Caleb Allred of Rexburg, Idaho truly lives and breathes the motto: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” The fourth-year Idaho WWAMI student has immersed himself in every aspect of his medical education. His dedication to improving the lives of others captured the attention of a panel of UW faculty and staff who determined Allred possesses the remarkable qualities of a 2025 Husky 100 Award recipient.
“While I am happy to receive this individual award, I feel it is more a reflection on the great people I have worked with during medical school and my support system,” Allred said.
The Husky 100 recognizes 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional students who are making the most of their time at the University of Washington. Allred’s impressive background in global service and experiences living abroad have allowed him to thrive in healthcare access research – all while he and his wife, Catherine are raising three young children.
“I am particularly proud of our project aimed at streamlining scheduling with the Otolaryngology Clinic at Seattle Children’s Hospital,” said Allred. “While discovering problems in need of solutions is important, helping to resolve one was particularly gratifying.”
Allred, together with the otolaryngology team, seeks to improve shared decision-making for patients who speak a language other than English. Identifying surgical outcome inequities allowed them to make meaningful improvements.
“These achievements would not have been possible without support from my wife, my mentor, Dr. Bonilla-Velez, my family, peers and so many more,” he said.
Allred’s first experience in global service was a trip to Ecuador when he was 14 with his late father, who was a physician in obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) in Rexburg. Father and son worked with a non-profit group and helped to collect hundreds of pairs of new shoes to share with children at orphanages.
“While the shoes were helpful, I realized that my well-intentioned project was a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things,” he said.
While serving a mission in Santiago, Chile for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, he and a group of Haitian-Creole-speaking missionaries created a course to teach Spanish to more than 100 Haitian immigrants. They also facilitated several food and clothing drives.
Back home in Rexburg, Allred worked as a Spanish interpreter at Madison Women’s Clinic while attending BYU-Idaho, allowing him to connect global service with medicine for the first time. Many of these patient encounters, along with his father’s influence as an OB-GYN, inspired his decision to become a doctor.
“My father has been my strong supporter throughout my medical journey,” said Allred, which included an OB rotation in his hometown, collaborating with his father.
Unfortunately, his father was diagnosed with ALS soon after his rotation. His father passed away at the end of his third year in medical school.
“I am motivated to honor him and carry on his legacy of compassionate healthcare in my chosen specialty,” Allred said.
Allred plans to continue with his research when he begins his residency in otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Michigan at the end of June. He plans to remain focused on improving systems and efficiency for patients with language barriers.
“These research efforts, combined with a love of teaching and mentorship, have contributed to a desire to work in academic medicine at the end of residency,” he said. “I have come to learn that research can be a powerful tool to create the change you hope to see in the world.”
Allred is interested in someday helping to develop an otolaryngology training program in Idaho.