Fighting the Stigma: Mason Rogers 

HELPER, Utah – Mason Rogers grew up in Helper, a small town in rural Utah. Rogers is the son of a nail technician and a coal miner. Recalling his upbringing as “quaint” yet impactful. Rogers is a Hispanic first-generation student. Destined to work in the coal mines, Rogers wished to change the path that was set for him. 

“My father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great grandfather provided for their families working in the coal mines, it was the only stable income in the area. The societal expectations I grew up with were that I would one day join the ranks and work in the mines,” Rogers said. 

Rogers got real-world experience with the world of medicine at just four years old. Rogers younger brother, Maddux, was born with instant complications, and received one of many open heart surgeries just days after his birth.  

“He was diagnosed with a congenital heart disease, Tetralogy of Fallot. This meant as a young family, we spent many sleepless nights at Primary Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House, two hours away from home.” 

This situation put a lot of stress on the Rogers family. With a young child at home the Rogers family did everything in their power to stay faithful. Sadly, baby Maddux passed away from complications of his illness. Rogers realized that one of the main reasons he wanted to go into medicine was his interactions with the doctors that helped take care of his brother. 

“I chose the medical profession for a number of reasons. I have always known that I wanted to be a physician. I’ve never had any desire to do anything else. I believe my desire to become a physician stemmed from my interactions with doctors and nurses when my younger brother, Maddux, was hospitalized throughout his life. Interacting with the people helping care for my brother had to be inspiring and impactful to a young and curious mind,” Rogers said. 

Rogers excelled at Carbon High School, took concurrent enrollment classes from USU-Eastern and was excited to start college. Although, he recalls his transition from Carbon High School to Southern Utah University being difficult. 

“The transition from high school to college was difficult. I was the first person in my family back to my great-grandparents to leave the area. I did feel isolated away from my friends and family when I went to Cedar City, Utah for my undergraduate degree. It was challenging and stressful trying to figure out how to pay for my education because I could not rely on my parents being able to pay my tuition. I have been very fortunate to have financed much of my education with grants and scholarships,” Rogers said. 

Rogers was able to find resources throughout his educational journey to help him figure out his next steps. 

“I felt like I was able to navigate the challenges of higher education by using the resources that were provided to me. I met with recommended staff at the universities and emailed far and wide when I had a question or needed assistance,” Rogers said. 

Rogers also owes credit to many programs for first-generation students that set him up for success on his journey to medical school. 

“I did the PathMaker Scholars program at HCI/UofU. This was a summer research program aimed at first-generation students who were interested in medicine/research. This helped me make professional connections, taught me how to do research and thrive in an academic setting. PROMIS2U at the University of Utah is how I got admitted to the University of Utah School of Medicine. The mission of PROMIS2U is to prepare more first-generation students physicians to enter primary care and serve in rural, tribal and medically underserved areas in Utah,” Roger said. 

Although his family not having attended college themselves were very supportive of Rogers decision to obtain his degree. He also credits many of his mentors that helped him gain more experience and connections. 

“I had great support from my family and friends back home. They were always a supporting factor in my journey to become a physician. I also gained quite a few mentors along the way and have been able to listen to their guidance. I did a summer internship at HCI that helped form relationships with people in academia and helped connect me to other mentors and experiences that further strengthened my medical school application and provided me with invaluable life experiences.” 

Rogers never felt any pressure to prove himself to his classmates or his family. He mainly wanted to prove that he could succeed in medical school for himself. 

“I felt like I had more to prove to myself than any pressure from my family. I wanted to prove to myself and others that I am capable and can be a pioneer for medicine for my family.” 

Rogers admits that the road to medical school can be difficult, but very rewarding. He encourages other first-generation students to keep going. 

“I would advise other first-generation students who are thinking about pursuing a similar path in medicine to keep pushing on no matter what. This journey is long and difficult. It will test your grit and stamina, and you will eventually fail along the way. Failure is important, we learn best from our mistakes. Understanding your failure allows you to think critically and try something different next time.” 

Not only has Rogers inspiried medical students, but his peers around him as well. Abby Robertson, Rogers best friend, has been inspired and watched him grow through his medical school journey. 

“Mason and I have been best friends since preschool, and even then I knew he would be a great doctor playing in preschool. Although he is 6’4”, he is a gentle giant with the biggest heart. He inspires me everyday to work hard and chase my dreams. He is one of the most disciplined people I know. He is a social butterfly, but he always prioritizes his studies. Even when he wants to give up he looks at the bigger picture and keeps going,” Robertson said. 

Now attending the University of Utah School of Medicine, Rogers hopes to be a resource and mentor for future first-generation medical students. 

“I think I will be more of an advocate to get other students who are first-generation into medicine and be a resource/mentor for them. I want to be able to help younger students navigate the system and provide opportunities for them to shadow/gain experience in the medical field,” Rogers said. 

Rogers is very excited to keep learning, and pursuing his dreams of becoming a physician. He hopes to one day serve a community like the one he grew up in.

“Coming into medical school, I knew that I had an interest in rural medicine. Through various medical school programs, I have been able to immerse myself into different aspects of rural medicine such as tribal health, medication-assisted-treatment (MAT) for substance and treating occupation-related chronic health conditions. I have been able to find my niche interests and patient communities that help fulfill my purpose in medicine. I think I will choose Family Medicine as my speciality. I like the ability to connect with patients and build a longitudinal treatment plan for them, as well as being the first contact and problem solver.” 

Rogers is an excellent example of true grit and determination. His story is breaking barriers and inspiring others who share similar interests/experiences. He continues to inspire others to follow what they are truly meant to do even if the journey is hard.