Jose David Orozco grew up in the small San Joaquin Valley town of Kingsburg, California, where he began working with his father at a very early age at Los Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant. He grew up believing that he would take ownership of the family business, but after realizing that his parents had worked hard to give him an opportunity to move forward from a life of hard labor, he made a commitment to obtain something greater. He went on to land a full ride scholarship to Fresno State University, graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology, with the distinction, summa cum laude. He then became heavily interested in serving as an advocate and a beacon for minorities who wished to achieve success. Jose was avidly involved in mentoring students and volunteering his time to the Poverello House, working to improve the health of the many poor, indigent, and homeless of Fresno’s community. His experiences have exposed him to many unresolved health necessities and disparities, which have driven his aspirations to contribute to health care for the underserved.

Currently, Jose is pursuing his Medical Degree at the University of California, Riverside, where he has continued to exhibit healthcare leadership through his work with the Riverside Free Clinic, a non-profit organization providing free interdisciplinary healthcare to the underserved population of the Inland Empire. In his first year of medical school, he discovered his love for Emergency Medicine. He was drawn to the diverse and constant unpredictability of the ER, as well as the opportunity to work with the underserved on a regular basis. His interests within EM are diverse but he was especially drawn to ultrasonography, even earning the Ultrasound Student Instructor Cadre’ (USSIC) Certificate of Merit for helping to create an ultrasound program at the University of California, Riverside.

In his spare time, Jose enjoys spending time with his fiancé, playing with his Dachshund, exercising, and sports, even playing semi-professional football in the San Joaquin Valley Football League (SJVFL) in the past. He believes that having an active lifestyle is absolutely vital to healthy body and mind, helping to diminish stressors and maintain a healthy balance in life.

Jose became interested in CEMRO because of the organizations focus on wellness. He believes that although we have a mission and a responsibility to serve and sacrifice for patients, preservation and good balance is very important too. He believes that physicians cannot take good care of their patients if they do not take good care of themselves. Thus, he is determined to learn strategies for making and sustaining positive changes as a student representative, and looks forward to the challenges and rewards of this engaging organization.

What Jose believes makes an effective leader:

Passion

Confidence

Humility

Empowering

Supportive