Connecting to Curriculum
A grateful medical alumni couple establishes an endowed scholarship
By Stacey Bomser
Photography by Sonya Revell
Tatiana Lawer-Garcia, B.S. ’93, M.D. ’96, and Nelson Garcia, B.S. ’93, M.D. ’96, are helping future physicians realize their dreams.
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hen Tatiana Lawer-Garcia, B.S. ’93, M.D. ’96, and Nelson Garcia, B.S. ’93, M.D. ’96, graduated from the Miller School of Medicine they were able to start their professional careers in family medicine and gastroenterology respectively, without the financial burden of debt thanks to the generous scholarships they received. Now, the couple, who met during their first year of medical school, are doing their part to ensure future students have that same opportunity.
The Dr. and Mrs. Nelson Garcia-Morales Endowed Medical Scholarship, named in honor of Dr. Garcia’s father, who had a family medicine practice in Miami for 35 years, cements the family’s legacy of providing care through medicine and supporting future generations of physicians.
“This is our way of giving back to the institution that has been such a big part of our lives and to support the medical community in South Florida,” Dr. Garcia said. “Too often, medical students make specialty decisions based on potential income because they face immense debt. We hope this scholarship will allow students to pick their careers based on their true love, like we did, rather than financial needs in the future.”
Financial support is just one of the many ways the couple shows their appreciation for everything the Miller School has provided them. They also sit on the Medical Alumni Association Board of Directors and serve as co-presidents of the Miller School Parents Council. Their oldest son, Michael Garcia, B.S.B.E. ‘21, is a member of the Class of 2025. This has allowed them to see the strength of today’s Miller School curriculum first-hand.
“Miller School students seem to be thriving with the NextGenMD curriculum,” Dr. Lawer-Garcia said. “They get into clinical work much earlier than we did. Their scores have improved on their board exams, and they match well for residency. Overall, they’re well prepared to practice medicine and become tomorrow’s leaders in medicine.”
Bettering their alma mater is at the root of all the couple does.
“It’s been a positive experience,” Dr. Lawer-Garcia said. “You get rewarded by giving back and paying it forward. We got great joy reading about the first student who received the endowment. It makes us want to do more and donate more to help more Miller School students.”
For more information and to support the next generation of health care leaders, visit the scholarship fund page. 
