{"id":132738,"date":"2025-04-10T15:10:58","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T19:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/?post_type=bu-article&p=132738"},"modified":"2025-04-14T11:58:44","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T15:58:44","slug":"gms-student-spotlight-crystal-vejar","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/camed\/medicine\/articles\/2025\/gms-student-spotlight-crystal-vejar\/","title":{"rendered":"GMS Student Spotlight: Crystal Vejar"},"content":{"rendered":"\t
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Crystal Vejar, MAMS\u201925\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStudent Life<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGMS Student Spotlight: Crystal Vejar\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n
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Crystal Vejar is a second-year student in the Master of Science in Medical Sciences (MAMS) Program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A first-generation, nontraditional student and a sergeant in the US Army Reserve, Vejar took a unique path to Graduate Medical Sciences. Her journey molded her into a strong researcher and future healthcare professional, as well as a passionate advocate for others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Path to Medicine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raised in Utah as the oldest of three siblings, Vejar knew early on that she had an affinity for science\u2014and for helping those around her.
\u201cI was the oldest child, and I think that instilled in me a strong sense of needing to care for others,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vejar attended a small, STEM-focused public charter high school before moving across the country in 2016 to study biomedical engi-neering at New York\u2019s Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). After two years, she realized that biomedical engineering was not the right choice for her and decided to make a change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2018, she enlisted in the United States Army, completing basic training at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma, and surgical technologist training at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following year, Vejar returned to upstate New York to work as a surgical technologist at Samaritan Hospital in Troy and enrolled at nearby Russell Sage College, graduating with a BA in biology and minors in psychology and Spanish in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In 2022, Vejar deployed to Somalia for nine months, where she performed emergency medical interventions and surgeries with her army unit, the 1st Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment (FRSD).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Navigating Deployment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following graduation, Vejar worked as  a surgical technologist for several months while also planning her wedding to her \ufb01anc\u00e9, whom she\u2019d met during her freshman year at RPI. She also was accepted to matriculate in the fall 2022 MAMS cohort.  During her honeymoon in August 2022, however, Vejar received notice that she would soon deploy to Somalia with her army unit, the 1st Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment (FRSD). She deployed on November 1 and was stationed at a  far-forward post, where she assisted with emergency medical interventions and sur-geries. Vejar returned to the US in August 2023, arriving in Boston the day before GMS fall orientation.  Now a sergeant, Vejar periodically travels to Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, New York, where she trains others in her unit to make sure they are mission-ready at all times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Transition to Boston University<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From her first day in MAMS, Vejar hit the ground running.  On the cusp of its 40th anniversary, the MAMS Program at BU is one of the oldest and most successful Special Master\u2019s Pro-grams (SMPs) in the United States. The pro-gram has helped more than 3,000 students gain admission to medical schools across the country. \u201cI felt I was a nontraditional student,\u201d Vejar says. \u201cI liked that MAMS focuses on making students \ufb01t what medical schools look for, from research to courses. I was living in Boston already, so it was a natural \ufb01t.\u201d Vejar works in the lab of Matthew Layne, PhD, an associate professor of biochemistry & cell biology. The Layne Lab works to identify novel pathways controlling extracellular matrix synthesis and assembly related to fibroproliferative and connective tissue diseases. Vejar\u2019s master\u2019s thesis research in the lab focuses on the mechanisms of adipocyte fibrosis, the differentiation of the adipocyte progenitor cells, and the pathways and signal-ing mechanisms they go through to become adipocytes and \ufb01brotic adipocytes.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Vejar matriculated into the MAMS Program in Fall 2023 and currently studies the mechanisms of adipocyte fibrosis in the lab of Matthew Layne, PhD. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Giving Back to the Community  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vejar feels fortunate to have always had \u201camazing mentors,\u201d of which there are \u201ctoo many to count.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing a \ufb01rst-generation student and the oldest in my family, and the \ufb01rst to learn English, very often led me to being put into new and confusing situations,\u201d she says. \u201cI learned to look for help and rely on mentors who had been through the same things, or who could help me \ufb01nd the right people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI think it can be empowering and add to your experience in ways that can ultimately be the reason you become successful.\u201d<\/div>