Andrea Howard, a second-year student at The University of New Mexico School of Medicine and a former Olympian, exemplifies the pursuit of excellence both academically and athletically. On Friday, August 23rd, Howard's team secured the MLB Home Run Derby X (HRDX) championship trophy at Isotopes Park. The team, including former Washington Nationals star Ryan Zimmerman and current UNM Lobo sophomore baseball player Gene Trujillo, demonstrated exceptional skill and teamwork. Howard stood out by scoring 10 points in the semifinals and an impressive 16 points in the finals, surpassing her teammate Zimmerman.
Howard's journey is closely tied to her roots in New Mexico. "I got my Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology at UNM, with a minor in Chemistry,” she said. “I played softball at UNM from 2017 through 2022, and I just really liked the idea of being able to play in front of my family and in my hometown. So that’s why I chose New Mexico."
Her time at UNM has included notable experiences such as representing Italy, where she holds dual citizenship, in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 as part of the Italian Olympic softball team. "My coach at the time was extremely supportive of me playing softball here at UNM and playing during the summers in Italy for the Italian Olympic team. So it was kind of like a best-of-both-worlds situation," Howard explained.
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic during her Olympic experience, Howard found value in it. "I think just being able to meet other athletes in the Olympic Village was a super cool opportunity," she said. "It was a COVID Olympics, so it was kind of different, but just being able to meet them and talk to them about their sports and their personalities and backgrounds was an incredible opportunity."
Howard's ambition extends beyond athletics; she has long aspired to attend medical school. "I knew I wanted to go to medical school when I was very young," she said. "So when I was deciding where I wanted to play softball, I knew UNM had a really good medical school. So that definitely played a factor in my decision to play softball here."
Balancing athletics with academics is demanding. "Being a student-athlete is definitely a demanding job," she noted. "It’s basically a full-time job because you have practice, games, and all these things on top of school and academics. But it really just teaches you time management and how to work with others effectively."
Transitioning from sports to medical school presented its own challenges for Howard. "The biggest challenge I had while transitioning from sports to medical school was just the lack of physical activity," she said.
However, her athletic background has equipped her well for medical studies. "I absolutely think that the dreams I have achieved so far have made a big difference in terms of studying for medical school and being successful," she stated.
The support from mentors like Dr. Cameron Crandall has been pivotal for Howard during her journey at UNM School of Medicine's Learning Communities program.
"One of the biggest mentors I’ve had is Dr. Cameron Crandall, my Learning Community mentor," she said.
Looking ahead, Howard aims to mentor future students as she pursues her goals as a physician and researcher.
"Part of my goals as a physician is to be a researcher and a scientist," she said.
Reflecting on her journey so far, Howard advises aspiring student-athletes and future medical professionals: "Take that first step, find a good support system, and just make sure that you continue believing in yourself."
Although her days on international stages may be behind her, Andrea Howard remains committed to her future in medicine and research.