crumbling under neglect and underfunding.
This is a call to remember what made academic medicine the beacon of progress. And to fight for it, before it fades into nostalgia.
My Personal Journey in Academic Medicine
After completing my basic science training, I began clinical work at Baylor College of Medicine with the goal of becoming an oncologist specializing in bone marrow transplantation. But my time at Baylor College of Medicine and Houston Methodist—home to giants like Dr. Michael DeBakey and Dr. Denton Cooley—changed my path. I witnessed cardiac surgery, heart transplants and artificial heart implantations being performed routinely, while interventional cardiology was just beginning to emerge. It became clear to me that the future of medicine—minimally invasive—was unfolding in cardiovascular care. This inspired me to become a cardiologist.
I would argue that my training experience was exceptional because of the academic medical centers where I trained. Many of us in medicine were shaped by that same spirit: a belief in discovery, in academic rigor, in the power of science to improve lives. Whether in the U.S., Mexico or elsewhere, we share this commitment to excellence, to purpose and to the greater good.
TecSalud
Where Are We Today?
We are once again living in extraordinary times. Advances like immune checkpoint inhibitors, minimally invasive cardiac procedures and gene-editing technologies are transforming medicine. Personalized therapies, powered by genomics and AI, are becoming a reality.
Yet despite this progress, the spirit that once defined academic medicine is fading. Physicians are burdened by financial pressures, hospitals operate like businesses and funding for research is shrinking. The political climate in the U.S. adds further strain: NIH grants have been suspended, elite universities are being threatened and policies like the MFN (Most Favored Nation) proposal discourage innovation in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Tariffs are raising costs while public discourse increasingly disregards science itself.
In Mexico, academic medicine faces even greater challenges: low health care spending, lack of universal access and a divide between public and private sectors.
The promise of modern medicine is immense, but we risk losing the ecosystem that makes it possible.
TecSalud
Call to Action: Reclaim the Spirit of Excellence
The engine of medical progress has always been the unique collaboration between universities, hospitals, physicians and industry, especially within AMCs. These institutions are where breakthroughs happen, where future leaders are shaped and where science is translated into real-world impact.
Today, that model is under pressure. Yet it is precisely in these moments of challenge that AMCs must stand firm as beacons of excellence, purpose and innovation.
That is the path we are following in Mexico at TecSalud. We've created a physician group integrated with our medical school, launched research platforms like the Origin project—a genomic and biostatistical study of 100,000 Mexicans—and established a GMP facility to advance cell therapies. We are building a new center for research and clinical training, and forging international partnerships with institutions such as the Ragon Institute and UT Austin. Our centers for early childhood and obesity reflect our commitment to solving the most pressing health challenges of our population.
AMCs are more than institutions; they are moral compasses for medicine. We must protect them, even in the most difficult environments. And we must lead with conviction, staying true to our values and setting a higher standard.
It is true that when I look back on my years of training, I have a special feeling of nostalgia for the mystique that seems to be lost. That spirit may feel distant today, but recognizing the importance of regaining it, is the first step toward a brighter, bolder future in medicine.
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Deep down, our figures like this, they all have the same problems.' By the way, since you're probably wondering, for the record, Nevala-Lee is a nice guy. cborrelli@
