Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa: The First Latino Chancellor of The University of Texas System

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Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa, UT Health San Antonio’s Malú and Carlos Alvarez Center for Transplantation, Hepatobiliary Surgery and Innovation Director, still remembers the greatest gift he’s ever received.  

It didn’t come in the form of an award, a plaque, certificate, or even a baked good. 

It came from a 6-year-old patient.  

Cigarroa was astonished when the girl he had operated on a few months prior opened her mouth to sing a song meant especially for him.  

He cried. 

“To this day it’s still the most beautiful gift I’ve ever gotten, and she had the voice of an angel,” Cigarroa recalled. “Sometimes the greatest gifts come in the most unexpected ways.” 

Cigarroa has held many titles over the course of his illustrious career, including being named as the first Latino chancellor of The University of Texas System and serving as past president of UT Health San Antonio.  

Despite achieving the high-ranking position that many can only dream of, being a pediatric transplant surgeon has played a central role in Cigarroa’s life. 

“I still love medicine because those [unexpected] gifts keep on coming.” 

Cigarroa Gets an Early Introduction into Medicine 

Decades before he broke racial and ethnic barriers in the field of medicine, Cigarroa was just a boy growing up in Laredo, Texas.  

The rural city that’s home to a large Latino population served as the backdrop for his love of medicine because for Cigarroa, it has always been a family affair. 

With a grandfather, father, and uncle in the medical field, Cigarroa already had an appreciation and interest in medicine. 

“Watching their joy of taking care of patients certainly translated and impacted my aspirations for what I wanted to become,” Cigarroa told Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. “I knew very early on that I wanted to become a physician.” 

At a young age, Cigarroa would accompany his father on house calls, where he witnessed first-hand what it truly means to take care of patients. 

“There was something really beautiful [about] actually go[ing] to somebody’s home and see my father take care of those patients … because they did not have transportation to go to the clinic,” Cigarroa said. “Growing up in a city … whose poverty level is quite high … those patients also require great care. It really gave me a compassion of making certain that we do the very best for every patient, no matter their background and no matter their socioeconomic situation.” 

The early exposure to medicine gave Cigarroa insight into the challenges that many Latinos face getting healthcare, and a better understanding of the dedication required to be a physician.  

Cigarroa Helps Save Lives as a Pediatric Surgeon 

Inspired to follow in his family’s footsteps, Cigarroa went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in biology from Yale University before obtaining his medical degree from UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, according to the surgeon’s university biography. 

For a while Cigarroa believed he was going to become a cardiac surgeon.  

That was until he discovered pediatric surgery.

“I started taking care of children with liver failure who needed liver transplants, and so I became very involved with that population of patients, which I loved,” he said. “To see a child who was literally dying in front of your eyes suddenly have a normal color within two days of their liver transplant and now have a full life in front of them was something that was just inspirational and transformational to me.” 

To become a pediatric surgeon, Cigarroa underwent fellowships in pediatric surgery and transplant surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.  

“[Being a pediatric transplant surgeon] is really such a wonderful experience. I said, ‘You know, I can do this even late into my 70s. I can go to work with a smile,’” Cigarroa explained. 

Cigarroa eventually found his way to UT Health San Antonio and became a member of the university faculty in 1995.  

While there he was part of the surgical team that performed the first split liver donor transplant between two recipients in Texas, according to his university biography.  

In 2003, Cigarroa was appointed by former president George W. Bush to serve on the President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science.  

But Cigarroa’s accolades don’t stop there. 

Cigarroa Makes History 

Cigarroa’s contribution to the university placed him in the running to become president of UT Health San Antonio. 

At such an early stage of his career, it was something he wasn’t expecting. 

“I threw that nomination letter in the trash can because … I thought I was going to get fired because it came through the UT System,” Cigarroa told a group of Latino medical students. “My father got copied on that letter and he came up and asked me, ‘Are you going to apply?’ I go, ‘No,’ and he said, ‘Well, you don’t want to disappoint regents, so why don’t you just apply? Have some nice dinners.’” 

While Cigarroa had no interest in the leadership position, he asked his father what his chances were of getting it.  

They were one in 400,000.  

With the odds in favor of receiving a rejection letter, Cigarroa applied and was shocked when he was given the job.

“I remember coming back from Austin when I got the job. I was vomiting on IH-35 because I was just horrified that this happened,” he quipped. “These things happen. It’s not that you’re looking for it, but if it’s for the right reason, and you think you can make an organization or a patient better than you go forward, and it’s okay to take some risk.” 

Cigarroa served as president of UT Health San Antonio from 2000 to 2009. 

“You don’t go into medicine to become an administrator. You [go] into medicine to take care of patients and to try to make life better. Opportunities are going to come before each and every point, one way or the other … but if it’s for the right reason then do it,” Cigarroa told a group of medical students. 

