Flexible Care
In the fluorescent-lit chaos of Memorial Hospital’s emergency room in Pembroke Pines, Valentin Frias Garcia, MPAS ’19 moves with quiet precision. His hands, steady as they suture a laceration, belie the intensity of a shift where up to 30 cases demand his focus. For Frias Garcia, this high-stakes work is the culmination of a path shaped by FIU Medicine’s physician assistant program and his own unyielding commitment to medicine.
Born in Havana and raised in Pembroke Pines, Frias Garcia’s fascination with medicine took root in high school, during an AP biology class where anatomy captivated him. “I fell in love with the subject and chased it ever since,” he says.
Initially set on medical school, he shifted course late in his undergraduate years after discovering the physician assistant profession. Its blend of hands-on patient care and flexibility across specialties felt like a calling. FIU’s program, then in its third year, accepted his last-minute application, setting the stage for a transformative two years.
Professors like Dr. Felix Ley, a mentor whose meticulousness Frias Garcia still admires, instilled a deep respect for the craft. “They were so passionate, it made us care,” he says.
Frias Garcia’s first rotation was in the ER. “I knew that’s where I belonged,” he recalls. “Every patient’s a puzzle,” he explains. “You get clues, solve it fast and see them get better.”
One case lingers vividly. A young pregnant woman arrived with abdominal pain and high blood pressure. Frias Garcia’s quick diagnosis revealed preeclampsia and a breech delivery. With his attending and an obstetrician, he helped deliver a premature baby, saving both mother and child.
Such moments underscore why Frias Garcia loves the ER–and his passion and dedication are being recognized. He earned the Patient First Award at Memorial Hospital Pembroke for leading the complex premature delivery. His quick thinking also secured an Above and Beyond Award for reducing an 8-year-old girl’s wrist fracture and a Great Save recognition for diagnosing and stabilizing a man with an acute aortic dissection, ensuring life-saving surgery.
FIU’s lessons endure in Frias Garcia’s ability to multitask and communicate under pressure. He advises current students to lean on peers and embrace the grind: “It’s a lion’s den out there, but put patients first, and it falls into place.”
Off-duty, Frias Garcia balances the ER’s emotional weight with salsa classes, travel and time with family. He works 12 shifts a month, allowing him time for personal pursuits. By avoiding on-call duties, a lesson learned from past roles, he maintains a healthy balance between his demanding medical career and personal life.