March 30, 2021
6 min read
This story originally appeared on México Desconocido
Alfredo Quiñones Hinojosa, Like Dr. Q, he is a Mexican neurosurgeon whose story is able to excite anyone. He was born in Mexicali, Baja California, in 1968.
At 19, Alfredo could not speak English, so he had to work on a farm in Fresno, California. According to his various testimonies, he had a very poor life in Mexico, which gave him enough courage to want to win and jump off the 30-foot wall that separates Mexico from the United States.
“I left Mexico out of necessity. I realized how my parents treat the system. In our countries it is a little more difficult to move forward if you do not have financial support, if you do not know anyone “, Quiñones remembers calmly.
Image: Brain and Life Magazine through the unknown Mexico
Although he earned little money, Alfredo Quiñones saved to pay for English classes at a community school. Initially, he spent only in the United States to pay for his education in a normal school in Mexico. After graduation, he knew he had to take the next step: study medicine, inspired by his grandmother, who was a healer.
“I would eat people’s leftovers, go to restaurants and take what people left behind. I was thirsty to move on, even though I had become one without shelter“, keep going.
Until 1991, Quiñones began his studies at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California and graduated with honors in psychology from the University of California. He later studied medicine at Harvard University, from which he also graduated with honors.
Image: Via Mexico Unknown
Dr. Q., a model migrant
“They told me that our people are not accepted at Harvard or Stanford, I often doubted if I could achieve my dream.”, he reports in an interview for Channel 22.
During his student days, he also managed to obtain American citizenship. Finally, he completed his training with a residency at the University of California, San Francisco, where he collaborated with Mexican doctor Arturo Álvarez-Buylla in a research on stem cells.
“I was born in Mexico, but the United States gave me the opportunity. However, I keep coming back to Mexico to do altruistic work and to build bridges between our countries, ”he says happily.
Image: Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa / Tom through unknown Mexico
Dr. Q began his career in Johns Hopkins School of Medicine where he served as a professor in the disciplines of neurosurgery and oncology, neurology and cellular and molecular medicine. In addition, he worked as director of the Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology for Brain Tumors.
His clinical research focuses on the surgical treatment of primary and metastatic brain tumors. He is also an expert in intradural spine, brainstem and brain tumors. He also specializes in the treatment of patients with pituitary tumors, as well as in the base of the skull and in the use of radiosurgery.
Since 2016, the now well-known Dr. Q has worked at the Mayo Clinic in Florida as a physician, however, he continues his work as an NIH-funded researcher to find a cure for brain cancer. Dr. Q. has contributed to 50 book chapters and written several texts about his research.
In 2021, actor Brad Pitt announced his intention to film the life of Dr. Q, through his production house Plan B, which collaborates with Disney. The production company is the same one that filmed 12 years of slavery, Oscar-winning film. Certainly, Brad Pitt’s film will highlight the lives of Mexican migrants and those around the world.
Awards and recognitions received by Dr. Alfredo Quiñones
- 986 BA Escuela Normal Urbana Federal Fronteriza, Mexicali, México – Social sciences and humanities, multidisciplinary teaching license.
- 1991 San Joaquin Delta Community College, Stockton, California – Transfer of Master’s Degree to the University of California.
- 1994 BA from the University of California, Berkeley, California – Top Awards.
- 1999 MD Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts – Cum Laude.
- 2000 University of California, San Francisco, California (General Surgery) – Most Valuable Domestic Award.
- 2004 University of California, San Francisco, California (Residence – Neurosurgery) – Howard Naffziger Neurological Surgery Award.
- 2006 Howard Hughes Institute – Medical Science Award.
- Association of American Medical Colleges – Herbert Nickens Award.
- 2006 American Society for Clinical Oncological Foundation – Professional Development Award
- 2006 Johns Hopkins University – Passano Medical Scientist Award.
- 2007 Johns Hopkins Hospital – Department of Neurosurgery – Faculty Teaching Award (Richard J. Otenasek).
- Robert Wood Johnson Award 2007.
- Popular Science Magazine 2007 – Award for the brightest 10 scientists.
- Baltimore Magazine 2007 – Top Docs of the USA. UU.
- Olender Foundation 2008 – America’s Role Model Award.
- Science and Engineering Festival 2010 – Nifty Fifty Scientist.
- Baltimore Magazine 2011 – Top Baltimore Papers.
- 2012 Appointed Super Doctor.
- 2012 Winner of the Ohtli Award.
- 2015 VII Ibero-American Cortes de Cádiz Award for Surgery, Spain.
- Forbes 2015, the most creative Mexicans in the world.
- 2018 Honorary doctorate at the University of Santander.