In 2009, Cigarroa was named Chancellor of The University of Texas System. He was the first Latino to ever be named chancellor. 

After serving as chancellor for five years, he returned to transplant surgery. Cigarroa performs liver transplants and liver, pancreas, hepatobiliary, and pediatric cancer surgeries. 

Following the passing of friend and colleague of Dr. William L. Henrich, who succeeded Cigarroa as president of the university, Cigarroa accepted the position of acting dean of the Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine. 

Cigarroa Champions Work to Address Latino Health Disparities 

As a well-respected Latino in medicine, Cigarroa has the ability to connect with his patients on a cultural and personal level.  

It also helps that Cigarroa can communicate with his patients in a language that not only gives them a sense of comfort and relief, but also helps them feel understood, he said. 

“Cultural competency is important and understanding a patient’s language, such that language is not a barrier,” Cigarroa explained. “Understanding important aspects of their culture, whether it’s how they care for each other as a family unit, their religion, their beliefs, and the multi-generational connections … I do think that makes a difference in the healing process.” 

The valuable experience and understanding he brings with him is vital for the surgeon, who often sees many Latino patients who are suffering from the complications of liver disease.  

“I really wasn’t imagining that I’d also be doing adult transplants by coming to San Antonio. The transplant center really needed somebody who did everything, and so I’m glad [I decided to do pediatric and adult transplants],” Cigarroa said. “Liver disease affects the Hispanic population a lot.”  

Cigarroa cited several reasons for the disproportionate impact of liver disease in Latinos, including the prepotency for obesity and disposition for fatty liver disease, which can cause cirrhosis and liver failure.  

While acknowledging the genetic risk factors some Latinos are exposed to, Cigarroa can’t discredit the role the social determinants of health play in a liver disease diagnosis.  

“Ethnic groups who are socioeconomically disadvantaged have a tendency not to eat well, so they can suffer from obesity,” he explained.  

As one of the most prominent modifiable risk factors for chronic diseases such as liver disease, Cigarroa strongly advocates for public health education to mitigate the prevalence of obesity in Latinos.

“Part of marketing our program is to also talk about public health and how you can prevent liver disease,” Cigarroa said. “We have a wonderful person by the name of Dr. Amelie Ramirez [the director of Salud America!], who is a very distinguished epidemiologist as well as a public health advocate, and her center, [the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio], really provides a lot of public health [information].” 

To combat public health distrust and misinformation, Cigarroa also suggests that physicians and nurse providers should educate their patients about good health practices, which should start when children begin school.  

“[Having] healthcare providers of all ethnicities is part of cultural competency, which improves health outcomes. I do believe that makes a difference,” Cigarroa told Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. “The other aspect is that physicians often become leaders in our community and have a positive impact, not only in the practice of medicine, but also in the educational systems and public health systems … Without diversity and inclusion, [you really can’t understand] that voice. You are not going to understand the population that we serve.” 

Cigarroa Helps Pave the Way for Latinos in Medicine 

When it comes to diversity and inclusion in the medical profession, Cigarroa is working to mold the medical minds of the future as a professor of surgery at UT Health San Antonio.  

Part of that role involves imparting his wisdom and learned experience to inspire the next generation of Latino physicians looking to leave their mark on the medical field. 

“I try to be a role model for them, to say, if you want to become a doctor, you can do it,” Cigarroa said. 

Whether breaking barriers in medical leadership or saving a patient’s life, Cigarroa’s continuous dedication and commitment to his patients has had a profound impact on the Latino community and has inspired many to follow in his footsteps. 

In April 2024, Cigarroa had the opportunity to speak to members of the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), who aspire to reach the same medical heights as he did. 

“The responsibility [of being chancellor] wasn’t just about doing a good job … but it also gave you a sense that you wanted to do a great job, such that others who were people of color or from any disadvantaged background can understand that you can do it if you want to, and that hard work and tenacity, and innovation and thinking out of the box can get you to the very highest levels,” he told the students. 

Track the Health Disparities Impacting Your Community 

Part of being in the medical field is knowing about the health issues impacting the community you serve. 

One way to do that is by downloading a free Health Equity Report Card from Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio. 

The Health Equity Report Card gives you the latest and most up-to-date information about the state of housing, poverty, food insecurity, and more in your neighborhood.  

As a trusted and well-respected member of the medical community, Cigarroa was recently interviewed for a piece on maternal care in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.  

In preparation for the interview, Cigarroa utilized the Health Equity Report Card to gather data about the number of physicians per 100,000 people and the incidence of cancer, cardiac disease, and obesity impacting that area’s population.  

You can find statistics like those and so much more by locating your community on the extensive list of states and counties across the country.  

Compare the data from your county to the rest of the state or country and use the information contained in the Health Equity Report Card to supplement a school report, community health plan, or make a case for change where you live! 

GET YOUR HEALTH EQUITY REPORT CARD!