Alumni Spotlight: Patricia Davis, BA '75, MD
By Krystal Cantu-Cuate
From a young age, we are encouraged to dream without limits. Yet as we grow older, doubt and fear can begin to shape those dreams, making them feel smaller or farther away. For many, the path forward becomes uncertain, but for those who persist, the heart often leads them back to where they were always meant to be. For Patricia Davis, BA ’75, MD, that place was medicine.
Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in El Paso, where five generations of her family now live, Davis dreamed of becoming a physician from a very early age. With the support of her family and church, she pursued that dream, even after a high school counselor discouraged her, insisting that becoming a physician was far beyond her reach, and perhaps becoming a nurse was more suitable.
When searching for a university, Davis looked for a religiously affiliated school that offered a smaller, more personal environment and a strong focus on the liberal arts. At the time, her career goals had shifted toward becoming a physical education teacher, and she hoped to find a university where she could explore that interest while receiving a well-rounded education. UIW, formerly known as Incarnate Word College (IWC), was one of several offers she received as a National Merit Scholar.
While accompanying her father on a work trip to San Antonio, Davis and her family set aside time to tour the campus and participate in an interview. They were immediately struck by the institution’s welcoming and personal approach. Coming from a public-school background, Davis found the private-school atmosphere both new and refreshingly exciting. During her first two years at UIW, Davis completed her basic requirements, courses she genuinely enjoyed and embraced. However, it was during her practice teaching that she realized the classroom was not where she was meant to be. Teaching, she discovered, did not challenge her in the way she had hoped.
After taking time to reflect and pray, Davis decided to take the MCAT midway through her sophomore year. Her strong scores affirmed what she had long suspected and ultimately led her back to the path her heart had pointed her toward from the beginning. The support Davis received from faculty and staff as she transitioned her major to pre-med was extraordinary. Their encouragement to pursue the dream she had once been told was unattainable remains one of her most cherished memories from her time at the University of the Incarnate Word.
Davis graduated from UIW in 1975 with a BA in Biology. Four years later, she completed medical school in Galveston, Texas. During her fourth year of medical school, she spent countless hours reflecting on where she would best fit within the world of medicine. As she explored different specialties, she realized that her deep-seated faith, outgoing nature, desire for continuity of care, and strong sense of purpose aligned perfectly with obstetrics.
Davis spent the next 47 years devoted to her work, work she never truly considered a job, but a meaningful part of life. It gave her the privilege of witnessing the very first moments of a person’s life and the honor of caring for the remarkable women who brought them into the world. It was a responsibility and a blessing that she never took for granted.
Davis retired in April 2024 after a distinguished career in obstetrics. She was recently inducted into the Golden Spire Society in recognition of her 50th reunion, which she celebrated with her classmates last November.
“First off, you must identify your passion and then pursue it relentlessly. Then, you won’t work—you’ll live.”
— Patricia Davis, BA ’75, MD