When Lessly Tapia Torres was a child, she was diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy. Her mother was told there were few options for follow-up care because of their immigration status. For Lessly, that moment was formative.
“I remember watching my mom fight for me, while seeing other families struggle in the clinic,” she recalls. “It opened my eyes to the barriers our community faced in accessing care. That’s when I knew I wanted to become a physician who could stand in the gap—as both a healer and an advocate.”
Today, Lessly is a second-year medical student at the University of Washington School of Medicine’s Seattle Foundations site, where she’s carving out her path toward dual board certification in family medicine and psychiatry, with the hope of also completing a sports medicine fellowship.
Her journey to medical school was anything but straightforward. Growing up undocumented, she never imagined college was possible, much less medical school. Yet through perseverance, the power of positive mentorship, and resilience, she applied—after taking the MCAT twice—and was stunned when she was accepted.
Now, when Lessly enters a patient’s room and introduces herself in Spanish, she often sees an immediate shift. “Many patients often tell me I’m the first Latina medical student they’ve ever met. You can feel their relief, their trust,” she says. “That moment motivates me every time.”
At UWSOM, Lessly has taken on leadership roles that reflect her passion for advocacy and mentorship. She serves as co-president of the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), co-lead of the Psychiatry Interest Group and is active in the Family Medicine Interest Group. She also proudly served as an Ambassador for UWSOM’s National Latino Physician Day, a role that gave her the chance to highlight the importance of representation in medicine. Beyond campus, she mentors pre-medical students through programs like Health Career Connections and Chicanos/Latinos for Community Medicine.
Her advocacy consistently centers on education, mental health and creating access for Spanish-speaking, low-literacy and low-income communities. Looking ahead, she hopes to serve not only as a physician but also as a mentor, a lobbyist and eventually a medical school dean, all in the pursuit of championing equitable education, healthcare worker well-being and systemic change.
Outside of medicine, Lessly keeps herself grounded through culture and community. She loves dancing—especially zapateado—and spending time outdoors at rodeos, ranches or hiking trails.
For future students, particularly those navigating spaces that have not traditionally been inclusive of marginalized identities, Lessly offers encouragement: “¡Yo creo en ti! Tu comunidad cree en ti. Cree en ti misma/o,” which translates to “I believe in you! Your community believes in you. Believe in yourself.”