6/11/2025
“My inspiration for pursuing medicine is deeply rooted in having my mother as a role model.”
Alexis Watson, CI MED Class of 2027
Carle Illinois College of Medicine student Alexis Watson didn’t need to look far for a medical role model. Watson was captivated by the example of her mother, Dr. Wen Chao and her career as an orthopedic surgeon from an early age. Now Watson is charting her own course in medicine as an aspiring surgeon.
"As a female surgeon, she paved the way for future generations, showing me that perseverance and passion can break barriers,” Watson said.
Watson – who just finished her second year at CI MED – says her mother’s dedication to her patients and the precision of her work served as the pattern that Watson hopes to emulate.
Dr. Chao now practices at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia and holds a faculty position at the Perelman School of Medicine. She immigrated from Taiwan at the age of 12 without speaking any English. She earned her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Delaware, before attending Jefferson Medical College, where she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha honor medical society. She was the first woman accepted into the orthopedic surgery residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, before pursuing a fellowship in foot and ankle surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery, one of the top orthopedic institutions in the country.
“[My mother’s] journey was one of incredible resilience and grit, and because of her sacrifices, and those of other trailblazing women, my path is already markedly different. I’ve had the benefit of seeing more women in these roles, more open conversations about balance and representation without compromising surgical excellence, and more spaces where I feel empowered to speak up and take initiative.”
Alexis Watson, CI MED Class of 2027
Inspired by her mother’s example, Watson set out to immerse herself in medicine during her undergraduate education. While pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering from Rutgers University, Watson shadowed a wide range of physicians and explored the world of research through a summer project focused on osteoarthritis. As a member of the Rutgers NCAA Division I lacrosse team, she also helped facilitate a team initiative where they provided support for a young girl with sickle cell disease.
With a degree in biomedical engineering, a background in athletics, and her mother as a role model, Watson’s path to medicine felt both natural and deeply personal. After working as a medical assistant in an ophthalmology clinic during her gap year, she joined the CI MED Class of 2027 in the summer of 2023.
“Each of these experiences, whether in a lab, clinic, or locker room, deepened my desire to pursue medicine and affirmed that this is the path I was meant to pursue,” Watson said. “CI MED offered the perfect blend, a place where I could bring together my engineering background and my passion for medicine. From my first interactions with the school, I felt the warmth of a supportive, collaborative environment, made even stronger by its small class size and close-knit community. CI MED felt like the right place to grow, not just academically, but personally and professionally.”
Watson envisions a career where she can not only practice as a skilled surgeon but also mentor students and lead initiatives that bridge the worlds of engineering and medicine to advance patient care.
“I hope to make a difference by combining clinical excellence with innovation and empathy. Whether it's performing surgeries that improve quality of life, designing tools that make procedures safer and more efficient, or mentoring the next generation of physicians, I want to leave a meaningful impact on both individual lives and the broader health care system. Ultimately, I want my work to reflect a deep commitment not just to medicine, but to the people and communities I serve,” she said.
No matter what the future holds for Watson, she continues to appreciate her mother’s example and all the women who came before her in the field of medicine.
“While I know I’ll face my own unique challenges, I’m walking a road that my mother and many others helped to pave. I carry her strength with me as I forge a path that reflects not only her legacy but also my own voice and aspirations.”